Why Your Xbox One Downloads Are Slow and How to Increase Speed
There is nothing worse than sitting down for a gaming session only to be greeted by a 50GB update that says “10 hours remaining.” If your smartphone or PC is hitting high speeds but your Xbox One is stuck in the single digits, you aren’t imagining it—the console often throttles itself to save system resources.
At AwesomeGaming101.com, we’ve tested every dashboard setting and network tweak to help you uncork your connection. Here is how to fix those sluggish downloads once and for all.
🚀 The #1 Secret: “Suspend My Game”
The biggest reason for slow speeds is having a game running in the background. The Xbox One automatically throttles download speeds by up to 80% to ensure the running game has enough CPU power.
The Fix: Go to the Queue, and if a game is running, select “Suspend my game.” This allows the download to use your full bandwidth without you having to fully quit your session.
Top 5 Ways to Increase Xbox Download Speed
1. Use a Wired Ethernet Connection
The original Xbox One and One S models have notoriously weak Wi-Fi cards. Moving from 2.4GHz Wi-Fi to a Cat6 Ethernet cable can often triple your download speeds instantly by removing signal interference.
2. Optimize Your DNS Settings
By default, your Xbox uses your ISP’s DNS, which can be slow and congested. Switching to a gaming-optimized DNS helps your console find Microsoft’s update servers faster.
- Primary: 8.8.8.8 (Google)
- Secondary: 8.8.4.4 (Google)
- Alternative: 1.1.1.1 (Cloudflare)
3. Enable “Instant-On” Mode
In Settings > General > Power options, choose Sleep (Instant-On). This allows the console to download updates while it’s “off,” ensuring your games are ready the moment you wake it up.
Download Time Benchmarks
| Internet Speed | 20GB Update (Wi-Fi) | 20GB Update (Wired) |
|---|---|---|
| 25 Mbps | ~2.5 Hours | ~1.8 Hours |
| 100 Mbps | ~45 Minutes | ~28 Minutes |
| 500 Mbps+ | ~25 Minutes | ~6 Minutes |
❓ FAQ: Network & Download Fixes
Q: Does clearing the cache help download speeds? A: Indirectly, yes. Performing a Hard Reset (hold the power button for 10 seconds) clears the system cache and can resolve software glitches that are causing the network card to underperform. Q: Can I download games faster by using a VPN? A: Rarely. Most VPNs add extra server hops that actually slow down your raw download speed. Only use a VPN if your ISP is specifically throttling Xbox Live traffic. Q: Is it faster to download one game at a time? A: Yes. Your bandwidth is split when multiple games are in the queue. Pause all other downloads to let the console focus its entire connection on a single file.Final Verdict
If you want the fastest possible speeds, hardwire your console and suspend any running games. These two simple steps solve 90% of slow download issues on the Xbox One.
What’s the fastest speed you’ve hit on your Xbox? Let us know in the comments! And if you’re looking for more ways to optimize your setup, check out our guide on Setting Your Home Xbox to Share Game Pass.