Steam download speed unstable and drops to 0 frequently - Reddit
How to Fix Steam Download Speed Dropping to 0
Steam is one of the most popular platforms for PC gaming, offering a huge library of games, a vibrant community, and various features and services. However, Steam users may sometimes encounter a frustrating problem: their download speed drops to 0 bytes per second, making it impossible to install or update their games.
This problem can have various causes, such as network congestion, server issues, antivirus interference, disk or CPU bottleneck, or corrupted files. Fortunately, there are also some possible solutions that can help you fix this problem and resume your downloads. In this article, we will show you five solutions that you can try to fix Steam download speed dropping to 0.
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Solution 1: Change Download Region
One of the simplest solutions that you can try is to change your download region in Steam settings. This can help you avoid network congestion or server issues that may affect your download speed. To change your download region, follow these steps:
Open Steam and click on Steam in the top-left corner.
Select Settings from the drop-down menu.
Click on Downloads in the left panel.
Under Download Region, select a different region from the drop-down menu. You can try choosing a region that is close to your location or has less traffic.
Click OK to save your changes.
Restart Steam and try downloading your games again.
Changing your download region may improve your download speed, but it may also introduce some drawbacks. For example, you may experience higher ping or latency when playing online games with players from other regions. You may also encounter regional restrictions or differences in prices or availability of some games. Therefore, you should experiment with different regions and see which one works best for you.
Solution 2: Disable Windows Defender
Another possible solution that you can try is to disable Windows Defender, which is the built-in antivirus program in Windows. Windows Defender may interfere with your Steam downloads by scanning or blocking them, causing them to drop to 0 bytes per second. To disable Windows Defender, follow these steps:
Open Windows Settings and click on Update & Security.
Click on Windows Security in the left panel.
Click on Virus & threat protection in the right panel.
Under Virus & threat protection settings, click on Manage settings.
Turn off the toggle switch for Real-time protection.
Disabling Windows Defender may increase your download speed, but it may also expose your PC to potential threats. Therefore, you should only disable Windows Defender temporarily while downloading your games, and re-enable it afterwards. You should also make sure that you have a reliable backup of your data and a trusted alternative antivirus program installed on your PC.
Solution 3: Use Command Prompt Commands
A third possible solution that you can try is to use command prompt commands to cancel Windows Performance Recorder and stop Diagnostic Tracking Service. These are two Windows features that may affect your Steam downloads by consuming network bandwidth or disk space. To use command prompt commands, follow these steps :
Open the Start menu and type cmd.
Right-click on Command Prompt and select Run as administrator.
Type the following command and press Enter: xperf -stop
Type the following command and press Enter: sc stop DiagTrack
Close the Command Prompt window and restart your PC.
Using command prompt commands may reduce the network or disk usage that may affect your Steam downloads, but it may also disable some Windows features that may be useful for troubleshooting or performance monitoring. Therefore, you should only use these commands if you are comfortable with them and know what they do. You should also be careful not to mistype or misuse any commands, as they may cause unwanted changes or errors in your system.
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Solution 4: Limit Download Bandwidth
A fourth possible solution that you can try is to limit your download bandwidth in Steam settings. This can help you prevent Steam from using up all your network bandwidth, which may cause your download speed to drop to 0 bytes per second. To limit your download bandwidth, follow these steps:
Open Steam and click on Steam in the top-left corner.
Select Settings from the drop-down menu.
Click on Downloads in the left panel.
Under Limit bandwidth to, select a lower value from the drop-down menu. You can try choosing a value that is half or less than your actual network speed.
Click OK to save your changes.
Restart Steam and try downloading your games again.
Limiting your download bandwidth may stabilize your download speed, but it may also make your downloads take longer to complete. Therefore, you should only limit your download bandwidth if you have a slow or unstable network connection, or if you want to use other online applications while downloading your games. You should also experiment with different values and see which one works best for you.
