Turn Off Metered Connection in Windows 11 and 10

To turn off a metered connection in Windows 11 and Windows 10, open Settings > Network & internet > Wi-Fi (or Ethernet), select your active network profile, and turn off the toggle switch labeled Set as metered connection. Here is the part that catches almost everyone: if a data limit was ever set on that network, Windows silently forces the connection to metered and grays the toggle out entirely — the fix is not the switch at all, but removing the limit buried under Data usage.

Understanding Metered Connections and Background Traffic in Windows

When you connect your Windows 11 or Windows 10 personal computer to a home wireless network, corporate local area network, or mobile tethering hotspot, the operating system continuously evaluates how data traffic is managed in the background. A metered connection is essentially a network profile designated by either the user or the operating system where data consumption is restricted or tracked due to carrier billing caps, limited bandwidth allocations, or expensive cellular data packages.

When Windows identifies a network as metered, it fundamentally alters its internal scheduling algorithms. Most background maintenance traffic — the bulk of Windows Update downloads, Microsoft Store application auto-updates, offline map downloads, and OneDrive file syncing — is deferred or restricted. Windows still auto-downloads priority security fixes even on metered connections, but everything optional waits. While this behavior is vital when you are traveling on a smartphone hotspot or a limited satellite link, leaving a high-speed fiber or cable broadband connection permanently marked as metered creates unexpected roadblocks.

Users frequently discover that Windows keeps deferring most update downloads, and cloud synchronization tools like OneDrive or Dropbox stall indefinitely. Transitioning your connection back to an unmetered status restores full bandwidth availability and ensures your software remains completely up to date.

Ethan looked up from the workbench, wiping thermal paste off his fingers. "Most people treat metered settings like a permanent security lockdown," Ethan said. "It is simply a software bandwidth throttle flag. If your home broadband bill isn't tied to restrictive gigabyte caps anymore, leaving that flag active starves your operating system of app updates and background synchronization routines."

Method 1: Turning Off Metered Connections via the Settings App

The cleanest, most direct method to disable a metered connection on both Windows 11 and Windows 10 is through the native Settings application. Although Microsoft updated the visual layouts during the transition to Windows 11, the core navigational hierarchy remains intuitive and straightforward.

Disabling Metered Wi-Fi Connections

If your computer connects via wireless broadband or home Wi-Fi, execute these precise steps to disable the metered restriction:

1. Open the Settings application by pressing Win + I on your keyboard.
2. Click on the Network & internet category from the left navigation sidebar or main dashboard.
3. Select Wi-Fi from the available networking options.
4. Click on the name of the specific Wi-Fi network you are currently connected to. In Windows 11, you may need to click Properties or select the network profile card directly to view its advanced configuration parameters.
5. Scroll down the property list until you locate the toggle switch titled Set as metered connection.
6. Click the toggle switch to move it into the Off position.

Disabling Metered Ethernet Connections

Although cellular networks default to metered and wireless connections can be toggled freely, Windows also allows wired Ethernet local area network connections to be marked as metered. If you use a physical cable connection that was mistakenly flagged as metered, follow these identical operational pathways:

1. Open Settings via Win + I.
2. Navigate to Network & internet > Ethernet.
3. Click on your active Ethernet network profile name.
4. Locate the Set as metered connection toggle and switch it off.

Method 2: Using Registry Editor for Stubborn Connections

Sometimes, system policies, group configurations, or locked corporate environments prevent the Settings app toggle from functioning correctly. When the interface grays out the switch or refuses to save your changes, you can override the network behavior directly inside the Windows Registry database.

The network cost definitions are stored within the registry hive under the DefaultMediaCost key. Modifying these entries forces Windows to treat specific media types as unmetered globally across the system.

