How to Change Windows 10 Pro Update Delivery Optimization Settings
Windows 10 Pro uses Delivery Optimization to download system updates, Microsoft Store apps, and certain Microsoft products. The service can obtain files from Microsoft servers and, depending on your settings, from other computers on your local network or the internet. This peer-to-peer approach can make downloads faster, but it may also consume bandwidth or use upload capacity when your connection is limited.
Delivery Optimization settings are useful when Windows updates run slowly, affect video calls, or continue using network resources after you have finished working. Windows 10 Pro gives you control over download sources, bandwidth limits, upload behavior, and the amount of storage reserved for cached update files.
The options are available through the Settings app, so you do not need advanced administrative tools for the basic changes. Before adjusting them, it helps to understand what each choice does and how it affects update reliability, download speed, and data usage.
Why Delivery Optimization Matters
Windows Update packages can be large, especially when Windows 10 installs a feature update or cumulative update. Delivery Optimization breaks some downloads into pieces and may retrieve those pieces from Microsoft, a local PC, or eligible devices on the internet. Your computer can also upload previously downloaded pieces to other devices if sharing is enabled.
On a home network, allowing local device sharing can reduce repeated downloads when several Windows computers need the same update. A family with multiple PCs, for example, may save internet bandwidth by allowing one machine to provide files to another. If you have only one Windows computer, the benefit is usually smaller.
Internet sharing is less attractive for users with metered connections, mobile hotspots, data caps, or slow upload speeds. Limiting or disabling sharing does not turn off Windows Update. It changes how update content is delivered, while Microsoft remains the primary source for obtaining required files.
Users who manage Microsoft hardware can also review device-specific support information through Surface devices, while general Windows Update procedures are covered in this Windows Update guide.
Open The Delivery Optimization Controls
To reach the relevant options, open the Start menu and select Settings. Choose Update & Security, open Windows Update, and then select Delivery Optimization in the left-hand menu. On some Windows 10 builds, the page may include a link called Advanced options or Activity monitor.
The first important control is Allow downloads from other PCs. When this option is enabled, Windows can download update files from devices on your local network and, if selected, from devices on the internet. Choose PCs on my local network when you want to share with computers in your home or office without contributing to wider peer-to-peer distribution.
Select PCs on my local network, and PCs on the internet only if you understand that your PC may upload update data to other internet-connected devices. Choosing Off makes your computer download update content directly from Microsoft rather than using other PCs. This can be a sensible setting for a single-PC household or a connection with strict bandwidth limits.
After changing the download source, Windows may continue a current transfer for a short period before applying the new behavior. Restarting the computer is usually unnecessary, but it can help the Settings app display the revised state if the page appears unchanged.
Set Download And Upload Limits
The Advanced options page provides controls for how much network capacity Delivery Optimization can use. Depending on your Windows 10 version, you may see separate limits for downloads and uploads, along with settings based on absolute bandwidth or a percentage of measured bandwidth.
A percentage-based limit adapts to the connection Windows detects. An absolute limit, such as a specific number of megabits per second, gives you a more predictable ceiling. The correct choice depends on whether your connection speed changes during the day. A fixed limit is often easier to manage on a busy home network.
You can also limit Delivery Optimization by monthly upload amount. Once the selected upload allowance is reached, Windows stops uploading update content to other PCs for the rest of that period. This setting is helpful when your internet provider charges for excess usage or when upstream bandwidth is needed for cloud backups and remote work.
Some Windows 10 editions show activity statistics, including downloaded data from Microsoft, local PCs, and internet peers, as well as uploaded data. Use these figures to evaluate whether peer sharing is actually helping. If internet uploads are substantial but download savings are minimal, reduce the upload allowance or disable outside sharing.
| Setting | What It Controls | Useful Choice |
|---|---|---|
| Allow downloads from other PCs | Whether update files may come from other devices | Off for maximum simplicity; local network for several household PCs |
| Download limit | The network capacity used while receiving update data | A moderate limit during working hours |
| Upload limit | The capacity used to share update files with other devices | A low limit on slow or capped connections |
| Monthly upload limit | The total amount your PC can upload through Delivery Optimization | A conservative allowance when data usage matters |
| Cache storage limit | How much disk space can hold update content | Automatic management for most users |
| Cache age | How long downloaded files remain available | Automatic management unless storage behavior must be controlled |
Control Cache And Shared Content
Delivery Optimization stores some update files in a local cache. Keeping cached content allows Windows to reuse files instead of downloading them again, and it may let other devices on the same local network obtain matching pieces. Windows normally manages the cache automatically, including its size and how long content remains available.
