Delivery Optimization enables Windows 11/10 users to distribute the work of downloading packages with large files among multiple devices in a deployment. While you could limit the Windows Update bandwidth in percentage terms, you can mention the absolute values too. Says Microsoft,
Specify Absolute bandwidth that can be used to download Windows Updates in Windows 11
While there are options to mention the percentage of data that could be used to download Windows updates, a lot of users would prefer to specify an exact number of MBs to be permitted for the updates. The procedure to specify absolute bandwidth that can be used to download Windows Updates in Windows 11 is as follows:
Limit Absolute bandwidth that can be used to download Windows Updates
To limit the Absolute bandwidth that can be used to download Windows Updates, do the following: By default, Windows 10 has options configured to dynamically optimize the amount of bandwidth your device uses to both download and upload Windows and app updates and other Microsoft products. However, you can change and define the limit if you’re worried about your data usage. Click the Start button, choose ‘Settings’, and select ‘Update & Security’ option.
Next, choose the ‘Delivery optimization’ option and switch to the right-panel. There, click the ‘Advanced options’ link present at the bottom of the screen.
Now, check the ‘Absolute bandwidth’ circle to configure how much bandwidth is used for
Downloading updates in the background.Downloading updates in the foreground.
The values are expressed in megabits per second (Mbps). You can also specify the same in terms of percentage value by checking the Percentage circle. Once done, your settings will be saved instantly and applied. Simply close the Settings app and return to your work. Thus with the new Absolute Bandwidth options, Windows 11/10 users can have more granular control over their data limits and its usage.
Why should you use this option instead of the percentage of bandwidth one?
In case you have a slower connection, you should use the option which specifies the exact bandwidth allocated to downloading Windows Updates. However, if your computer uses a fast internet connection, then you would want to keep the limit somewhat higher. This is under the knowledge that a few MBPS of data would be sufficient for rest of your work.
Does using less bandwidth slow down the Windows Update process?
It depends. Windows updates need a certain bandwidth to download the updates smoothly. Anything higher than that makes no difference. Anything slower would slow down the Windows update process. Read next: How to manage the Data Usage Limit on Windows 10.
