Is Steam taking forever to download games? Steam Download Slow can be incredibly frustrating. Luckily, there are several ways to fix sluggish Steam speeds by troubleshooting your internet, adjusting Steam settings, updating network drivers, changing servers, and more. Follow these tips to accelerate your Steam downloads on Windows.
1. Fix Steam Download Slow: Check Your Internet Connection
First, test your overall internet speed. Run a speed test at a site like Fast.com or Speedtest.net. If your internet is slow in general, the problem is with your connection, not Steam.
Contact your ISP or router company for help. Upgrading your plan or equipment could resolve slow internet issues.
2. Allocate More Bandwidth to Steam
Close other programs using your internet like browsers and video streams. Check Task Manager’s Network tab and end any processes hogging bandwidth.
Disable “Efficiency Mode” for Steam so it isn’t a low priority process. See our guide on efficiency mode for steps.
3. Disable Metered Connection
One potential cause for this issue is the Windows metered connection setting. Metered connections, designed to conserve data usage for capped internet plans, can inadvertently limit Steam’s download bandwidth. To address this, disabling the metered connection can potentially boost download speeds and allow for smoother game installations.
Windows 10 has a “metered connection” option that limits bandwidth usage. Disable this in Settings > Network & Internet > Wi-Fi > your network name > Metered connection toggle OFF.
4 .Turn Off Your VPN
VPN encryption and distance to servers can slow speeds. Disable your VPN and test if Steam downloads faster without it.
5. Remove Steam’s Bandwidth Limit
Steam lets you limit its bandwidth. Remove this cap for faster speeds:
- Open Steam and click Steam > Settings
- Select Downloads
- Uncheck “Limit bandwidth to”
6. Clear the Download Cache
The Steam download slow problem might lie with your download cache. Clearing your download cache can help to speed up your downloads by removing any corrupted or outdated files that might be interfering with the download process.
A full cache can slow Steam down. Clear it by going to Steam > Settings > Downloads > Clear Download Cache.
7. Switch Download Region
Switching your download region might be the solution. Steam automatically assigns you a download region based on your location, but sometimes this region can be overloaded or experiencing technical difficulties. Switching to a different region with less traffic can significantly improve your download speed.
Try changing your Steam download region to a less congested server:
- Open Steam and click Steam > Settings
- Select Downloads
- Choose a new region from the Download Region dropdown
8. Disable Download Throttling
Download throttling is a feature that Steam implements to manage network bandwidth usage. However, sometimes this feature can cause download speeds to slow down unnecessarily. Disabling download throttling can help to improve your download speeds, especially if you have a fast internet connection.
Steam throttles speeds while streaming.
Disable this in Settings > Downloads > uncheck Throttle downloads while streaming.
9. Pause Antivirus Scans
Temporarily disabling your antivirus or Windows Security can eliminate their bandwidth usage and improve speeds.
10. Update Network Drivers
Outdated network adapter drivers can limit speeds. Update them through Device Manager or a tool like Driver Easy.
11 .Reset TCP/IP Stack
- Open Command Prompt as admin
- Run “netsh int ip reset” and “netsh winsock reset”
- Restart your PC
This resets the TCP/IP stack to default settings, which can fix speed issues.
12. Reinstall Steam
If your Steam files are corrupted, a reinstall could help. Backup games, uninstall Steam, redownload it, restore games.
By adjusting settings, changing servers, updating software, and troubleshooting your network, you should be able to resolve slow Steam download speeds. Be patient and methodical in applying these fixes.