The Tool Desk
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Limit Steam’s download speed across your library
- Open the Steam client and select Steam > Settings > Downloads.
- Turn on Limit download speed.
- Enter a cap that leaves enough connection capacity for other people and activities in your home.
Check the rate unit shown in Steam before entering a value. Steam can display rates in kilobytes or megabytes per second, while internet plans are usually advertised in kilobits or megabits per second. A byte is eight bits, so the same number in each unit represents a different rate. The unit shown depends on your client preference. See Steam’s download speed limit guidance.
The cap applies to game downloads and updates. Steam also shows the limit in the download manager and in the update prompt displayed when you try to start a game with an update pending; see Steam’s download management guidance.
Defer updates for a particular game
- Open Library and select the game.
- Open the game’s Properties, then choose Updates.
- Under automatic updates, choose the option to update the game only when it is launched.
This changes automatic update behavior for that game rather than setting a speed cap for Steam as a whole. The update is deferred until you launch the game, at which point Steam requires it before play. Steam’s automatic update options also include keeping a game updated and giving it high update priority.
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Restrict automatic updates to a time window
In Steam > Settings > Downloads, use the option to limit automatic game updates to a chosen time interval. The schedule uses local time. It controls when automatic updates run; it is not a universal download block. A download you start manually from the download manager can begin immediately, and launching a game with an update pending can trigger that update. See Steam’s download management guidance.
Choose whether downloads run while you play
Steam pauses downloads automatically when a game launches so the game’s network activity can take priority. To permit downloads during gameplay, open Steam > Settings > Downloads and enable the option to allow downloads while playing. If a download is affecting online play, Steam recommends considering a bandwidth limit in the same settings. Its support page explains: “Steam automatically pauses your downloads when a game is launched in order to prioritize the network activity for the game itself.” Read Steam’s guidance on downloads during gameplay.
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Which control should you use?
| Control | Scope | What it changes |
|---|---|---|
| Download-speed limit | Steam downloads and game updates | Caps the rate Steam can use; it does not increase your internet connection’s underlying speed. |
| Update only when launched | One game | Defers that game’s automatic update until you launch it. |
| Automatic-update schedule | Automatic game updates | Restricts when automatic updates run, but does not prevent a manually started download or an update required when launching a game. |
| Downloads during gameplay | Steam downloads while a game is running | Leaves downloads paused by default, or allows them to continue if you enable the setting. |
There is no single cap that suits every connection. Adjust it based on how much bandwidth you need to reserve and whether other people are using the network. Steam’s support pages do not specify a universal recommended value. Menu wording can also vary with the operating system or Steam client update.
Quick Recap
Best Value
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