Advanced settings may let you specify a maximum cache size or a maximum cache age. A larger cache can be useful when several PCs regularly receive the same updates, but it consumes disk space. On a computer with a small solid-state drive, automatic management or a modest limit is usually safer.
The cache does not contain a complete backup of Windows, and deleting it does not remove installed updates. To clear Delivery Optimization files, open Settings, go to System, choose Storage, and select Temporary files. Look for the Delivery Optimization Files category, select it, and remove the files. Windows can rebuild the cache when new update content is required.
Avoid clearing the cache during an active update unless there is a specific reason. If Windows Update is downloading or installing files, let the process finish first. Interrupting related services can create confusing status messages, even though the operating system will generally recover after the next update scan.
Match Settings To Your Connection
A fast, unlimited broadband connection can usually handle the default Delivery Optimization behavior. If your household has several Windows 10 computers, allowing local network downloads may reduce repeated internet transfers. You can still apply a modest upload limit so sharing does not interfere with gaming, streaming, or video conferencing.
For a metered connection, open Settings, choose Network & Internet, select the active Wi-Fi or Ethernet connection, and enable Set as metered connection when appropriate. Windows then reduces some background activity, although important updates may still download. Delivery Optimization limits should be reviewed alongside the metered connection setting rather than treated as a replacement for it.
A laptop connected through a phone hotspot needs a more restrictive approach. Turn off downloads from other PCs or set low download and upload limits. Check the Delivery Optimization activity screen after a day of normal use to confirm that the computer is not consuming unexpected data.
On a work-from-home computer, schedule large updates outside meetings and upload-intensive tasks when possible. Delivery Optimization does not offer the same scheduling controls as some enterprise management tools, but limiting bandwidth during active hours can prevent update traffic from competing with business applications.
Verify Changes And Troubleshoot Behavior
After saving a new setting, monitor Windows Update during the next download. Open Settings, select Update & Security, and choose Windows Update to check whether updates are progressing normally. The Delivery Optimization activity monitor can help identify where data is coming from and how much your PC has uploaded.
If updates become unusually slow after selecting Off, check whether Microsoft’s servers or your internet connection are experiencing a temporary problem. Disabling peer downloads can remove an alternative source, but it should not permanently prevent Windows from updating. A restart, followed by Check for updates, can refresh the service.
When the Delivery Optimization page is missing options, install the latest available Windows 10 servicing updates and restart the Settings app. Options can vary by Windows build, policy, and network type. On managed computers, an organization may control these settings through Group Policy, so local changes may be unavailable or automatically reversed.
For persistent update errors, run the built-in Windows Update troubleshooter from Settings > Update & Security > Troubleshoot > Additional troubleshooters. Also confirm that the Windows Update and Delivery Optimization services have not been disabled. Security software, VPNs, and restrictive router rules can affect update traffic, so temporarily testing without them may help identify the source of a connection problem.
Recommended Settings For Everyday Use
There is no universal configuration for every Windows 10 Pro computer. The best arrangement depends on the number of PCs on the network, the speed of the connection, upload restrictions, available storage, and whether updates need to compete with other network activity.
Use these practical starting points:
- Choose PCs on my local network when multiple Windows computers share one reliable home or office network.
- Choose Off when you have one PC, a metered connection, a mobile hotspot, or a strict data allowance.
- Set a conservative upload limit when peer sharing is enabled, especially if your connection has slow upstream performance.
- Keep cache management on Automatic unless disk space or repeated local downloads requires a specific limit.
- Review the activity monitor after major updates to confirm that the selected settings produce the expected network usage.
Change one setting at a time when troubleshooting. This makes it easier to determine whether a bandwidth cap, peer-sharing option, or cache adjustment affected update performance. Record the original values if you are testing several configurations so you can restore a stable setup quickly.
Keep Windows Updates Predictable
Delivery Optimization works best when its sharing and bandwidth behavior matches the way you use your connection. Local sharing can benefit homes with several Windows PCs, while disabling peer downloads may be preferable for metered internet, single-device households, and users who need consistent upload performance.
Review these options after changing internet providers, adding another computer, switching to a hotspot, or noticing unexplained network activity. Open the Delivery Optimization page, check the activity monitor, and adjust the limits rather than disabling Windows Update itself. With a few targeted changes, Windows 10 Pro can continue receiving important updates without taking more network or storage resources than necessary.