There is a catch that most registry guides skip: the DefaultMediaCost key is owned by TrustedInstaller, not by your administrator account. If you jump straight in and edit a value, Registry Editor stops you with Error writing the value's new contents — even when you are an administrator. You must take ownership of the key first, and you should hand ownership back when you are done. The full sequence looks like this:

1. Press Win + R to open the Run dialog box.
2. Type regedit into the text box and press Enter to launch the Registry Editor. Accept the User Account Control (UAC) prompt if it appears.
3. Navigate through the left-hand directory tree to the following exact path:
   HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows NT\CurrentVersion\NetworkList\DefaultMediaCost
4. Right-click the DefaultMediaCost key in the left pane and choose Permissions, then click Advanced.
5. Next to the listed Owner (TrustedInstaller), click Change, type Administrators, and click OK twice. Back in the Permissions dialog, select the Administrators group, check Full Control, and click OK.
6. Look at the right-hand pane where several DWORD values reside, including Ethernet, WiFi, and 3G/4G mobile broadband entries.
7. Double-click the specific network type you wish to unmeter (for instance, WiFi or Ethernet).
8. Change the Value data field from 2 (which signifies a metered connection) to 1 (which signifies an unmetered connection), then click OK.
9. When you are finished, reopen Permissions > Advanced and set the owner back to NT SERVICE\TrustedInstaller so the key stays protected, then close the Registry Editor.

Method 3: Checking Metered Status via PowerShell

For power users and technicians, PowerShell is genuinely useful here — but for one thing only: checking. Running Get-NetConnectionProfile lists your active network interfaces along with their name, interface alias, network category, and connectivity state. Despite what many guides claim, that cmdlet does not show — and cannot set — metered status; neither Get-NetConnectionProfile nor Set-NetConnectionProfile has any cost or metered property at all.

To actually read whether Windows considers your current internet connection metered, call the Windows runtime networking API from PowerShell:

If the command returns Unrestricted, your connection is unmetered. Fixed or Variable means Windows is treating it as metered. There is no supported built-in cmdlet that changes the setting — to actually flip it, use the Settings toggle or the registry method above.

The Group Policy row refers to the WLAN Media Cost and WWAN Media Cost policies (under Computer Configuration > Administrative Templates > Network) and their MDM equivalents, which domain administrators use to force cost settings — and which is exactly why the metered toggle can be locked on a company laptop no matter what you click.

Troubleshooting: When the Metered Switch is Grayed Out

A common friction point encountered by users trying to disable metered connections is finding the toggle switch grayed out and unclickable in the Settings interface. This happens for two primary reasons: an active data limit is enforced on that profile, or administrative group policies managed by an organization restrict configuration changes. A third, quieter cause: you are signed in as a standard user — Windows only lets administrator accounts change network cost settings, which is why the toggle so often "looks broken" on shared family PCs.

To clear an active data limit blocking your settings, follow these corrective steps:

1. Open Settings and select Network & internet.
2. Click on Data usage (or go to Advanced network settings > Data usage depending on your exact Windows build version).
3. Select the network connection profile currently experiencing the restriction.
4. Click the Remove limit button to clear any pre-configured data caps.
5. Return to your Wi-Fi or Ethernet settings page; the metered toggle switch will now be fully active and ready to turn off.

Frequently Asked Questions

What happens when I turn off a metered connection in Windows?

When you disable the metered connection setting, Windows resumes downloading routine system updates, optional patches, and background application packages automatically. Cloud services like OneDrive and Xbox synchronization will also resume normal background syncing over that network interface.

Why does Windows automatically set some connections as metered?

Windows automatically flags mobile broadband networks, cellular connections, and certain tethered mobile hotspots as metered by default to protect users from unexpected billing overages. However, standard home broadband Wi-Fi and wired Ethernet connections default to unmetered.

Can I turn off metered connections on Windows 10 Home edition?

Yes. Both Windows 10 and Windows 11 (across Home, Pro, and Enterprise editions) allow you to toggle metered connections off directly within the Settings application or via the Registry Editor without needing advanced group policy tools.

