Skip to main content
TechRadar TechRadar the technology experts
Asia
flag of Singapore
Singapore
Europe
flag of Danmark
Danmark
flag of Suomi
Suomi
flag of Norge
Norge
flag of Sverige
Sverige
flag of UK
UK
flag of Italia
Italia
flag of Nederland
Nederland
flag of België (Nederlands)
België (Nederlands)
flag of France
France
flag of Deutschland
Deutschland
flag of España
España
North America
flag of US (English)
US (English)
flag of Canada
Canada
flag of México
México
Australasia
flag of Australia
Australia
flag of New Zealand
New Zealand
RSS
Sign in
  • View Profile
  • Sign out
  • Phones
      • iPhone
      • Samsung Galaxy
      • Google Pixel
      • Nothing
      • Motorola
      • OnePlus
      • Xiaomi
      • Honor
      • Oppo
      • Huawei
      • Android
      • iOS
      • Network Carriers
      • Phone Accessories
      • Phone Reviews
      • Phone Buying Guides
      • Phone Deals
      • Phone News
  • Computing
    • Laptops
      • Chromebooks
      • MacBooks
      • Windows Laptops
      • Gaming Laptops
      • Desktop PCs
      • Macs
      • Gaming PCs
    • Software
      • Windows
      • macOS
    • Components
      • CPUs
      • GPUs
      • Storage
      • Nvidia
      • Intel
    • Internet
      • Websites & Apps
      • Wi-Fi & Broadband
      • Social Media
      • Wordle
    • Security
      • Antivirus
      • Cyber Security
    • Tablets
      • eReaders
      • iPad
    • VR & AR
    • Peripherals
      • Monitors
      • Keyboards
      • Webcams
      • Mice
      • Dell
      • HP
      • Lenovo
      • Acer
      • Computing Reviews
      • Computing Buying Guides
      • Computing Deals
      • Computing News
  • AI
    • AI Platforms & Assistants
    • OpenAI
    • ChatGPT
    • Gemini
    • Apple Intelligence
    • Claude
  • TVs
      • TV Reviews
      • TV Buying Guides
      • TV Deals
      • TV News
      • Home Theatre
      • Soundbars
      • Streaming Devices
      • Projectors
      • Blu-ray
  • Streaming
    • Entertainment
    • Netflix
    • Prime Video
    • Disney+
    • Apple TV+
    • HBO Max
    • Hulu
    • Paramount+
    • How to Watch
  • Fitness
      • Smartwatches
      • Fitness Trackers
      • Exercise Equipment
      • Fitness Headphones
      • Fitness Apps
      • Smart Rings
      • Apple Watch
      • Fitbit
      • Garmin
      • Google Pixel Watch
      • Samsung Galaxy Watch
      • Sleep
      • Oral Health
      • Fitness News
      • Fitness Reviews
      • Fitness Buying Guides
      • Fitness Deals
  • Audio
    • Headphones
      • Earbuds & AirPods
      • Wireless Headphones
    • Speakers
      • Wireless Speakers
      • Sonos
    • Hi-Fi
      • Turntables
      • Portable Players
      • DACs
    • Audio Streaming
      • Spotify
      • Apple Music
      • Audio News
      • Audio Reviews
      • Audio Buying Guides
      • Audio Deals
  • VPN
    • VPN Services
    • VPN Security
    • ExpressVPN
    • NordVPN
  • Cameras
      • Mirrorless
      • DSLRs
      • Compact
      • Action
      • Video
      • Drones
      • 360 Cameras
      • Dash Cams
      • Canon
      • DJI
      • Fujifilm
      • Nikon
      • GoPro
      • Insta360
      • Camera Accessories
      • Camera Lenses
      • Camera Reviews
      • Camera Buying Guides
      • Camera Deals
      • Camera News
      • Photography
  • Home
    • Smart Home
      • Home Security
      • Smart Speakers
      • Smart Lights
      • Smart Scales
      • Smart Thermostats
      • Amazon Echo
    • Small Appliances
      • Air Fryers
      • Air Quality
      • Coffee Machines
      • Hair Care
      • Vacuums
      • Robot Vacuums
      • Dyson
      • Philips Hue
      • Ring
      • Shark
      • Ninja
      • Home Reviews
      • Home Buying Guides
      • Home Deals
      • Home News
  • EVs
  • Browse
      • News
      • Best
      • Reviews
      • Deals
      • Versus
      • How To
      • Opinion
      • Coupons
      • Samsung
      • Sony
      • Microsoft
      • Apple
Tech Radar Pro Tech Radar Gaming
  • Phones
    • View Phones
      • iPhone
      • Samsung Galaxy
      • Google Pixel
      • Nothing
      • Motorola
      • OnePlus
      • Xiaomi
      • Honor
      • Oppo
      • Huawei
      • Android
      • iOS
      • Network Carriers
      • Phone Accessories
      • Phone Reviews
      • Phone Buying Guides
      • Phone Deals
      • Phone News
  • Computing
    • View Computing
    • Laptops
      • View Laptops
      • Chromebooks
      • MacBooks
      • Windows Laptops
      • Gaming Laptops
      • Desktop PCs
      • Macs
      • Gaming PCs
    • Software
      • View Software
      • Windows
      • macOS
    • Components
      • View Components
      • CPUs
      • GPUs
      • Storage
      • Nvidia
      • Intel
    • Internet
      • View Internet
      • Websites & Apps
      • Wi-Fi & Broadband
      • Social Media
      • Wordle
    • Security
      • View Security
      • Antivirus
      • Cyber Security
    • Tablets
      • View Tablets
      • eReaders
      • iPad
    • VR & AR
    • Peripherals
      • View Peripherals
      • Monitors
