You want to play and not spend time waiting for your Steam games to update or download. If you take a poor internet connexion y'all tin detect yourself downloading for days on end. Figure out how to increase Steam download speeds and you won't take to suffer.

These tips will help you optimize the bandwidth from your Internet service provider and also Steam'due south own connection to its servers.

Declutter Your Connection

Seriously, close your browser. As much as net speeds are something of a mysterious strength, there are a few obvious ways to cut downwards on your inapplicable data use. The easiest method is hiding in evidently sight: your Taskbar. Right-click on your Taskbar and select the Job Manager.

Next, click on the Network category. If you see any pesky programs hogging upward your network connection, particularly currently running games, right-click on the program and select End task. When it comes to learning how to speed upwardly Steam downloads, catastrophe any unnecessary programs is probably the nigh crucial tip nosotros can offer.

Optimize Steam'south Software

Some other little trick to optimize Steam's download speeds also lies within your Task Manager. Beginning, open Steam and locate the software in your Task Manager. Correct-click on Steam Client entry and select Go to details.

Next, from your Detail panel, right-click on SteamService.exe and select Ready priority, and then Loftier.

While this won't radically alter download speeds, information technology will inform your PC that Steam deserves a higher priority than the rest of your programs, groundwork or otherwise.

Optimize Your Data Connectedness

While Steam does practice its best to provide users with the most optimal speeds bachelor, Steam's download speeds will largely depend on the speed of your ain internet connexion. Though information technology'south understandable that not everyone has access to a powerhouse net connection, there are a few things you tin can immediately do to better your overall online connexion.

My topmost recommendation would be to download games using a concrete Ethernet connectedness. This also means tracking down your LAN drivers and installing the latest ones. To do so, you'll have to locate your motherboard's make and model.

Click on your Start Carte du jour, type cmd, and click on the Command Prompt option. Enter the following into your prompt and hit Enter on your keyboard.

          wmic baseboard get production,Manufacturer

Google your motherboard'south make and model to locate its Support page. From this folio, you'll be able to locate and download the latest LAN drivers. Finally, connect your modem to your PC via an Ethernet cable. That's it!

Server Proximity

Steam downloads are regional, rather than centered in one global location. At times, Steam volition incorrectly read your location. This ways yous could be located in Los Angeles, while your downloads are centered in Philadelphia, which could dramatically touch on download speeds.

To change your download region, open up Steam, and click Steam >Settings in the upper left-mitt corner.

From the Settings window, click on the Downloads category. Adjacent, click on the drib-downwards bill of fare beneath Download Region.

Set this option to the closest server bachelor in your area. For added measure, set the Limit bandwidth to option in this window to No limit.

Server Relocation

While choosing your closest server is typically your best bet, it isn't ever. For example, I live in an expanse with high download rates and high levels of traffic.

This affects the overall speed of your download: the higher the traffic, the more chock-full your connection. You can, still, relocate the server in club to find the correct balance of traffic and download rates.

Beginning, head to Steam'due south Download Stats. From this interactive map, yous will be able to check the average download rate and percent of global traffic.

Click on a country to see the download rates and traffic. While your download rate results may not radically change (every bit proximity is also a factor in download speeds) changing your current server to 1 with a greater download rate or less traffic volition certainly help speed upwardly Steam downloads.

Disable Your Antivirus Software and Firewall

Steam includes anti-virus programs and firewalls on its listing of programs that may interfere with Steam. Even if you lot have one of the best antivirus software for your PC, information technology can still slow down Steam downloads. To prevent this, you tin attempt disabling your firewall equally well every bit your antivirus software.

If yous want to disable Windows Defender, click the Start button, and then caput toSettings. From in that location, navigate toUpdate Security > Windows Security > Virus & threat protection.

Once the Windows Security popup appears, click Manage settings. ToggleReal-fourth dimension protection toOff, but make sure yous plow that back on later you lot're done downloading.

Disabling the Windows Firewall is just as piece of cake. Caput to yourControl Panel and selectOrganisation and Security. ClickWindows Defender Firewall, so navigate to Turn Windows Defender Firewall on or off on the left side of the menu.

Under the private network settings, cull the box side by side to Turn off Windows Defender Firewall (non recommended), and so click Ok. Don't forget to turn your firewall back on once y'all're done with your download!

If you don't primarily use Windows Security, yous'll need to shut off protection through your own antivirus and firewall. Once you plow off both of these functions, it should increase Steam download speeds.

In case y'all don't want to constantly plow your Windows Defender on and off, you can also add Steam as an exclusion. This allows Windows Defender to provide protection for all of your files, except Steam.

To do this, navigate to the Windows Security settings manager using the same path every bit before. Click Exclusions > Add or remove exclusions > Add an exclusion. In the dropdown bill of fare, chooseFile, and and then select the Steam binder from your files.

Learning How to Increase Steam Download Speeds

At that place's nothing sadder than tedious download speeds. That's why we're here to help you learn how to brand Steam download faster. If you're experiencing slow download speeds on Steam, have a few minutes to enact these tips. Later all, those MBs add upwards!

When it comes to downloading and buying games, yous might wonder whether Steam or the Epic Games Store is amend. Meet our in-depth analysis of Steam vs. Epic Games Store, and you tin decide if the Epic Games Store is a worthy competitor.

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About The Writer

Emma Roth (557 Articles Published)

Emma was formerly a Senior Writer and Junior Editor for the Creative department. She graduated with a Available's caste in English, and combines her dear of technology with writing.

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