How Much Data Is My Computer Using

Internet service providers are constantly trying to ameliorate their network speeds to lure customers into faster data plans. Just sometimes these faster plans come up with restrictions — the dreaded metered internet connections, enforcing a limit on the amount of information you tin can send and receive.

If you find yourself in such an unfortunate situation, it volition be critical for you to monitor your network data usage regularly. Thankfully, Windows 10 includes tools to monitor network usage to preclude you going over your data cap.

In Windows 10 there are two dissimilar ways to monitor the data that apps tin send and receive in a given month, and in this Windows 10 guide, we'll show you how you lot can monitor your network usage using the Settings app and Task Manager, and their pros and cons.

How to check network usage with Job Manager

Correct-click the taskbar, and click Job Managing director.
If y'all see the smaller version of the Task Manager, click the More than details button on the lesser left corner.

Click the App history tab.

In this department, you'll run across the date since Windows ten began monitoring the data usage on your apps. Yous can also click the Delete usage history link to reset the data usage counter, but recollect that information technology'll besides reset automatically every xxx days.

The data that is more than usable to y'all is the Network column which tracks the data usage for your apps. Y'all'll too see the "Metered network" column, just this information is irrelevant unless you lot configure your Wi-Fi connection as metered.

Oddly enough, the problem with the App history tab is that it only tracks Universal Windows Platform (UWP) apps, you can't view network usage for desktop applications, such equally Chrome, the desktop version of Office apps, and others.

How to cheque network usage with Settings

Use the Windows primal + I keyboard shortcut to open the Settings app.
Click Network & internet.
Click Information usage. Under Overview, you'll see the full data usage from the last thirty days for Wi-Fi and Ethernet connections.

Click the Usage details link to view network data usage for all your applications installed on your computer.

The biggest advantage of the Settings app is that y'all tin not merely view Universal Windows Platform (UWP) apps, but you lot tin as well see data usage for traditional desktop applications.

However, the Usage details folio shows simply the total network data usage, and different the Task Manager, you lot tin can't view metered network usage, tile updates, or CPU time data. In addition, this view won't requite yous the option to reset the usage history or since the date when the data usage is beingness tracked.

Every bit you can encounter, there are pros and cons with either tool, just you should consider using both to have a consummate overview of which apps are using the virtually data and help yous to manage your metered internet connection plan better. Of course, if these tools aren't enough, you tin can ever find unlike software solutions online, or in some cases, you can configure your router to monitor your data usage -- just to name a few.

How practice y'all monitor network data usage in your network? Tell us in the comments below.

More Windows 10 resources

For more assist articles, coverage, and answers on Windows x, you lot can visit the following resources:

Windows ten on Windows Central – All you need to know
Windows 10 assist, tips, and tricks
Windows 10 forums on Windows Cardinal

Mauro Huculak is technical author for WindowsCentral.com. His master focus is to write comprehensive how-tos to assist users go the most out of Windows 10 and its many related technologies. He has an It background with professional certifications from Microsoft, Cisco, and CompTIA, and he's a recognized member of the Microsoft MVP customs.