How to Fix Slow Xbox Download Speeds: A Step-by-Step Guide

We’ve all been there — eagerly awaiting the latest update for our favorite game, only to find that the download speed on our Xbox is crawling at a frustrating 30 Kbps. Yes, you read that right — Kbps, not Mbps! Recently, I ran into this issue while trying to download the hefty 100GB update for Call of Duty: Warzone, and I was faced with an almost impossible wait time of several days. Clearly, something was wrong, and I couldn’t just sit there waiting forever. So, I decided to dive into my Xbox and router settings to figure out why this was happening.

After some trial and error, I discovered a few simple steps that made a world of difference in fixing my slow download speeds. Here’s what I did:

1. Disable Auto-Download Settings

First, I noticed that certain settings on my Xbox were causing background downloads to compete with the game update. These auto-downloads let Xbox and apps update while the console is in sleep mode, but they also seem to throttle the speed of larger downloads. Here’s how you can disable them:

• Go to Settings > Network > Network Settings.
• Scroll down to Advanced Settings.
• Disable “Allow Auto-Downloads” for both games and apps.
  

This stops your Xbox from trying to update apps and system files while you’re in the middle of a big game download, freeing up bandwidth for that crucial update.

2. Restart Your Xbox

After adjusting the settings, I did a full shutdown of my Xbox to ensure any temporary glitches were cleared out:

• Hold down the Power button on the Xbox console for 10 seconds to perform a full shutdown.
• Wait a few moments and then power it back on.
  

A fresh start can sometimes fix underlying issues that simple restarts don’t resolve.

3. Reboot Your Router

Next, I turned off my router for about 10 seconds and powered it back on. This step is crucial, as it can help reset your internet connection and improve speed. Here’s how to do it:

• Unplug the router’s power cable.
• Wait 10 seconds, then plug it back in.
• Wait for the router to fully reconnect before turning on your Xbox.
  

Sometimes, your router can get bogged down with too many connections or software updates, so this little reset can give it a needed refresh.

4. Test Your Speed

Once the Xbox and router were both restarted, I checked my download speed again. To my delight, the download speed surged from a frustrating 30 Kbps to a much more reasonable 20 Mbps! This made a huge difference, and my game was finally able to download at a much faster pace.

5. Use a Different DNS Server for Better Speeds

If you’re still facing slow speeds, it might be a good idea to adjust your DNS settings. A DNS (Domain Name System) server translates web addresses into IP addresses, and using a faster one can improve your connection speed. You can switch to a public DNS server like Google DNS or Cloudflare DNS.

Here’s how to change the DNS on your Xbox:

• Go to Settings > Network > Advanced Settings > DNS Settings.
• Choose Manual.
• Enter the following DNS addresses:Google DNS:
  • Primary DNS: 8.8.8.8
  • Secondary DNS: 8.8.4.4
  Cloudflare DNS:
  • Primary DNS: 1.1.1.1
  • Secondary DNS: 1.0.0.1
  OpenDNS:
  • Primary DNS: 208.67.222.222
  • Secondary DNS: 208.67.220.220
    

Switching to one of these DNS servers could help improve your response time and, in some cases, provide a boost to download speeds.

Conclusion: Speeding Up Your Xbox Downloads

By following these steps — turning off auto-downloads, restarting your Xbox and router, and tweaking your DNS settings — I was able to fix my slow Xbox download speed and get back to gaming much quicker. If you’re still facing issues, consider checking your internet speed or contacting your ISP to see if there are any broader network issues at play.

Let me know if these steps worked for you, and don’t forget to check out my video for a more detailed guide. Happy gaming!