If you are reading this article, you likely know what a metered connection is and how it works on Windows 10. For those who don’t know, a metered connection is nothing but an internet connection where the service provider charges by data used or limits the speed of the connection when you exceed the data limit.
Setting a network connection as metered connection is one of the easiest way out there to reduce the data usage by your Windows 10 PC. When you set a connection as metered, Windows Update downloads only priority updates, apps downloading from the Store might be paused, tiles on the Start might stop updating, and offline files might not sync to reduce the data usage.
Windows 10 doesn’t turn on metered connection for Wi-Fi connections by default but you can set a Wi-Fi connection as metered under Settings app.
Before this, Windows 10 didn’t offer a way to set an Ethernet connection as metered connection in Windows 10 but there was a Registry workaround to set Ethernet as metered. The good news is that you can now set an Ethernet connection as metered right from the Settings app without having to edit the Registry.
Starting with Windows 10 Creators Update (build 15002 or above), Windows 10 allows users to set Ethernet connections as metered. This means that, you can now reduce the data usage by your Windows 10 PC even if you are on an Ethernet connection.
Follow the given below directions to set an Ethernet connection as metered in Windows 10.
Method 1 of 2
Set an Ethernet connection as metered via Settings
Important: This method is applicable to Windows 10 Creators Update build 15002 or above builds only. So, if you are on an earlier build, please refer to the instructions in Method 2.
Step 1: Open Settings app. Click Network & Ethernet icon.
Step 2: Click Ethernet to see your Ethernet connection and related settings. And if you can’t see your Ethernet connection, make sure that the Ethernet cable is connected to your PC.
Step 3: Click on your current Ethernet connection to see its settings and other information such as IP address and MAC address.
Step 4: Under Metered connection, turn on Set as metered connection option to set your Ethernet connection as metered.
Method 2 of 2
Set an Ethernet connection as metered via Registry
Step 1: Download RegOwnerShipEx tool. It’s a free utility that can help you take ownership of Registry keys and values. We are using this as you can’t edit certain keys of Registry without taking ownership.
Step 2: Run RegOwnerShipEx utility. Click the Browse button next to Select the Registry key field and select the following key:
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows NT\ CurrentVersion\NetworkList\DefaultMediaCost
Step 3: Click Take Ownership button to take ownership of the key.
Step 4: Type Regedit in Start/taskbar search field and then press Enter key to open Registry Editor. Click Yes button if you see the UAC prompt.
Step 5: In the Registry Editor, navigate to the following key:
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\ Windows NT\CurrentVersion\NetworkList\DefaultMediaCost
Step 6: On the right-side, double-click on Ethernet value, and change its value data to 2 (hexadecimal). Click OK button. Congratulations. You have successfully set your Ethernet connection as metered connection on your Windows 10 PC.
That’s all!
