How To Check & Control Data Usage On Windows 10

What is data usage?

The term data usage refers to the amount of data you use in a certain period of time. It’s a good way to track the network consumption on your device so that you can prevent from going over your data plan effectively. For users who have a specific data limit, limiting the bandwidth can help them manage data usage so as to avoid being overcharged.

How to Check Data Usage

In this age of information explosion, it’s become a hard task to save the limited data pack. Users should check data usage regularly and restrict background data correspondingly in order to avoid paying for extra usage.

As you know, a number of improvements & new features will be added to every new version of Windows system (such as Timeline). Windows 10 April 2018 Update is no exception; a lot of improvements are included in its built-in network traffic monitor. Users running this version (or later version) can do a lot of things to control Windows 10 data usage:

• View and reset the stats.
• Keep an eye of what uses the most data.
• Set reasonable data limits.
• Set restrictions to background data.

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But the question is how to check data usage? The following content will mainly tell you how to check data usage on PC.

View Data Usage on Windows 10

1. Right click on the Start button in the lower left corner of the screen.
2. Choose Settings from the WinX menu you see.
3. Click Network & Internet (Wi-Fi, airplane mode, VPN).
4. Shift to Data usage in the left sidebar.
5. The data usage from the last 30 days for each network adapter will be listed under the Overview section in the right pane.
6. Click the View usage per app link to know the detailed data usage of each app. You can know what program uses the most data.

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How to Reset Data Usage

1. Open Settings app in the way you like.
2. Choose Network & Internet.
3. Select Data usage in the left sidebar.
4. Click on the View usage per app link in the right pane.
5. Look at the Show usage from section under Usage details and choose the target Wi-Fi or Ethernet adapter from its drop-down list.
6. Click on the Reset usage stats button below.
7. Click on the Reset button in the pop-up window to confirm your action.

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How to Limit Data Usage

1. Go to Data usage page by repeating step 1 to step 3 mentioned in previous method.
2. Look for the Show settings for section in the right pane.
3. Choose the target wireless or wired network adapter from the drop-down list.
4. Look at the Data limit section below.
5. Click on the Set limit button.
6. Select a limit type you prefer from: Monthly, One time, and Unlimited.
7. Specify a value for Monthly reset date or Days until data expires.
8. Click on the Save button to finish limiting data usage.

Please note:

• Windows can help you stay under your data limit. This won’t change your data plan.
• You can edit the data limit or remove it easily by repeating step 1 to step 4 and clicking Edit limit or Remove limit.

Another way to limit data usage in Windows 10 is to enable a Metered connection.

Restrict Background Data

What is background data? In fact, background data usage refers to the consumption of internet by apps which are used in the background.

How to restrict background data:

1. Open Settings.
2. Select Network & Internet.
3. Choose Data usage.
4. Scroll down to the Background data section.
5. Check Always under Limit what Store apps and Windows features can do in the background.

Please note: there will be a When I’m within 10% of my limit option if you have set a connection data limit.

Of course, you can turn to a data usage calculator to check & control your data usage on PC, mobile phone, or other devices.