Is Windows stealing your bandwidth?

HAVE you noticed a drop in your internet or computer performance since around the time of Windows 10’s release? Then read on for a possible explanation and solution.

If you started the upgrade from Windows 7 or 8, your computer would have downloaded at least 3GB of files before you even performed the installation. After that, the installation may have used more internet to download updates.

Usually you cannot stop those downloads – they are a side effect of the upgrade process. You also cannot prevent Windows 10 from downloading security updates and apparently random apps, as you could in previous versions of Windows. This is to ensure your computer has fewer vulnerabilities, but is painful for those with metered and slower internet connections.

But there are some settings you can switch off to save your net connection, as well as improve privacy.

A feature which turns your computer into a Windows Update server for every computer on the internet – on by default – is the first thing you should switch off. Hit the Start button and type

“Windows Update settings”. Select the first result, then click Advanced options > Choose how updates are delivered. There you will find the option to prevent your PC from sharing downloaded updates with others over the internet.

Clicking Start and typing “settings”, then selecting “Security” will give you a list of other settings which can steal your bandwidth – webcam, microphone and so on. Switching them off will improve both your privacy as well as your computer’s performance.

You can also improve performance and keep your internet bill under control by switching off Windows search’s ability to scan the web for results.

Windows 10 has a raft of other features which can be turned off to improve performance and security, from needless animations and transparencies to internet-enabled feedback tools.

Frustratingly, however, they are not all located in one simple settings menu.

In all, there are over 50 settings which can be changed to tune up Windows 10 to make it a very lightweight and enjoyable operating system. You can change those settings yourself, but when ITaffinity can do it for you for only $25, why pull your hair out?