How to monitor game download and update speed on Windows

Game downloads are large and often run in the background. See how to watch their speed, spot stalls and keep other devices usable.

Modern games can be tens of gigabytes. Downloads and updates may start by themselves, take over your connection and interrupt anything else you do.

Why monitor a game download

See whether the download is moving or stalled.
Notice when an update begins without you asking.
Judge how long a big download will take.
Avoid lag in other games or calls.

Estimate the time

Divide the file size by the speed shown. A 60 GB game at 10 MB/s needs roughly 6,000 seconds, which is about an hour and forty minutes. Real speeds vary, so treat this as a guide.

If the speed is low

Check you are on the right adapter.
Try Ethernet.
Pause other devices that stream or download.
Look at the launcher’s settings for a download limit, region or server option.

Limiting the impact

Many launchers can cap download speed or schedule updates. Set a cap that leaves room for other devices. Watch your upload too, since some launchers share files with other players, and heavy upload can hurt gameplay.

Keep the display out of the way

The taskbar readout takes no desktop space. If you prefer a floating window, lower its opacity and enable click-through. See click-through mode.

More on gaming: monitoring network speed while gaming.

Monitoring network speed while gaming

What network numbers can and cannot tell you during online games.

Click-through floating window (Mouse Penetrate)

Let mouse clicks pass through the NetSpeedDisplay floating window so it never gets in the way of the app underneath.

Published 2026-10-17