Why is my metered connection toggle grayed out?

The toggle switch is typically grayed out because an active data limit or cap has been configured for that specific network profile, or because a corporate domain policy is enforcing network restrictions. Removing the data limit under the Data usage menu restores functionality.

Does turning off metered connections affect my internet speed?

No. Disabling the metered status does not alter your physical bandwidth speed or data throughput. It simply signals to the operating system that background downloads and software updates are permitted to run freely.

Will turning off metered connections force large Windows updates to download?

Yes. Once unmetered, Windows will check for and download cumulative security patches and feature updates in the background whenever bandwidth is available, which may consume considerable data if you are on a limited plan.

Can I set individual Wi-Fi networks as unmetered while keeping others metered?

Yes. Windows handles metered status on a per-network profile basis. You can keep travel hotspots or mobile tethering marked as metered while keeping your primary home fiber network completely unmetered.

What registry key controls network metered status?

The network cost keys are stored under HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows NT\CurrentVersion\NetworkList\DefaultMediaCost, where a value of 1 represents unmetered and 2 represents metered. The key is owned by TrustedInstaller, so you must take ownership of it before Windows will let you save a change.

Do I need administrative privileges to change metered settings?

Yes. Changing network profile properties in the Settings app or modifying system registry keys requires a user account with local administrator privileges. Standard user accounts cannot alter these network cost assignments.

Does Windows 11 handle metered connections differently than Windows 10?

The setting behaves identically on both; the difference is purely where it lives. Windows 11 places the toggle inside each network's properties page and tucks data limits under Advanced network settings > Data usage, while Windows 10 shows Data usage as its own entry in the Network & internet sidebar.

What should I do if the registry edit does not take effect?

If Registry Editor refuses to save the change with a write error, you skipped taking ownership of the DefaultMediaCost key from TrustedInstaller. If the edit saved but nothing changed, disconnect from the Wi-Fi or Ethernet network, restart your computer, and reconnect to force Windows to reload the updated network profile cost parameters.

How do I check if my current network profile is metered using PowerShell?

Get-NetConnectionProfile lists your interfaces but has no cost or metered property. To read metered status, run [Windows.Networking.Connectivity.NetworkInformation,Windows.Networking.Connectivity,ContentType=WindowsRuntime]::GetInternetConnectionProfile().GetConnectionCost().NetworkCostType — Unrestricted means unmetered, while Fixed or Variable means metered.

Can group policies lock down metered settings on domain networks?

Yes, enterprise network administrators can deploy Group Policy Objects (GPOs) or mobile device management (MDM) profiles that force specific connection types to remain metered to control corporate bandwidth utilization.

Does disabling metered status affect peer-to-peer update delivery?

Yes. Turning off metered connections allows Windows to participate in Delivery Optimization, meaning your PC may upload update chunks to other local network devices or internet peers unless explicitly disabled under Windows Update advanced options.

What happens to Microsoft Store apps when a connection is unmetered?

Microsoft Store apps resume automatic updates and full background activity once a connection is switched from metered to unmetered, so pending app updates and notification-driven syncing catch up on their own within minutes of the change.

How do I set a connection back to metered later?

Return to Settings > Network & internet, select the same network profile, and turn Set as metered connection back on. The change applies immediately, and Windows resumes deferring background downloads on that profile — useful before a trip where you will tether through your phone.

Do I need to restart my computer after turning off a metered connection?

No. The Settings toggle takes effect the moment you flip it, and paused downloads typically resume within a few minutes. Only the registry method may need a disconnect-reconnect or a restart before Windows reloads the new cost defaults.

Revision note. Originally published December 19, 2016. Rewritten August 17, 2026 for Windows 11 and Windows 10. This version reflects the modern Settings layout, explains the data-limit trap that locks the toggle, and gives an honest account of what the registry and PowerShell can and cannot do here. We hope your updates and syncing flow smoothly again so you can get back to what actually matters.