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Launch the application after installing it and you’ll see a list of applications using your network connection along with their current download speed (“DL Rate”) and upload speed (“UL Rate”).
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NetLimiter provides a free 28-day trial, so you can test it and see if it works for you before buying it. If you want to use it for work, you need to spend $20 instead. You can purchase a single home user license of NetLimiter Lite for $16. You don’t need NetLimiter Pro if you just want to set bandwidth limits, so the basic NetLimiter Lite program is fine. It’s cheaper than other paid options too.
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Unlike the free option we’ll be covering in the next section, NetLimiter has an easy-to-use interface and lets you limit the bandwidth of an unlimited amount of applications. We’ll cover that free option in the next section, but NetLimiter is worth a purchase if you really need this feature. We only found a single free tool for setting per-application bandwidth limits on Windows. You usually can’t set a precise bandwidth limit, but your router will automatically prioritize traffic based on the rules you set up to keep everything performing quickly. If you have a router with Quality of Service (QoS) features, you also can use your router to prioritize traffic. RELATED: How to Limit Windows Update's Download Bandwidth on Windows 10 There’s also a “Limit how much bandwidth is used for uploading updates to other PCs on the Internet” option here, but you can disable the uploading feature entirely if you’re concerned about its bandwidth usage. Toggle the “Limit how much bandwidth is used for downloading updates in the background” option here.
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To configure this, head to Settings > Update & Security > Windows Update > Advanced Options > Delivery Optimization > Advanced Options. Putting restrictions on those (particularly if you’re uploading lots of files at once) can be really helpful.Įven Windows 10 now lets you restrict how much bandwidth Windows Update uses in the background. Many other applications, including tools like Dropbox, Google Drive, and Microsoft OneDrive, have similar built-in options. For example, if you want to manage the amount of bandwidth Steam uses to download games, you can head to Steam > Settings > Downloads, and then use the “Limit bandwidth to” box to restrict its bandwidth. Look for options integrated into the programs you already use before you install any third-party software.
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Option One: Use Options Built Into the Programs You Use
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