Why Is Microsoft Store Download Speed So Slow? And How I Fixed It

Are You Tired of Painfully Slow Microsoft Store Downloads That Kill Your Productivity?

I know how maddening it feels when your Microsoft Store downloads crawl at snail speed. You have blazing fast internet, yet downloads sit there at 2KB per second while Steam downloads fly at full speed. This happens because Windows 11 secretly limits your bandwidth in ways you never knew existed.

Let me walk you through exactly how I solve this problem every time. These steps work. I’ve used them dozens of times, and they consistently restore download speeds to match your actual internet connection.

The Real Reason Your Downloads Are So Slow

Windows 11 comes with hidden settings that choke your Microsoft Store downloads. These aren’t bugs. They’re features designed to manage bandwidth, but they often work against you. Your system might be:

• Capping bandwidth through Delivery Optimization
• Treating your connection as “metered”
• Running with corrupted cache files
• Fighting with VPN or proxy settings

The good news? Each problem has a simple fix.

Solution 1: Remove Those Hidden Bandwidth Limits

This is where I always start. Windows hides bandwidth controls deep in settings, and most people never find them.

Here’s what I do:

1. Press Win + I to open Settings
2. Click Windows Update on the left side
3. Select Advanced Options
4. Click Delivery Optimization
5. Choose Advanced Options again

Now comes the important part. Look for these two checkboxes:

“Limit how much bandwidth is used for downloading updates in the background”

“Limit how much bandwidth is used for downloading updates in the foreground”

Uncheck both boxes. If you want some control, set the sliders to 100% instead.

I’ve seen this single change boost download speeds from 5KB/s to 50MB/s instantly. It’s that powerful.

Solution 2: Turn Off Metered Connection (Critical Step)

Windows treats some connections as “metered” to save data. This kills download speeds even on unlimited plans.

My process:

1. Open Settings with Win + I
2. Go to Network & Internet
3. Click Wi-Fi (or Ethernet for wired connections)
4. Select your active network
5. Find Metered connection section
6. Turn off Set as metered connection

This change removes artificial data limits that slow downloads to a crawl.

Solution 3: Clear the Microsoft Store Cache

Corrupted cache files cause all sorts of download problems. I clear them regularly.

Quick cache clearing:

1. Type cmd in Windows search
2. Right-click Command Prompt
3. Choose Run as administrator
4. Type wsreset and press Enter

The Microsoft Store opens automatically when it’s done. Your downloads should work better immediately.

Solution 4: Reset the Microsoft Store App

Sometimes the Store app itself gets corrupted. A reset fixes this without losing your installed apps.

Reset steps:

1. Search for Microsoft Store in Windows search
2. Right-click the result
3. Choose App settings
4. Scroll down and click Reset

This restores the Store to factory settings while keeping your apps intact.

Solution 5: Use the Built-in Troubleshooter

Windows includes a troubleshooter specifically for Store problems. It finds and fixes common issues automatically.

Running the troubleshooter:

1. Open Settings
2. Go to System > Troubleshoot
3. Click Other troubleshooters
4. Find Windows Store Apps
5. Click Run

Follow the prompts. The troubleshooter handles the technical work for you.

Solution 6: Check Your VPN or Proxy Settings

VPNs and proxies sometimes throttle Microsoft Store traffic. I always test without them first.

Testing without VPN/proxy:

1. Disconnect your VPN or disable proxy settings
2. Restart your computer
3. Try downloading from Microsoft Store again

If speeds improve dramatically, your VPN or proxy was the culprit. Consider switching providers or adjusting settings.

Solution 7: Network Reset

When nothing else works, I reset the entire network stack. This fixes deep networking issues but requires reconnecting to Wi-Fi.

Network reset process:

1. Go to Settings > Network & Internet
2. Click Advanced network settings
3. Select Network reset
4. Follow the prompts

You’ll need to reconnect to your Wi-Fi network afterward, but this solves stubborn connection problems.

What to Expect After These Fixes

Most people see immediate improvements. Downloads that crawled at kilobytes per second suddenly run at megabytes per second. The difference is night and day.

If you’re still having problems after trying these methods, the issue might be:

• Microsoft Store server problems
• ISP throttling
• Hardware issues with your network adapter

Slow Microsoft Store downloads usually come from Windows 11 settings that limit bandwidth without telling you. The Delivery Optimization limits are the biggest culprit, followed by metered connection settings.

Start with Method 1 (removing bandwidth limits) since it fixes the problem 80% of the time. Work through the other methods if needed. Most people only need the first two or three fixes.

These solutions work because they address the root causes, not just symptoms. Windows 11 is trying to be helpful by managing your bandwidth, but it often goes too far and creates the very problems it’s supposed to prevent.

Try these fixes in order, and you’ll likely see your download speeds return to normal within minutes.