Solution 5: Check Disk Usage and CPU Usage
A fifth possible solution that you can try is to check your disk usage and CPU usage in Task Manager. This can help you identify any processes or programs that may be using up your disk space or CPU resources, which may cause your download speed to drop to 0 bytes per second. To check your disk usage and CPU usage, follow these steps:
Press Ctrl+Alt+Delete on your keyboard and select Task Manager from the options.
Click on the Processes tab and sort the processes by Disk or CPU by clicking on the column headers.
Look for any processes or programs that have high disk or CPU usage, such as antivirus scans, Windows updates, browser tabs, etc.
If you find any processes or programs that are not essential, right-click on them and select End task or End process tree.
Checking your disk usage and CPU usage may free up some disk space or CPU resources that may affect your Steam downloads, but it may also close some processes or programs that you may need or want to use. Therefore, you should only check your disk usage and CPU usage if you have a low-end PC or a full hard drive, or if you suspect that there is something wrong with your system. You should also be careful not to end any processes or programs that are important for your system or your data.
Conclusion
In this article, we have shown you five solutions that you can try to fix Steam download speed dropping to 0 bytes per second. These solutions are:
Change download region
Disable Windows Defender
Use command prompt commands
Limit download bandwidth
Check disk usage and CPU usage
We hope that these solutions have helped you fix this problem and resume your downloads. However, keep in mind that these solutions may not work for everyone, as there may be other factors that affect your download speed. Therefore, you should always check your network connection, clear your download cache, verify your game files, update your drivers, and contact Steam support if none of these solutions work for you.
FAQs
Why does my Steam download speed drop to 0?
Your Steam download speed may drop to 0 bytes per second due to various reasons, such as network congestion, server issues, antivirus interference, disk or CPU bottleneck, or corrupted files. You can try some of the solutions mentioned in this article to fix this problem and resume your downloads.
How do I increase my Steam download speed?
You can increase your Steam download speed by changing your download region, disabling Windows Defender, using command prompt commands, limiting your download bandwidth, or checking your disk usage and CPU usage. You can also check your network connection, clear your download cache, verify your game files, update your drivers, and contact Steam support if none of these methods work for you.
How do I fix Steam not downloading games?
If your Steam is not downloading games at all, you can try some of the following steps to fix this issue:
Restart Steam and your PC.
Run Steam as administrator.
Check your firewall and antivirus settings and make sure they are not blocking Steam.
Delete the Steam appcache folder and restart Steam.
Change your download region or limit your download bandwidth in Steam settings.
Clear your download cache in Steam settings.
Verify the integrity of your game files in Steam library.
Update your network drivers or use a wired connection instead of Wi-Fi.
Contact Steam support and report your problem.
How do I pause and resume downloads on Steam?
You can pause and resume downloads on Steam by following these steps:
Open Steam and click on Library in the top menu.
Find the game that you want to pause or resume downloading and right-click on it.
Select Pause Downloading or Resume Downloading from the drop-down menu.
You can also pause and resume downloads on Steam by clicking on the Downloads button in the bottom-right corner of the Steam window. This will show you a list of all your active downloads and their progress. You can then click on the Pause or Resume button next to each download.
How do I fix corrupted files on Steam?
If you have corrupted files on Steam, you can try to fix them by verifying the integrity of your game files. This will scan and repair any missing or damaged files in your game folder. To verify the integrity of your game files, follow these steps:
Open Steam and click on Library in the top menu.
Find the game that has corrupted files and right-click on it.
Select Properties from the drop-down menu.
Click on the Local Files tab in the left panel.
Click on Verify Integrity of Game Files button in the right panel.
Wait for the process to complete and restart Steam.
How do I clear my download cache on Steam?
If you want to clear your download cache on Steam, you can do so by following these steps:
Open Steam and click on Steam in the top-left corner.
Select Settings from the drop-down menu.
Click on Downloads in the left panel.
Click on Clear Download Cache button in the right panel.
Click OK to confirm and restart Steam.