How to increase download speed on a Windows 10 PC?

If you think that your downloads are taking forever to complete, then you are in the right place to look for a solution. In this article, we will show you how to increase the download speed on a PC easily.

First, we will show a method which you can use to test your Internet connection and download speed before and after applying the solutions in the article. The test will be carried out on the best speed test website which is the speedtest.net. You can use this site to check your connection and download speed at any time. No matter where you are living in the world, if you can access an Internet connection there, then you can definitely use this site. We have done research on all the old and new tricks and combined them to give you better Internet and download speedup methods. We have tested all these methods before making this article so that you can use them worry-free.

We know you are anxiously waiting for the solutions, but before starting, we have to say one more thing; these methods are also compatible with any ISPs out there.

Table of Contents

1. Group policy Editor
2. Registry tweaks
3. Disable TCP Auto Tuning
4. OpenDNS Superspeed
5. Remove unwanted add-ons, extensions, and plugins
6. Update your network adapter driver

Solution 1. Group Policy Editor

In this solution, we are going to show you how to remove your system reserved bandwidth which is 20% of your entire bandwidth. For example, before you apply this method, you are getting only 80% of your total bandwidth, and the remaining 20% is reserved by your operating system for some unknown reason. Once you are done with this solution, you will be using all the 100%. So, let’s start doing this:

• Head over to the Start or Home menu and search for run. You will see Run in the list of available results; click on it. On the other hand, you can just press the Windows logo key + R on your keyboard to open the Run dialog box.
• Now, input gpedit.msc in the Run’s search box and click OK. This will open the Group Policy Editor. If you are using a Windows 10 Home version, you will not see this window because this feature is only available for other versions of the operating system like Pro or Enterprise. So, if you are using a Windows 10 Home version, you can consider upgrading to a higher version to get this feature. You can also search on Google how to get this feature on Windows Home version; we are sure you will find one. So, if you are not planning to do any of the two ways mentioned above, then you can skip to the next solution. This decision is clearly up to you. That said, let’s continue with the solution.
• From the Group Policy Editor, double-click on Computer Configuration, then double-click on Administrative Templates. From here, go to Network, and then click QoS Packets Scheduler, and choose Limit reservable bandwidth.
• This will open the Limit reservable bandwidth window. Just change the Settings status to Enabled, then under Options, you will find the bandwidth limit percentage. You can see that it is set as 80% by default. What you want to do is edit it to 0% to get the best speed from your available bandwidth.
• Now, click the Previous Setting button on top of the window. This will take you to the Limit outstanding packets window. Change the Setting status from Not configured to Enabled. Now, you can see the Number of packets options. It is set to 65535 by default. What we are going to do is change it to 4000000000. Finally, you can click Apply and OK to confirm the changes you have made.

Solution 2. Registry Tweaks

In this step, we are going to show you how to tweak your Registry to speed up your Internet and download performance. Also, you need to be careful when editing your Registry. Making a mistake here can cause permanent damage to your operating system. That is why we recommend you to back up your Registry before you use this solution. Here is how to back up your Registry:

• In the Registry window, right-click on Computer and select Export.
• In the next window, save the file in any safe location. It is saved as a .reg file.

Once this is done, you can now continue editing your Registry. If you need to use the backup file, just run the file, or import it to your registry.

• Press the Window logo key + R on your keyboard to open the Run dialog box. Now, type in “regedit” (no quotes) and click OK. This will open the Registry Editor window.
• From here, go to the left side of the window and click on HKEY_Local_Machine, then you go to Software and navigate to Microsoft.
• Now, scroll down and select Windows. Here, you will find CurrentVersion; click on it. Now, you can go to the right pane and right-click on the white empty space. In the drop-down menu, navigate to NEW and select Dword.
• Name the new entry MaxConnectionPerServer. Right-click on it and modify its value to 16, then click on OK.
• Now, you need to create another Dword and name it as MaxConnectionPer1_0Server. Right-click on it and change its value to 16.
• Finally, we are done editing the registry. Just click on OK and close it.

Solution 3. Disable TCP Auto-Tuning

From Windows Vista to the succeeding versions, Microsoft has included a feature called TCP Auto-Tuning which helps improve performance for programs that receive TCP data. We have found that if you disable the TCP Auto-Tuning, you will get a bigger boost in your Internet and download speed. So, we are going to show you how to do it:

• Go to your Start or Home screen and search for cmd or command prompt. Now, you will see Command Prompt in the results, just right-click on it and select Run as administrator.
• This will open the Command Prompt window. Input the following command: netsh interface tcp set global autotuning=disabled.
• Now, press Enter and wait for about five seconds. You will then see a message confirming that the TCP Auto-Tuning is disabled. You can now exit the Command Prompt.

