Metered Internet connections: FAQ

Here are answers to some common questions about metered Internet connections. If your Internet service provider charges you for the amount of data that you use, you may find this information useful.

Internet service providers can charge by data used (the amount of data sent and received by your PC). That’s called ametered Internet connection. These plans often have a data limit, and if you exceed the limit you might have to pay extra. In some cases, you aren’t charged extra but your connection speed becomes slower until the billing cycle ends.

If you have a metered Internet connection, setting your network connection to metered in Windows can help you reduce the amount of data you send and receive.

It depends on whether your Internet service provider charges you by the amount of data you use. Some general guidelines:

Wi‑Fi networks. By default, Windows sets Wi‑Fi networks to non-metered. But if your Internet service provider charges you by the amount of data you use, setting your network connection to metered can help you limit your data usage.

Mobile broadband networks. By default, Windows sets mobile broadband networks to metered. But if your mobile broadband service is actually unlimited, then you might want to change the network setting to non-metered.

If you’re not sure what to do, keep a record of your data usage. If you find that you’re being billed for extra data usage, setting your network connection to metered can help you manage this.

Note: Ethernet network connections can’t be set to metered.

Any app that relies on an Internet connection to update or display info may be limited in the amount of data it can download or display. You might notice these and other effects:

Windows Update will only download priority updates.

Apps downloading from the Windows Store might be paused.

Start screen tiles might stop updating.

Offline files might not sync automatically.

Swipe in from the right edge of the screen, select Settings > Change PC settings.
(If you’re using a mouse, point to the upper-right corner of the screen, move the mouse pointer down, choose Settings, and then select Change PC settings.)

Choose Network, and then select Connections.

Select the connection you want to change. Next, under Data usage, turn on or off Set as a metered connection.

Swipe in from the right edge of the screen, select Settings > Change PC settings.
(If you’re using a mouse, point to the upper-right corner of the screen, move the mouse pointer down, choose Settings, and then select Change PC settings.)

Select Metered connections. Next, under Sync settings, turn off both sliders.

Swipe in from the right edge of the screen, select Settings > Change PC settings.
(If you’re using a mouse, point to the upper-right corner of the screen, move the mouse pointer down, choose Settings, and then select Change PC settings.)

Select PC and devices.

Select Devices, then make sure Download over metered connections is set to Off.

This blocks the download of device drivers from Windows Update and device info for your device, while your Internet connection is set to metered. (These downloads will resume next time you’re on a non-metered Internet connection.)

Swipe in from the right edge of the screen, select Settings > Change PC settings.
(If you’re using a mouse, point to the upper-right corner of the screen, move the mouse pointer down, choose Settings, and then select Change PC settings.)

Select Search and apps.

Select Search. Next, under Metered connections at the bottom of the page, turn off both sliders.

This prevents you from receiving search suggestions and web results from Bing when you’re on a metered connection.

You might receive this message when you connect a device and it tries to connect to the Internet using a metered connection to check for new device software. To avoid unexpected data charges, your PC won’t allow the device to automatically check for new software when you use a metered connection.

To always download device software on a metered connection:

Swipe in from the right edge of the screen, select Settings > Change PC settings.
(If you’re using a mouse, point to the upper-right corner of the screen, move the mouse pointer down, choose Settings, and then select Change PC settings.)

Select PC and devices.

Select Devices, then make sure Download over metered connections is set to On.

Once you’ve finished downloading your devices updates, you can turn this setting off to avoid unexpected charges when you’re on a metered network.

Note: Device software packages can be large, which may result in additional charges when downloaded on metered networks.

How to Use a Metered Connection on Windows 10

Limit data usage on Windows 10 with a metered connection

The metered connection setting for Windows 10 helps you manage your internet data usage. This feature is especially useful when traveling or using an internet service with a small download limit.

Information in this article applies to all computers and tablets running Windows 10.

What Is a Windows 10 Metered Connection?

The metered connection setting limits the functionality of an existing internet connection. Any Wi-Fi network you use can be labeled as a metered connection. When using a metered connection, most operating system and app downloads are paused, and some background operations also stop working.

How to Set Up a Metered Connection on Windows 10

Before you can mark a connection as metered, it must first be added to your device’s list of known networks. This is done automatically when you first connect to the network. After the initial connection has been made:

Press the Windows key and select the Settings gear icon.

Select Network & Internet.

Select WiFi in the left pane, then select Manage known networks.

Select the name of the network you want to manage and then select Properties underneath.

There is no limit to the number of metered connections you can set.

Select the toggle switch under Set as metered connection to turn it On.

To return a metered connection to its default settings, repeat the steps above and select the switch again to turn it Off.

Is a Metered Connection Safe?

Setting a connection as metered doesn’t make it any more or less secure. The metered connection setting just limits the amount of data that can be used when connected; it doesn’t add any protection against hacking, viruses, worms, or other such online dangers.

Reduce your risks of contracting malware by installing antivirus software and avoiding unknown Wi-Fi networks.

When to Use a Metered Connection

Some wireless networks charge users based on the amount of data they download. Others place hard limits on data usage. The Windows 10 metered connection setting can be useful in such situations. For example:

• When staying in a hotel room with an expensive internet package.
• When renting a portable Wi-Fi device while traveling.
• When you use your smartphone as a Wi-Fi hotspot and connect your Windows 10 device to it.
• When visiting a friend or family member who has a low data internet plan.
• When you’re on a slow internet connection and want to prioritize an active app over background downloads and updates.

