Browsing the internet on a Windows 11 PC can be similar to browsing the internet on a phone in that not all internet connections have unlimited data. If you have a great 5G laptop, for example, you might be on a limited data plan. Or, if you're on a more affordable home internet plan, you might have a certain amount of data each month before your connection speeds are throttled. So, if you're concerned about how much data Windows 11 is using, the Settings make it easy to find out which apps are using the most data.
How to see how much data you've used in Windows 11
To see how much data you've used in Windows 11, you can launch the Windows 11 Settings app with Windows Key + I on your keyboard. From there, follow these steps:
- Click on Network & internet in the sidebar.
- Scroll all the way down to the bottom of the page and choose Advanced network settings.
- Look under More settings and click Data usage.
- You'll see a readout of all your apps that are using data on the currently connected network. Choose another network from the dropdown at the top to see its status, too.
If you'd like, you also enter a data limit for a specific connection, so Windows can track your data usage and help you stay under the specified limit. To do this, select the network from the dropdown at the top, and click Enter limit. Then, pick your options from the list. You can choose a monthly, one-time limit, and set the data limit in gigabytes or megabytes. Windows will also warn you if you get too close to that limit. Note that Windows will never make changes to your data plan; it's just keeping track of the data for you.
While Windows 11's native data usage settings are great, you also can try a third-party app to help you see which apps are using the most data. Some examples include NetBalencer and GlassWire, which offer additional controls like setting network priorities, blocking processes from accessing the network, and so much more.
That's all for now, but we hope that you found this guide helpful. We have many Windows guides, including a look at the latest features in the Windows 11 File Explorer.