Windows 10 lets you set up your PC so it can download and upload system updates from and to other Windows 10 machines via the Internet and local network connections. This makes it possible to get Windows updates faster and the Fall Creators update adds the option to control the bandwidth used for updates in Windows 10.
This can be useful if you’re on a slow Internet connection since it will become even slower while system updates are downloading. Furthermore, if you’re on a metered connection, the ability to receive update files from other LAN PCs can prevent reaching the monthly cap too early.
How to control the bandwidth used for updates in Windows 10
As I already mentioned, the option to customize the bandwidth used for Windows updates is available starting with Windows 10 Fall Creators Update, which has become publicly available starting with October 17th, 2017 so make sure your PC is running it (or a newer version).
To begin with, open the Settings app and go to Update & Security -> Windows Update and scroll down in the right pane until you locate the “Advanced options” link. Click on it.
This will open the Advanced Options page. There, click on the link named “Delivery Optimization”.
On the Delivery Optimization page, enable the option called “Allow downloads from other PCs”. This will allow Windows to download updates from other computer, as well as upload update files to other PCs from your own machine (although uploads won’t happen over a metered connection, so you have nothing to worry about in this regard).
Even this option can be further customized. You can choose between “PCs on my local network” and “PCs on my local network, and PCs on the Internet”. Ideally, you should choose the second option, especially if you’re on a home network with just a few devices.
While these are not the options that allow you to control the bandwidth used for updates in Windows 10, there’s no point in customizing the bandwidth if you’re not using them.
With that out of the way, click the “Advanced options” link located under the “Allow downloads from other PCs” section on the Delivery Optimization page.
This is the page that allows us to control the bandwidth used for updates in Windows 10. Here you can enable the download and upload limits separately, then use the dedicated sliders to adjust them.
Furthermore, the upload settings also let you enable and set a monthly upload limit for sharing updates with other PCs between 5 and 500 GB.
There are no right and wrong settings here. You should customize the upload and download limits depending on your own preferences, Internet connection speed and whether it’s a metered connection or not.