      • Keyboards
      • Webcams
      • Mice
      • Dell
      • HP
      • Lenovo
      • Acer
      • Computing Reviews
      • Computing Buying Guides
      • Computing Deals
      • Computing News
  • AI
    • View AI
    • AI Platforms & Assistants
    • OpenAI
    • ChatGPT
    • Gemini
    • Apple Intelligence
    • Claude
  • TVs
    • View TVs
      • TV Reviews
      • TV Buying Guides
      • TV Deals
      • TV News
      • Home Theatre
      • Soundbars
      • Streaming Devices
      • Projectors
      • Blu-ray
  • Streaming
    • View Streaming
    • Entertainment
    • Netflix
    • Prime Video
    • Disney+
    • Apple TV+
    • HBO Max
    • Hulu
    • Paramount+
    • How to Watch
  • Fitness
    • View Fitness
      • Smartwatches
      • Fitness Trackers
      • Exercise Equipment
      • Fitness Headphones
      • Fitness Apps
      • Smart Rings
      • Apple Watch
      • Fitbit
      • Garmin
      • Google Pixel Watch
      • Samsung Galaxy Watch
      • Sleep
      • Oral Health
      • Fitness News
      • Fitness Reviews
      • Fitness Buying Guides
      • Fitness Deals
  • Audio
    • View Audio
    • Headphones
      • View Headphones
      • Earbuds & AirPods
      • Wireless Headphones
    • Speakers
      • View Speakers
      • Wireless Speakers
      • Sonos
    • Hi-Fi
      • View Hi-Fi
      • Turntables
      • Portable Players
      • DACs
    • Audio Streaming
      • View Audio Streaming
      • Spotify
      • Apple Music
      • Audio News
      • Audio Reviews
      • Audio Buying Guides
      • Audio Deals
  • VPN
    • View VPN
    • VPN Services
    • VPN Security
    • ExpressVPN
    • NordVPN
  • Cameras
    • View Cameras
      • Mirrorless
      • DSLRs
      • Compact
      • Action
      • Video
      • Drones
      • 360 Cameras
      • Dash Cams
      • Canon
      • DJI
      • Fujifilm
      • Nikon
      • GoPro
      • Insta360
      • Camera Accessories
      • Camera Lenses
      • Camera Reviews
      • Camera Buying Guides
      • Camera Deals
      • Camera News
      • Photography
  • Home
    • View Home
    • Smart Home
      • View Smart Home
      • Home Security
      • Smart Speakers
      • Smart Lights
      • Smart Scales
      • Smart Thermostats
      • Amazon Echo
    • Small Appliances
      • View Small Appliances
      • Air Fryers
      • Air Quality
      • Coffee Machines
      • Hair Care
      • Vacuums
      • Robot Vacuums
      • Dyson
      • Philips Hue
      • Ring
      • Shark
      • Ninja
      • Home Reviews
      • Home Buying Guides
      • Home Deals
      • Home News
  • EVs
  • Browse
    • View Browse
      • News
      • Best
      • Reviews
      • Deals
      • Versus
      • How To
      • Opinion
      • Coupons
      • Samsung
      • Sony
      • Microsoft
      • Apple
Tech Radar Pro Tech Radar Gaming
Trending
  • Best VPN
  • Back to school
  • Best laptop
  • ChatGPT
  • Nintendo Switch 2
  • NYT Wordle today
  • Best web hosting
Don't miss these
Google Chrome
Chrome Google claims Chrome is now faster than ever – but I’m still worried that the browser remains a RAM hog
People using Windows 11 laptops
Windows Microsoft promises to crack one of the biggest problems with Windows 11: slow performance
Woman disgusted by her laptop
Windows No, Windows 11 PCs aren't 'up to 2.3x faster' than Windows 10 devices, as Microsoft suggests – here's why that's an outlandish claim
Surfshark
VPN Services Surfshark makes waves with 70% faster speeds thanks to new FastTrack feature
Fastest VPN featured image showing our speed testing on a laptop and smart tv
VPN Services The fastest VPN for outright speed in 2025
Young woman use cellphone sit at table in kitchen
Windows Windows 11 is getting a nifty trick for quickly mirroring your Android phone right from the Start menu
The earth viewed from space with a satellite in orbit
Wi-Fi & Broadband Forget Starlink – this Chinese satellite internet tech is capable of 1Gbps speeds that are five times faster
Best iPhone VPN
VPN Services The best VPN for iPhone in 2025
Using Zipped files and folders in Windows 11
Windows New Windows 11 update delivers a host of new features and fixes - here are 4 things I'm looking forward to
Parallels Desktop 26
Pro Nysterious Internet Speed Booster feature, 'an error', Parallels told us - but I'd wager that bandwidth-bonding could become a reality
A woman sitting in a chair looking at a Windows 11 laptop
Windows Not a fan of the Copilot app in Windows 11? You might change your mind, as Microsoft just beefed up its powers
VPN on Windows machine.JPG
VPN Services The best Windows VPN for PC in 2025
Skeleton of an office worker waiting for their laptop to boot
Windows Windows 10 might be at death’s door, but Microsoft hasn’t finished trying to force Bing and Edge on its users
Fingers typing on a keyboard.
Software & Services Best benchmarks software of 2025
People using Windows 11 laptops
Windows Windows 11 search just got more powerful courtesy of Copilot - and I think this is a great use of AI, even if there'll still be haters
  1. Computing
  2. Software
  3. Windows

