Why do Xbox games & updates take so long to download?
Xbox offers a high-quality gaming experience and an extensive library of Xbox games. However, download speed has become a severe issue, with many games exceeding 100 GB in size and updates that can be nearly that large.
Why is my Xbox updating slowly?
Xbox users have frequently expressed dissatisfaction with the slowness with updates downloaded and installed on their consoles. It’s aggravating because games can only be played in offline mode if those updates aren’t installed. So, what’s the deal with updates taking so long to download? During peak usage periods, this is frequently caused by ISP network contention. So, if your Xbox One download speeds are much slower on weekday evenings or weekends than weekday mornings/afternoons, it could be due to ISP network contention.
How can I speed up Xbox download speeds and fix slow downloads?
If you notice that your console is downloading games more slowly than usual, there are a few troubleshooting actions you may take to resolve the issue.
Use an ethernet cable to connect your Xbox series X/S to your router.
Wi-Fi is one of the handiest methods since you will always have a connection in your home. However, this does not imply that the connection will be powerful enough in every room to provide you with the total capacity of your internet.
Your connection will deteriorate as you go further away from your router. For example, if you live in a house with thick walls, your signal quality will degrade significantly between rooms, resulting in slower internet speeds.
Use an Ethernet cable to connect your Xbox Series X/S to your router. If you notice quicker speeds and a steadier connection, likely, the issue was all along with your Wi-Fi.
Your router should be reset.
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Your connection may cause slow internet on not just your console but other devices in your house as well. While ISPs are responsible for ensuring your internet connection is reliable, you may notice that your connection is routed through a broken server, slowing down your downloads.
Resetting your router is the best approach to solve this problem. You’ll be able to reset your connection from scratch and establish a new route with your ISP if you do so.
Check whether other data aren’t using up your connection.
Anyone who shares a house or lives with a family knows that someone trying to stream a movie in 4K quality can lead you to lose all of your bandwidth’s capacity. Routers are programmed to prioritize more urgent download attempts, which might significantly slow down your download speeds. It’s also worth noting that bandwidth hogs aren’t always people—they could be background applications. Check your phones or laptops for any programs trying to run or check something in the background since this can cause your connection to be strained.
Using the “Suspend My Game” option
While playing a game, Xbox consoles restrict download speeds to avoid interfering with the game’s network capabilities or multiplayer functionality. Despite Microsoft’s plans to soon allow gamers to increase download speeds while playing games, downloads are now faster when the Xbox is in rest mode or when the “Suspend My Game” option in the Xbox downloads manager is utilized. Follow these procedures below to enable this option:
Step 1: To access the guide menu, press the Xbox button on your controller.
Step 2: Select My games & apps > See all > Manage > Queue from the drop-down menu.
Step 3: Select “Suspend my game” from the Manage Queue page. The download speeds on your console will automatically increase.
Step 4: Once the downloads are complete, you can pick up where you left off and continue playing.
Be it your games or console updates, having slow download speeds can make you wait forever, and for casual gamers, that’s enough to reduce one’s interest in the game. Follow the steps above to boost your Xbox download speeds. If none of the suggestions work, you may need to contact your Internet service provider (ISP). They’ll have access to your logs and be able to detect whether you’re having a connection problem that only they can fix.
Will my Xbox download games when off?
Yes, for the Xbox one, you need to pay attention to the instant-on feature. One of the great features of the Xbox One is its ability to download games and updates even when the console is turned off. This means that you can start playing a game as soon as it’s done downloading without waiting for the console to finish booting up. First, you’ll need to ensure that your Xbox is connected to the internet. Second, you’ll need to enable the “instant-on” power mode. This can be done by going into the settings menu and selecting the “power & startup” option. Once these two things are taken care of, your Xbox can download games while it’s turned off.
