How to Check Network Data Usage on Windows 10

We usually think of saving internet data usage as a problem for mobile phones, but some people might have this concern on Windows devices, too. Whether you have a data cap on your home internet usage or often travel using a limited connection, there are plenty of times you need to manage how much bandwidth Windows 10 uses.

With system updates, streaming media, and games downloads, it’s easy to forget how much data you’re using. Thankfully, Windows 10 has a tool for this built right in. To access it, open Settings, then go to Network & Internet, followed by the Data usage tab.

You’ll see a ring representing how much data you’ve used on both wireless and wired connections in the past 30 days. For more details, click the Usage details link underneath the ring to open a detailed list of which apps are sucking up data.

If you need to check this information often, you can save a few seconds with a shortcut. Right-click on the Data usage entry on the sidebar, and choose Pin to Start to add a tile for it on your Start Menu. The tile will update live to show you how much data you’ve used so far, and you can click it to jump right to the detailed view.

Note that this information is gathered by Windows, and may not exactly match your ISP’s records. You should be careful when you approach your data limit, as the Windows numbers might not be totally accurate.