Why Steam Download Speed Dropped: Complete Fix Guide

Steam Download Speed Dropped from 43-52 MB/s to 5.7 MB/s

Steam download speed has dropped from 43-52 MB/s to 5.7 MB/s due to possible Windows network settings issues, system resource overload, or TCP/IP stack conflicts. This common problem often occurs due to Windows automatic optimization, traffic redirection through slow Steam servers, or background processes that limit bandwidth. To solve this, you need to check TCP auto-tuning settings, prioritize the Steam process, and optimize system resources.

Table of Contents

• Main causes of speed drop in Steam
• Advanced solutions to the problem
• Checking system resources and conflicts
• Steam and network settings
• Additional troubleshooting methods
• Step-by-step guide to restoring speed

Main causes of speed drop in Steam

The problem of Steam download speed dropping from 43-52 MB/s to 5.7 MB/s can have several main causes:

1. Windows TCP auto-tuning settings
Windows automatically optimizes network connections, but sometimes this leads to speed limitations. As mentioned in research, the “Receive Window Auto-Tuning Level” parameter can create problems with high bandwidth.

2. Choosing an inappropriate Steam download server
Steam automatically selects a download server, but sometimes it chooses a slow or overloaded node. Users report that manual server switching often instantly restores speed to 80+ MB/s.

3. Windows background processes
In Windows 11/10, telemetry and background update processes can run that compete for bandwidth. As noted in discussions, disabling telemetry in Task Scheduler can solve the problem.

4. Process priority issues
Steam may lose priority in the system, leading to limited download speed. One user increased Steam’s priority to “Above Normal” and it helped.

Advanced solutions to the problem

TCP/IP stack configuration

Disabling TCP auto-tuning:

netsh int tcp set global autotuninglevel=disabled

This command disables automatic TCP optimization, which often leads to a significant increase in Steam download speed. After execution, you need to restart the computer for the changes to take effect.

Important: If disabling auto-tuning doesn’t improve speed, you can return settings to normal:

cmd

netsh int tcp set global autotuninglevel=normal

Using TCP Optimizer:

1. Download TCP Optimizer
2. Run as administrator
3. Set the following parameters:
   • MTU: 1500 (for 100 Mbps and above networks)
   • TCP Window Auto Tuning: Normal
   • Windows Scaling Heuristics: Disabled
   • Congestion Control Provider: CTCP
   • Receive Side Scaling: Enabled

Network adapter management

Disabling network power saving:

• Open “Device Manager”
• Expand “Network adapters”
• Right-click on the main network adapter
• Select “Properties” → “Power Management”
• Uncheck “Allow the computer to turn off this device…”

Checking system resources and conflicts

Resource usage monitoring

Checking background processes:

1. Open Task Manager (Ctrl+Shift+Esc)
2. Go to the “Processes” tab
3. Sort by memory or network
4. Close or suspend processes using many resources

Setting Steam priority:

1. In Task Manager, find the Steam process
2. Right-click → “Priority” → “Above normal”
3. This can increase download speed, as users report on Reddit

Disabling unnecessary Windows services

Disabling telemetry:

1. Open Task Scheduler (taskschd.msc)
2. Find Microsoft tasks in the “Task Scheduler Library” section
3. Disable telemetry tasks:
   • Microsoft\Windows\Customer Experience Improvement Program
   • Microsoft\Windows\Autochk

Clearing cache and temporary files:

• Empty the recycle bin (as one Reddit user accidentally discovered this solved the problem)
• Use the cleanmgr command to clean system files

Steam and network settings

Changing download region

Manual download server selection:

1. Open Steam → Settings → Downloads
2. Click “Download Server” → “Change download region”
3. Try different regions, especially those where high speed was previously achieved
4. As noted in Steam Community discussions, this works 100% of the time

Optimizing Steam settings

Clearing download cache:

1. Open Steam → Settings → Downloads
2. Click “Clear Download Cache”
3. Restart Steam

Changing download settings:

• In Steam settings, you can limit background downloads
• Disable automatic updates on startup
• Set a limit for background downloads

Additional troubleshooting methods

Checking antivirus and firewall

Temporarily disabling protection:

• Disable antivirus and firewall during the speed test
• Some antivirus programs (especially Kaspersky, Avast) may limit download speed
• If speed is restored, add Steam to exceptions

Router configuration

Optimizing router for Steam:

1. Enter router settings
2. Find QoS (Quality of Service) settings
3. Prioritize Steam traffic or set high priority for your device
4. Update router firmware
5. Check L2TP/PPTP settings if you use them

Clearing router DNS cache:

• Restart the router
• Clear DNS cache through the router’s web interface
• Check NAT settings

Step-by-step guide to restoring speed

Comprehensive recovery procedure

Step 1: Checking basic settings

1. Disable VPN and proxy
2. Check if there’s a “Connection type: limited” restriction
3. Make sure Windows isn’t blocking Steam ports (TCP: 27030-27039, UDP: 27015-27030)

Step 2: Applying TCP settings

netsh int tcp set global autotuninglevel=disabled
netsh int tcp set global chimney=enabled
netsh int tcp set global dca=enabled
netsh int tcp set global netdma=enabled

Restart the computer

Step 3: Configuring Steam

1. Clear Steam cache
2. Change download region
3. Set process priority to “Above normal”

Step 4: Optimizing Windows

1. Disable telemetry in Task Scheduler
2. Disable automatic Windows updates
3. Check network adapter power saving settings

Step 5: Testing

1. Start a download in Steam
2. Monitor speed in real-time
3. If speed is low, try safe mode with networking

Sources

1. Steam Community - Download speed drops and server switching solutions
2. Reddit r/Steam - Changing download servers fix
3. Steam Community - Windows 11 telemetry affecting downloads
4. Reddit r/buildapc - Setting Steam priority to Above Normal
5. Steam Community - TCP autotuning level disabling solution
6. Reddit r/steamsupport - Emptying recycle bin fix
7. Tech Journey - TCP/IP auto tuning optimization
8. PCGaming Tech Support - TCP Optimizer settings

Conclusion

The main reasons for Steam download speed dropping from 43-52 MB/s to 5.7 MB/s are Windows TCP auto-tuning settings, inappropriate download server selection, and system resource conflicts. To solve the problem, you need to sequentially apply a set of measures: disable TCP auto-tuning, change the Steam process priority, disable telemetry background processes, and optimize router network settings. If basic methods don’t help, you should check your antivirus and try safe mode with networking to isolate the problem. