It’s easy to blame internet connection on slow-performing computers, but internet speed may not always be the culprit, especially if you have already checked your connection. If you have noticed that your download speed on your computer has gotten slower, or if things are just taking longer than usual to download, then you may want to consider taking some steps to increase your downloads speed.
Before you call your internet service provider about your speeds and upgrade your PC, let’s go over some tips that will show you how to speed up downloads on a PC with Windows 10.
Download Speeds & Upload Speeds
So before we go over ways to increase download speeds on your PC, let’s do a quick overview of the difference between your computer’s download speed and upload speed. Download speeds refer to the rate at which data is transferred from the web to your actual computer. If you are listening to or streaming music, watching YouTube or Netflix, you are downloading data in the form of images, video files, music, etc. All of the said activities are examples that download data and might be impacted by slow download speeds.
Upload speed is how online information is transferred from your computer to the web. Activities that may require faster upload speeds (or that upload data from your PC to the internet) include online video games, sending emails, video chats, etc.
How To Speed Up Downloads on Your PC
There are a few ways that you can increase download speeds on your PC, but some are easier than others. Some of these methods are considered general fixes that may increase speed, while others are more advanced and may require additional steps.
- Test your internet speeds online (if slow internet speeds are the culprit, it’s better to find out right away instead of trying all of the other methods)
- You can use an online speed test by simply typing “internet speed test” into Google and clicking Run Speed Test. If you are confused as to what to do with the information, here is a good rule of thumb when it comes to speeds:
- If the speed test says that your speed is around 100-200 Mbps, this is considered a fast speed, which means that the internet has nothing to do with the slow download speeds that you’re experiencing.
- If the speed test indicates that your speed is below 100Mbps, this is considered relatively slow, in which case, the internet is most likely to blame for your decreased speeds.
- You can use an online speed test by simply typing “internet speed test” into Google and clicking Run Speed Test. If you are confused as to what to do with the information, here is a good rule of thumb when it comes to speeds:
- Restart your computer. It seems almost too simple, right? But restarting your computer (turning sleep mode on does not count) has been shown to fix several issues that your PC might be experiencing.
- Close streaming services or other unused apps. Try turning off streaming services such as Netflix, Hulu, YouTube, etc. Even if you are not watching anything now, these programs could affect download speeds if they are still open.
- Disconnect unnecessary devices from your internet connection. If you have too many devices connected to Wi-Fi, it could slow down download speeds.
- Turn off metered connection if it is set up on your PC. You can turn off metered connections that limit data usage for maximum download speeds.
- Adjust the bandwidth limit on Windows. If you weren’t aware, Windows OS reserves a specific amount of bandwidth for its own updates; if you want to speed up downloads, try adjusting the bandwidth limits.
- Check for viruses or other malware, bloatware, spyware that may be slowing down your download speeds. You can do this by downloading antivirus software that identifies and destroys any files that may be infected.
- Use an ethernet cable. If you don’t know how to speed up downloads on PC and want a quick fix, try connecting an ethernet cable directly to your modem. If your computer does not have an ethernet port, you could also try moving closer to the modem or router.
As you can see, there are plenty of ways to boost download speeds on your PC. In addition to the ways mentioned above, there are other steps you can take to keep your PC or laptop running smoothly with maximum speeds. If you are still having issues with speeds, it may be time to upgrade or consider PC cleaner software to scan and clean your computer regularly.