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How To Reduce The Data Used By A Windows 10 Computer

When you have a machine that runs on Windows 10, several features help you get your work done easily, especially when you connect the machine to the internet. Connecting to the internet on a windows 10 machine makes work very easy. However, the only downside to this is that the windows 10 operating system is a system that demands a lot of data. This means that when you connect a windows 10 machine to the internet, you will end up using more data than you probably planned to use. So, in case you are using a limited or capped data plan to access the internet, you will have to be monitoring everything and try to look for ways through which you will be able to reduce the amount of data the windows 10 machine consumes. 

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And since we all know that the cost of data keeps getting expensive, finding ways to reduce its usage will help you save money in the end. That is why we have compiled some simple ways through which you can reduce the amount of data consumed by your windows 10. These simple ways will help you get the most out of your browsing times and allow your data last longer. Even people who are using limited data plans will find these simple ways quite useful for them. 

Let us get down to business.

Below are some of the simple ways through which you can reduce the data usage of your windows 10 machine.

Making the connection metered

This is one of the best ways to reduce the amount of data used by your windows 10 pc. When you are browsing the internet on a metered network, the operating system will suspend some of the activities that consume data. Some of these activities are:

  1. Update of start menu
  2. Automatic update of apps
  3. Windows updates

And many more others that you may not even know about. If you do not know how to make your internet connection metered on your windows 10 device, do not worry. Below is a step-by-step guide on how to get that done.

  1. Go to the windows settings
  2. Choose ‘network & internet’
  3. Now in the status section, you will see the network that your machine is connected to at that moment. This could be wifi or Ethernet. Just tap on ‘change network properties’
  4. Go to the ‘Metered connection’ section 
  5. Now, toggle on ‘set as metered connection’

You are done. Your windows 10 internet connection is now metered.  

  • Setting data limit

Another way to reduce the data usage of your windows 10 pc is by setting a data limit. This is good for users who are on an internet plan with limited bandwidth. This is because when you set a limit on the amount of data you want to use, it will help in reducing the overall data usage of your system. For example, if you have an internet plan data bandwidth capped at 30GB and you plan to use only 5GB per week, what you do is set a weekly data limit of 5GB. This will give you total control over the amount of data that your windows 10 operating system uses. Before you proceed to set the data limit, consider having your connection metered to help reduce usage. You can refer to the first method above for the steps in making your internet connection metered. Now, let us look at how you can set data limits on your Windows 10 device.

  1. Go to the windows settings
  2. Choose ‘network & internet’
  3. Now, on the left-hand side, click on ‘data usage’
  4. Inside the data limit section, you then tap on the ‘set limit button’ (You should make sure that the active internet connection that you are looking to reduce its data usage has been selected in the ‘show settings for’ section already)
  5. Now, select the data limit type that you want. On your Windows 10 machine, you can only choose from monthly, one-time, and unlimited data limits.
  6. After you finish setting the data limit, just click on ‘save’

The computer will notify you after you have set the data limit. You can readjust the data limit or decide to remove it. Just go to:

  1. Settings
  2. Network & internet
  3. Data usage and then edit or remove it
  • Restricting background data

Your windows 10 operating system has been designed by default to install and update certain apps from the windows store. If you leave it unrestricted, those background app installations and updates would end up consuming a huge part of your data plan. To prevent this from happening, just follow the steps below to restrict background data.

  1. Go to Windows settings
  2. Choose ‘network & internet’
  3. Tap on ‘data usage’ on the left-hand side
  4. Now, scroll down till you reach ‘background data’
  5. Select ‘never’. This will restrict your Windows 10 device from making any installations and updates without your permission
  • Turning off background apps

This is yet another way to reduce the data consumption of your Windows 10 operating system. Some apps are always allowed by your windows 10 operating system to run in the background and consume data when you connect to the internet. These apps work and use data even when you are not using them and when they are closed. Apart from consuming your data, they also deplete your battery faster. So, if you are going to reduce the amount of data used by your Windows 10 device, turning off background apps is something you should surely do. Here are the steps to get this done.

  1. Go to the windows settings menu
  2. Look through and choose privacy
  3. Now, choose ‘background apps’
  4. Now tap on the ‘let apps run in background’ option and switch it off. This will disable the background apps instantly.

You can also choose to turn off some particular apps since you may need others running for whatever you are doing. To do this, just scroll further to ‘choose which apps can run in the background’ and turn off the apps that you do not want running in the background.

  • Turning off Microsoft auto-update

When you are using a Windows 10 machine, you will see that the default apps and the apps you installed yourself from the Microsoft store update themselves automatically as soon as a new version is available. Although these updates may have some advantages, they could also end up using huge amounts of data of your data in a short while. To prevent this, please follow the steps below.

  1. Go to the Microsoft store
  2. Tap on the three-dotted line menu seen in the right-hand corner on the homepage and then choose settings
  3. Now, switch the ‘update apps automatically’ option off

And that is it, you are done.

  • Conclusion

So, ladies and gentlemen, these are some of the ways through which you can reduce the data consumption of your windows 10 operating system.

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