How to test and improve the speed of your internet connection in Windows 10

How-to
By Alex Dale published 10 August 2016

Speed up the net

When you purchase through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission. Here’s how it works.

Speed up your internet connection

Speed up your internet connection

One of the main benefits of Windows 10 is that the operating system takes care of any housekeeping by default, constantly scanning the internet for the latest updates and drivers for your software.

This means you will get the most stable, safest and up-to-date experience possible. But if your internet connection isn't the fastest, all that behind-the-scenes churning can disrupt your web browsing experience.

Fortunately, with a little know-how it's possible to lighten your connection's load and free it up to concentrate on the task at hand. But before you begin tinkering in the settings menu, the first thing you should do is test the speed of your connection, to ensure it really is your network at fault, rather than, say, the servers carrying the video you're trying to stream.

  • Check out our collection of how to use Windows 10 guides
Page 1 of 9
Page 1 of 9
1. Download the app

1. Download the app

There are many speed-testing apps out there – they work by connecting your device to servers across the globe, and measuring how long it takes to send and receive a response.

Microsoft recommends their own Network Speed Test app, which is free from the Windows Store. There are flashier ones out there, but this one is clear and tells you everything you need to know.

Page 2 of 9
Page 2 of 9
2. Checking your speed

2. Checking your speed

Click 'Start' and the app will test your connection's download speed, upload speed and its reaction times. The latter two are important if you play a lot of online games or share large files, but typically internet connections are set up to be much faster at downloading than uploading.

It's rare to get the advertised 'best case' speeds, but you can hope for over 50%.

  • How to speed up your PC for free
Page 3 of 9
Page 3 of 9
3. Analysing the results

3. Analysing the results

Our recorded download speed (the dark green bar) is a paltry 1.26MBps – well below our advertised 6MB speed. As the guide explains, we can stream music or moan about it over Skype, but high-definition video is out of the question.

The simpliest fix is to switch to a wired connection or move your PC closer to the router. But if neither is an option...

Page 4 of 9
Page 4 of 9
4. Close unnecessary programs

4. Close unnecessary programs

…it's time to get creative. Your first port of call should be the Task Master, accessed by pressing Ctrl + Alt + Del. Here we can see if there are any unnecessary programs hogging bandwidth.

The column to look at is 'Network' – we can see Steam is busy downloading a hefty update. Close it, or wait until it finishes. Also check other devices connected to the WiFi network.

  • How to get super-fast Wi-Fi in every room
Page 5 of 9
Page 5 of 9
5. Turn off peer-to-peer updates

5. Turn off peer-to-peer updates

To speed up the rate at which users get updates, Windows 10 uses peer-to-peer technology. This means instead of downloading everything from a central server, your PC sends and receives updates from other users' devices.

If you can't spare the bandwidth, switch it off – 'Settings > Update & Security > Advanced Options > Choose how updates are delivered'.

Page 6 of 9
Page 6 of 9
6. Switch off updates

6. Switch off updates

Switching off automatic updates isn't recommended, but if you need the extra zip, you can do so by typing Services into the search bar, which will bring up this screen.

