Post by drcard on Nov 1, 2020 14:26:19 GMT -5
Internet Data Usage in Windows 10
Overview:
Prior to Windows 10, Windows users could monitor only the total MBs/GBs uploaded and downloaded over its network connection thru Performance Monitor. If one desired to know how much each application uses the network connection, a third-party program had to be installed. Monitoring the amount of network usage each application uses makes finding malware very easy and insures you are not infested with bots. Windows 10 monitors how much each application uses the network, and makes this information readily accessible. What follows are instructions to view your network (Internet) usage for each application in Windows 10.
How to View Network (Internet) Usage, by Application, in Windows 10
Note:
Internet data usage in Windows 10 is limited to the last 30 days. The data is constantly updating each day. The amount of data (in MBs or GBs) shown for that app is the total for the last 30 days.
• Right click the Network (Internet) connection icon (Ethernet or Wi-Fi) on the right side of the task bar.
• From the menu that opens select Open Network & Internet settings, which will open that settings window.
• The settings open to the Status page by default; but if not, select Status in the left pane of the settings window.
• On the Status page under Network status will be You’re connected to the internet with the network that is connected to the Internet listed below.
• To the right of this “connected to the Internet” network (Ethernet or Wi-Fi) is the total amount of data (in MBs or GBs) uploaded and downloaded over that network for the last 30 days.
• Below that total usage number is a button labeled “Data usage”. Press the Data usage button to see the amount of usage by each application.
• The order in which the applications are listed is by the amount of usage with the application that used the most listed first and descending order from most to least usage.
General Notes on what you find
Your most usage should be the browser that you use the most.
System is Windows which is Windows reporting and Windows updating. If the amount of data usage goes up for System, it usually due to a large Windows update. If the PC has not had any Windows updates in the last 30 days, then Windows reporting system is causing the data usage. Example: Many users found the Diagnostics & feedback settings caused the large network data usage, especially when it got hung in collecting and sending data back to Microsoft’s servers.
Look at the applications that are using the Internet connection. It’s OK for apps to use the Internet connection to check for updates. Usually this is quick and small impact; resulting in using less than 100 MB in 30 days. Gaming apps that connect via the network will explain large data usage. Apps that use more than 100MB in 30 days should be looked into unless you already know that app uses the internet a lot. Simple question is should this app use the Internet that much? Example: Outlook.exe – 275MB – since I get my mail thru the Internet, this makes sense. BUT msedge.exe – 220MB – I do not use the Edge browser, so why is this data usage so high. Investigation showed that last update has Edge added to the Startup folder. Once started it connects to MS servers for use with cloud accounts and data. I removed Edge from the startup folder and saw a drop in data usage for this app.
Apps you don't readily recognize that have greater than 100 MB data usage should be investigated. Such apps with large network usage (>1GB) usually indicate malware.
Overview:
Prior to Windows 10, Windows users could monitor only the total MBs/GBs uploaded and downloaded over its network connection thru Performance Monitor. If one desired to know how much each application uses the network connection, a third-party program had to be installed. Monitoring the amount of network usage each application uses makes finding malware very easy and insures you are not infested with bots. Windows 10 monitors how much each application uses the network, and makes this information readily accessible. What follows are instructions to view your network (Internet) usage for each application in Windows 10.
How to View Network (Internet) Usage, by Application, in Windows 10
Note:
Internet data usage in Windows 10 is limited to the last 30 days. The data is constantly updating each day. The amount of data (in MBs or GBs) shown for that app is the total for the last 30 days.
• Right click the Network (Internet) connection icon (Ethernet or Wi-Fi) on the right side of the task bar.
• From the menu that opens select Open Network & Internet settings, which will open that settings window.
• The settings open to the Status page by default; but if not, select Status in the left pane of the settings window.
• On the Status page under Network status will be You’re connected to the internet with the network that is connected to the Internet listed below.
• To the right of this “connected to the Internet” network (Ethernet or Wi-Fi) is the total amount of data (in MBs or GBs) uploaded and downloaded over that network for the last 30 days.
• Below that total usage number is a button labeled “Data usage”. Press the Data usage button to see the amount of usage by each application.
• The order in which the applications are listed is by the amount of usage with the application that used the most listed first and descending order from most to least usage.
General Notes on what you find
Your most usage should be the browser that you use the most.
System is Windows which is Windows reporting and Windows updating. If the amount of data usage goes up for System, it usually due to a large Windows update. If the PC has not had any Windows updates in the last 30 days, then Windows reporting system is causing the data usage. Example: Many users found the Diagnostics & feedback settings caused the large network data usage, especially when it got hung in collecting and sending data back to Microsoft’s servers.
Look at the applications that are using the Internet connection. It’s OK for apps to use the Internet connection to check for updates. Usually this is quick and small impact; resulting in using less than 100 MB in 30 days. Gaming apps that connect via the network will explain large data usage. Apps that use more than 100MB in 30 days should be looked into unless you already know that app uses the internet a lot. Simple question is should this app use the Internet that much? Example: Outlook.exe – 275MB – since I get my mail thru the Internet, this makes sense. BUT msedge.exe – 220MB – I do not use the Edge browser, so why is this data usage so high. Investigation showed that last update has Edge added to the Startup folder. Once started it connects to MS servers for use with cloud accounts and data. I removed Edge from the startup folder and saw a drop in data usage for this app.
Apps you don't readily recognize that have greater than 100 MB data usage should be investigated. Such apps with large network usage (>1GB) usually indicate malware.