How to limit reservable bandwidth in Windows 10 to increase download speeds

If your internet feels slower than it should be on Windows 10, there’s a hidden setting that might be the culprit: reservable bandwidth.

By default, Windows 10 keeps up to 20% of your internet bandwidth reserved for system processes like Windows Updates and background services. That means only 80% of your total bandwidth is available for everything else—streaming, gaming, downloading files, etc.

The good news? You can take that reserved portion back. Here’s how.

Step-by-Step: Limit Reservable Bandwidth in Windows 10

1. Open the Local Group Policy Editor

• Press Windows Key + R to open the Run dialog.
• Type gpedit.msc and hit Enter.

(Note: If you’re using Windows 10 Home, Group Policy Editor isn’t available by default. You can enable it manually or skip to a registry workaround—explained later.)

2. Navigate to the QoS Settings

Go to:

Computer Configuration > Administrative Templates > Network > QoS Packet Scheduler

3. Open “Limit reservable bandwidth”

• Double-click Limit reservable bandwidth.
• In the new window, click Enabled.
• Set the Bandwidth limit (%) to 0.
• Click Apply, then OK.

This tells Windows not to reserve any portion of your bandwidth for its own use.

4. Restart Your PC

Reboot your computer to apply the change.

For Windows 10 Home Users (Registry Hack)

If you’re on Windows 10 Home and can’t access gpedit.msc, here’s a workaround using the Windows Registry.

Warning: Editing the registry can cause problems if done incorrectly. Proceed carefully.

1. Open the Registry Editor

• Press Windows Key + R, type regedit, hit Enter.

2. Navigate to the QoS Settings Key

Go to:

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Policies\Microsoft\Windows\Psched

If the Psched key doesn’t exist, right-click the Windows folder, select New > Key, and name it Psched.

3. Create a New DWORD Value

• Right-click inside the right pane.
• Select New > DWORD (32-bit) Value.
• Name it NonBestEffortLimit.
• Double-click it and set the value to 0 (Decimal).

4. Restart Your PC

Done.

Does This Really Speed Things Up?

In most cases, yes—especially on slower or shared networks. You won’t magically double your speeds, but you may notice:

• Faster downloads.
• Smoother video streaming.
• More responsive online gaming.

This tweak simply removes artificial limits. Your actual speed still depends on your internet plan and network hardware.

Final Tip

Pair this tweak with other basics like updating your network drivers, rebooting your router regularly, and using a wired connection when possible. Small improvements stack up.

Got questions or ran into issues? Drop a comment below and I’ll help you sort it out.