When Not to Use a Metered Connection

While the metered connection setting can be useful in a variety of circumstances, it’s not a good idea to use it all the time since it can decrease your device’s overall functionality. Here are some features that are affected when the metered connection setting is activated:

How to Set Up a Metered Internet Connection in Windows 10

By Bryan Clark 04 March 2017

Whether you’re tethered to a mobile network with a limited amount of data or you just don’t want to suck up too much bandwidth from your home network, Windows 10 has a solution. The operating system features a built-in «Metered connection» mode that reduces bandwidth usage whenever you’re connected to the networks you designate.

Here’s how to set up a Metered Connection in Windows 10.

1. Open the start menu and select Settings.

2. Click the Network and Internet link.

3. Select Wi-Fi from the sidebar.

4. Click the Manage known network link under your existing connection.

5. Choose the network you’re currently using from the list of available ones.

6. Click Properties.

7. Find the Metered connection section and toggle the switch to On.

What is a metered connection? How to enable metered connections in Windows 10

You may have heard the term metered connections, and while their name is self-explanatory, many people do not know precisely how they work. Especially not when it comes to using such connections on computers and devices with Windows 10. In this tutorial, we explain what metered connections are and what kind of connections you can set as metered in Windows 10. We also discuss what happens when you set them that way and how to set both wireless and wired network connections as metered. There is plenty of ground to cover, so let’s get started:

What is a metered connection?

A metered connection is a network connection that has a limited data usage per month or per day. If you go over its allotted amount, you may get billed extra charges. Landline phones were the first that offered this. In the modern day, metered connections are mostly used when referring to smartphones and mobile devices that have a cellular connection from a telecom provider. Most telecom providers offer monthly data plans of several gigabytes and, when you exceed the limit, they automatically charge you a tariff per megabyte. The same concept can be applied to other devices too, including tablets (with Windows, Android or iOS), hybrid devices and more. Also, wireless network connections can be metered, especially public WiFi networks that enforce all kinds of limits, including a maximum data usage per day, week or month. Sometimes, even wired (Ethernet) internet connections can be metered.

What kind of connections can be set as metered, in Windows 10?

In Windows 10, you can set any network connection as metered, not only cellular ones. For example, in the initial version of Windows 10, you could set only wireless network connections to be metered. However, since Windows 10 Creators Update was released, in the spring of 2017, you can also configure Ethernet connections as metered.

What happens in Windows 10, when a network connection is set as metered?

When you set your active network connection as metered in Windows 10, the following things happen:

• Windows Update stops downloading most updates. Only the critical ones are automatically downloaded and installed. Instead, you get a Download button which you can use when you want to install all the updates.
• Apps from the Microsoft Store are no longer automatically updated. However, desktop apps act as usual and are updated based on their settings.
• App tiles on the Start Menu may not update themselves automatically. The Windows 10 apps that have live tiles on the Start Menu might not update themselves while connected to a metered connection.
• The peer-to-peer download of Windows updates is disabled. As long as you connect to a metered network, Windows 10 stops delivering updates in the background, through peer-to-peer connections. This feature is also called Windows Update Delivery Optimization, and Windows 10 turns it off when you use metered connections.
• Apps may behave differently. Depending on the apps that you are using, some may stop downloading data in the background or update their data less often. For example, OneDrive stops automatically synchronizing your files in the background, to save on bandwidth costs. This behavior varies from app to app, depending on how it was programmed, and does not apply to desktop apps which should work as usual.

How to set a wireless network connection as metered, in Windows 10

If you connect to a wireless network which you want to set as metered, open the Settings app. Then, click or tap Network & Internet and go to Wi-Fi.

In the Wi-Fi section, you can see the active wireless network connection. Click or tap on its name.

NOTE: At this step, if you are not already connected to a wireless network, you cannot continue until you connect to a network.

Then, you see a summary of all the settings and properties of the wireless network that you are connected to. Look for the Metered connection section.

Set the “Set as metered connection” switch to On.

Later, if you want to no longer set this wireless network connection as metered, follow the same procedure and turn the “Set as metered connection” switch to Off. Furthermore, you can also configure Data usage limits for your metered connection, so that you make sure that you do not overstep your monthly traffic. To see what apps consume the most bandwidth and configure Data usage, read this article: Identify which apps use the most data on your Windows 10 PC or device.

How to set a wired network connection as metered, in Windows 10

This feature is available only if you are using Windows 10 Creators Update or higher. Earlier versions of Windows 10 do not offer it. If you have connected to an Ethernet connection that is metered or you want to set as metered, open the Settings app. Then, click or tap Network & Internet and go to Ethernet. Then, click or tap on the connection’s name.

You see a summary of all the settings and properties of the network that you are connected to. Look for the Metered connection section. Set the “Set as metered connection” switch to On.

Later, if you want to no longer set this Ethernet network connection as metered, follow the same procedure and turn the “Set as metered connection” switch to Off. You can also set Data usage limits for your metered connection so that you do not overstep the internet traffic included in your data plan. To see what apps consume the most bandwidth and configure Data usage, read this article: Identify which apps use the most data on your Windows 10 PC or device.

Do you use metered connections on your Windows 10 computers and devices?

Now that you have arrived at the end of this guide let us know whether you use metered network connections in Windows 10. What kind of limitations are imposed on you and how easy it is for you to work with such connections in Windows 10?