Windows Update Delivery Optimization helps you get Windows updates and Microsoft Store apps more quickly and reliably.
You’re in control over whether you use Delivery Optimization with the settings described in this article.
How Delivery Optimization works
Windows Update Delivery Optimization works by letting you get Windows updates and Microsoft Store apps from sources in addition to Microsoft, like other PCs on your local network, or PCs on the internet that are downloading the same files. Delivery Optimization also sends updates and apps from your PC to other PCs on your local network or PCs on the internet, based on your settings. Sharing this data between PCs helps reduce the internet bandwidth that’s needed to keep more than one device up to date or can make downloads more successful if you have a limited or unreliable Internet connection.
When Windows downloads an update or app using Delivery Optimization, it will look for other PCs on your local network (or from the internet, depending on your settings) that have already downloaded that update or app. Windows doesn’t download the entire file from one place. Instead, the download is broken down into smaller parts. Windows then gets parts of the update or app from the PCs that have it, and parts from Microsoft. Windows uses the fastest, most reliable download source for each part.
Delivery Optimization creates a local cache, and stores files that it has downloaded in that cache for a short period of time.
How we help keep your data safe
Delivery Optimization can’t be used to download or send personal content. Delivery Optimization doesn’t access your personal files or folders, and it doesn’t change any files on your PC.
Delivery Optimization downloads the same updates and apps that you would get through Windows Update and Microsoft Store, using the same security measures. To make sure you’re getting authentic updates, Delivery Optimization gets information securely from Microsoft to check the authenticity of each part of an update or app that it downloads from other PCs. The authenticity of the downloads is checked again before installing it.
How to control Windows Update Delivery Optimization
To stop downloading updates and apps from or sending updates and apps to other Windows 11 devices on the internet:
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Select Start > Settings > Windows Update > Advanced options.
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Select Delivery Optimization. Under Allow downloads from other PCs, select Devices on my local network.
To stop downloading from or uploading to other PCs on the local network:
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Select Start > Settings > Windows Update > Advanced options.
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Select Delivery Optimization.
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Make sure Allow downloads from other PCs is turned Off. You'll get updates and apps directly from Windows Update and from Microsoft Store with Delivery Optimization; however, you won’t download from or upload to other PCs.
If you use a metered or capped internet connection, Delivery Optimization won’t automatically download or send parts of updates or apps to other PCs on the Internet.
To identify a Wi‑Fi or Ethernet connection as metered or capped:
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Select Start > Settings > Network & internet > Wi‑Fi.
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Select the network you’re using, and then turn on Metered connection.
Windows Update Delivery Optimization helps you get Windows updates and Microsoft Store apps more quickly and reliably.
You’re in control over whether you use Delivery Optimization with the settings described in this article.
How Delivery Optimization works
Windows Update Delivery Optimization works by letting you get Windows updates and Microsoft Store apps from sources in addition to Microsoft, like other PCs on your local network, or PCs on the internet that are downloading the same files. Delivery Optimization also sends updates and apps from your PC to other PCs on your local network or PCs on the internet, based on your settings. Sharing this data between PCs helps reduce the internet bandwidth that’s needed to keep more than one device up to date or can make downloads more successful if you have a limited or unreliable Internet connection.
When Windows downloads an update or app using Delivery Optimization, it will look for other PCs on your local network (or from the internet, depending on your settings) that have already downloaded that update or app. Windows doesn’t download the entire file from one place. Instead, the download is broken down into smaller parts. Windows then gets parts of the update or app from the PCs that have it, and parts from Microsoft. Windows uses the fastest, most reliable download source for each part.
Delivery Optimization creates a local cache, and stores files that it has downloaded in that cache for a short period of time.
How we help keep your data safe
Delivery Optimization can’t be used to download or send personal content. Delivery Optimization doesn’t access your personal files or folders, and it doesn’t change any files on your PC.
Delivery Optimization downloads the same updates and apps that you would get through Windows Update and Microsoft Store, using the same security measures. To make sure you’re getting authentic updates, Delivery Optimization gets information securely from Microsoft to check the authenticity of each part of an update or app that it downloads from other PCs. The authenticity of the downloads is checked again before installing it.
How to control Windows Update Delivery Optimization
To stop downloading updates and apps from or sending updates and apps to other Windows 10 devices on the internet:
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Select Start , then select Settings > Update & Security > Windows Update > Advanced options.
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Select Delivery Optimization (or Choose how updates are delivered in earlier versions of Windows 10).
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Select PCs on my local network.
To stop downloading from or uploading to other PCs on the local network:
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Select Start , then select Settings > Update & Security > Windows Update > Advanced options.
-
Select Delivery Optimization.
-
Make sure Allow downloads from other PCs is turned Off. You'll get updates and apps directly from Windows Update and from Microsoft Store with Delivery Optimization; however, you won’t download from or upload to other PCs.
If you use a metered or capped internet connection, Delivery Optimization won’t automatically download or send parts of updates or apps to other PCs on the internet.
To identify a Wi‑Fi or Ethernet connection as metered or capped:
-
Select Start , then select Settings > Network & Internet > Wi‑Fi.
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Select the network you’re using, and then turn on Set as metered connection.
