How to Monitor and Set Data Usage Limit in Windows 11

Windows 11 allows you to monitor and set data usage limits for the Wi-Fi and Ethernet networks. It is a handy feature to keep a tab on your data usage and also make sure you don’t exceed your monthly bandwidth quota over a metered connection.

Here we show you how to use the built-in data usage monitor and set the data usage limit in Windows 11. We will also discuss a few third-party apps to track your data usage and give you more control over network activities.

How to Set Data Usage Limit in Windows 11

You can set data usage limits for Wi-Fi and Ethernet networks from the Settings page. Setting a data usage limit will not automatically stop the computer from using more data when you exceed the limit. But it will warn you when you are near the set limit to take further action.

To set data usage limit in Windows 11:

1. Press Win + I to open Settings.
2. Open the Network & Internet tab in the left pane.
3. Scroll down and click on Advanced network settings.
4. Click on Data usage under More Settings.
5. Next, click the drop-down for Ethernet/Wi-Fi in the top-right corner and select your network adapter.
6. Click Enter limit in the top right corner.
7. Select Limit type. You can choose from Monthly, One Time, and Unlimited.
8. Next, select the Monthly reset date.
9. Type the Data limit. For example, if you want to set the data usage limit to 50GB, type 50 in the Data limit field and select GB for the Unit drop-down.
10. Click the Save button to set the data usage limit for the selected network.

Turn on Metered Connection to Reduce Data Usage

You can further reduce data usage in your Windows computer with Metered Connection. When you turn on Metered Connection for a network, Windows 11 will use less data for the background apps and pause Windows updates.

To turn on Metered Connection in Windows 11:

1. Press Win + I to open Settings.
2. Open the Network & Internet tab in the left pane.
3. Click on Ethernet or Wi-Fi, depending on your currently active network type.
4. Scroll down and toggle the switch to turn on Metered Connection.
5. When enabled, some apps on your computer may work differently to reduce data usage.
6. Repeat the steps for all the networks you want to set as a metered connection.

How to Monitor Data Usage in Windows 11

Unlike the data usage limit settings, Windows 11 tracks your data usage for each connected network automatically. By default, the data usage page shows the usage stats for the past 30 days. Follow these steps to view data usage statistics in Windows 11:

1. Press Win + I to open Settings.
2. Open the Network & Internet tab in the left pane.
3. Scroll down and click on Advanced network settings.
4. Under More settings, click on Data usage.
5. Here, you can view the total data usage for the connected network in the past 30 days.
6. To view the data usage for your other network adapters, click the drop-down in the top-right corner for Wi-Fi/Ethernet and select your network adapter.
7. You can also view the most data-heavy apps and compare the stats to your usage habits.

How to Reset Data Usage Stats

You can reset the data usage stats to start from scratch. Useful if you want to start a new data usage counter for the new data usage limit setup.

To reset data usage stat:

1. Open Settings.
2. Next, open the Network & Internet tab in the left pane.
3. Click on Data usage in the top-right corner.
4. Select the network adapter for which you want to reset the data usage counter. You can find a drop-down to select the network adapter (Wi-Fi/Ethernet) in the top right corner.
5. Scroll down to the bottom of the page and click on the Reset button for Reset usage stats. Then, click Reset to confirm the action.
6. This will delete all of your current data usage stats for the selected network adapter and start a new count.

Third-Party Tools to Monitor Data Usage

Third-party data monitoring tools can do more than just keep track of bandwidth usage. You can use it to lower network priority for individual apps, filter your metered network traffic based on application type, and view detailed real-time data usage reports.

Here are a few third-party tools that you can use to manage and monitor data usage in Windows 11.

1. NetBalancer

NetBalancer is a free Windows application to control local network traffic and monitoring. It allows you to set different network priorities for individual apps so that your streaming or downloading tasks in the background don’t affect other tasks using the network.

You can use it to add rules to create data usage limits, block selected or all processes, and more. It also shows a traffic chart to monitor your traffic in real-time with app bandwidth usage statistics.

Download: NetBalancer (Free, Pro version available)

2. GlassWire

GlassWire is a popular data usage monitoring tool for Windows and Android platforms. It offers more comprehensive information about your network activity without fiddling with the filters and settings.

You can filter real-time network activity by the publishers to identify a malicious connection. It also allows you to view network activity for a different network adapter, add a data usage limiter and block suspicious connections using the Firewall.

Download: GlassWire (Free, Pro version available)

Tracking and Limiting Data Usage in Windows 11

Data usage tracking and limiting feature in Windows 11 allows you to ration your limited Internet plan so that it can last its intended time. It is also useful to investigate data leaks and see if an app uses an unusual amount of bandwidth. If you want more control over internet activity and data usage, consider using the suggested third-party data monitoring tools.