Scroll down to Windows Update, double-click it and change 'Startup type' from 'automatic' to 'disabled' and then press stop. When you're finished, you can reinstate updates by selecting 'start'.

Page 7 of 9
Page 7 of 9
7. Set troublesome connections to 'metered'

7. Set troublesome connections to 'metered'

Here's a sneaky trick if there's just one WiFi connection (e.g. a workplace) in your life giving you trouble. Go to 'Settings > Network & Internet > WiFi > Advanced options' and activate the 'Set as metered connection' option.

Until you say otherwise, this will flag the connection up as a pay-as-you-go connection. It isn't, but it'll treat it like one – which means no automatic updates.

Page 8 of 9
Page 8 of 9
8. Success!

8. Success!

If you've followed all these steps, you should find your internet connection is in much better health – we're up to 3.52MBPs (megabytes per second) now.

Note that the Network Speed Test App also keeps a record of your past speed tests down the right hand side of the screen. You can clear this by clicking on the menu icon, where the option will become available.

Page 9 of 9
Page 9 of 9
TOPICS
Windows 10
Alex Dale
See more Computing How Tos
Read more
Google Chrome
Google claims Chrome is now faster than ever – but I’m still worried that the browser remains a RAM hog
People using Windows 11 laptops
Microsoft promises to crack one of the biggest problems with Windows 11: slow performance
Woman disgusted by her laptop
No, Windows 11 PCs aren't 'up to 2.3x faster' than Windows 10 devices, as Microsoft suggests – here's why that's an outlandish claim
Surfshark
Surfshark makes waves with 70% faster speeds thanks to new FastTrack feature
Fastest VPN featured image showing our speed testing on a laptop and smart tv
The fastest VPN for outright speed in 2025
Young woman use cellphone sit at table in kitchen
Windows 11 is getting a nifty trick for quickly mirroring your Android phone right from the Start menu
Latest in Windows
Acer Aspire 14 AI laptop display showing the Windows 11 login screen
Windows 11 25H2 update is close to release – but I fear Microsoft is missing a big opportunity as Windows 10's death looms
Young woman with cat using laptop
Want to stick with Windows 10 after October 2025? Here are your options – including how to get a free year of extra support
Sad business man and laptop
Windows 11's SSD breaking bug just got more mysterious - and I really hope Microsoft can clear this up swiftly
A PC Gamer looking happy sat in front of their desktop monitor
Windows 11 is finally fixing poor sound quality with Bluetooth headphones - and PC gamers will be particularly happy
Skeleton of an office worker waiting for their laptop to boot
Can't sign up for extended Windows 10 support? Don't panic, the rollout is underway - but it's reportedly going 'slowly'
Happy woman
Windows 11 feature to resume Android apps on your PC is finally incoming - and I think this will be a great addition
Latest in How Tos
ChatGPT on mobile
I finally got ChatGPT to stop asking 'Want me to…' at the end of every response – here’s how to do it
Aryna Sabalenka of Belarus celebrates with the winners trophy after defeating Jessica Pegula of the United States to win the Women's Singles Final on Day Thirteen of the 2024 US Open at USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Center on September 07, 2024 in the Flushing neighborhood of the Queens borough of New York City.
How to watch US Open 2025: live stream tennis online for FREE, order of play, what TV channel, Day 9
Anker power bank on aeroplane tray table with laptop and person reading a book
I’m a power bank nerd and here are the airline rules you need to know
Puzzle pieces representing memory.
ChatGPT’s best hidden feature is a true game changer – here’s how to turn it on
Spam Callers
How to block spam calls on iPhone
Harry Kane of Bayern Munich poses for a photo with the Meisterschale trophy and his medal after the teams 2-0 victory in the Bundesliga match between FC Bayern München and Borussia Mönchengladbach at Allianz Arena on May 10, 2025 in Munich, Germany.
How to watch Bundesliga 2025/26: live stream guide, TV channels and free streams
LATEST ARTICLES
  1. 1
    Trying to strike it big? Beware, that TradingView app could be malware
  2. 2
    NYT Connections hints and answers for Tuesday, September 2 (game #814)
  3. 3
    Quordle hints and answers for Tuesday, September 2 (game #1317)
  4. 4
    NYT Strands hints and answers for Tuesday, September 2 (game #548)
  5. 5
    Welcome to TechRadar’s Home Theater Week 2025

TechRadar is part of Future US Inc, an international media group and leading digital publisher. Visit our corporate site.

  • About Us
  • Contact Future's experts
  • Contact Us
  • Terms and conditions
  • Privacy policy
  • Cookies policy
  • Advertise with us
  • Web notifications
  • Accessibility Statement
  • Careers

© Future US, Inc. Full 7th Floor, 130 West 42nd Street, New York, NY 10036.

Please login or signup to comment

Please wait...