Solution 4. OpenDNS Superspeed

Before we begin, let’s explain to you what OpenDNS is. OpenDNS is a company and service which extends the Domain Name System by adding features such as Phishing protection and Optional content filtering to traditional recursive DNS services. So, if you use an open DNS, it will fetch the domain names faster than the regular and comparatively slower DNS servers provided by your ISP. You can also find lots of other DNS servers on the Internet as well. Here is a list of some good ones:

1. Google Public DNS

• Preferred DNS server : 8.8.8.8
• Alternate DNS server : 8.8.4.4

2. DNS.WATCH

• Preferred DNS server : 82.200.69.80
• Alternate DNS server : 84.200.70.40

3. OpenDNS

• Preferred DNS server : 208.67.222.222
• Alternate DNS server : 208.67.220.220

4. Level3 DNS

• Preferred DNS server : 209.244.0.3
• Alternate DNS server : 209.244.0.4
• Preferred DNS server : 4.2.2.1
• Alternate DNS server : 4.2.2.2
• Preferred DNS server : 4.2.2.3
• Alternate DNS server : 4.2.2.4

5. Comodo Secure DNS

• Preferred DNS server : 8.26.56.26
• Alternate DNS server : 8.20.247.20

6. Norton DNS

• Preferred DNS server : 199.85.126.10
• Alternate DNS server : 199.85.127.10
• Preferred DNS server : 199.85.126.20
• Alternate DNS server : 199.85.127.20
• Preferred DNS server : 199.85.126.30
• Alternate DNS server : 199.85.127.30

7. Tata DNS ( Indias Fastest DNS )

• Preferred DNS server : 203.124.230.12
• Alternate DNS server : 203.124.230.21

We have tested the DNS servers on this list, and all of them are great. Some of them work better than others, so, you should test them for yourself and see which one works best for you. Keep in mind that your optimum speed is relative to your location. You can leave a comment on which DNS server worked best for you. Comment about your best working DNS server, your location, and your Internet Service Provider. It would be of great help to those who will read this article in future, i.e., If they are from your same location and using the same ISP.

Let us show you how to add a high-speed DNS server to your PC. For example, let’s add OpenDNS high-speed DNS server to your network adapter. For that, use the following steps:

• Head over to your taskbar and right-click on the network icon at the right corner.
• Click on Open network and sharing center. This will open the Network and Sharing center window.
• From here, click the Change adapter settings hyperlink on the left side of the window, and you will get to the Network Connection window.
• Now, choose your network adapter, right-click on it, and select Properties.
• This will open the Ethernet properties window. Now, scroll down until you find a setting called “Internet Protocol Version 6”. Uncheck its box.
• Now, look for a setting called Internet Protocol Version 4 and double-click on it.
• In the next window, you will see that its default selection is the “Obtain an IP address automatically” option. Select the “Use the following IP address” option.
• You will see that the fields are now enabled. You can input the preferred and alternate figures of the OpenDNS server.
• Once you are done, click OK to confirm your changes.

Solution 5. Remove unwanted add-ons, extensions, and plugins

In this solution, we are going to show you how to optimize a browser for a better Internet and download speed. For example, let’s use Google Chrome:

• Launch your Google Chrome browser.
• Go to the upper-right corner and click on the hamburger menu.
• Select More tools, and click on the Extensions option.
• In the next page, you will see all the extensions or add-ons that are installed in your browser.
• Delete every unwanted and rarely used extension by clicking on the delete icon.
• By doing so, your browser will become more efficient, and it will definitely give you a better browsing experience.

Solution 6. Update your network adapter driver

Your system devices will not function properly if the drivers are missing, corrupt, or outdated. This is because drivers mediate the communication between the devices and the operating system. If they are absent, this communication is breached. This applies also to the network adapter. If its drivers are outdated, it will not function to its full potential. That is why it is always important to keep your drivers up to date.

Method 1. Download and install Auslogics Driver Updater

This is one of the best ways to update all the drivers on your computer. It is very fast and reliable. You will be able to download and install all your drivers in just one click. You do not need to worry about driver incompatibility in this case. This tool will scan your system for outdated, missing, or corrupted drivers and install the latest manufacturer-recommended version.

Method 2. Download your drivers from the manufacturer’s site

This is also a reliable way to get your drivers. For this method, you need to know the name and version of your computer. This is because downloading a wrong driver can cause the device to malfunction. Once you are sure of your computer’s name and version, visit the support page on its official website and download the latest version of your network adapter driver. While you are there, you can also download other drivers which you think are outdated or missing. Now, go to your Download folder and run the driver setup file and install it.

Method 3. Use the Device Manager to update your drivers

Windows has a built-in tool which manages all the devices connected to your computer. This tool is called the Device Manager. You can update your drivers from here using the following steps:

• Right-click on the Start or Home button and select Device Manager. Now, double-click on Network adapter. You will see the devices that are installed on your PC
• Right-click on your network adapter and select Update driver.
• When the next window opens, select the option to download and install the necessary driver from the Internet.
• The best driver for your device will be downloaded and installed.

Now, we have done almost everything to boost your Internet and downloads. That said, run another speed test and check if there is a difference.

We hope that this article has given you the information you need. Share it with others that require such info.

We appreciate your ideas and comments, and we are ready to answer all your questions regarding this topic.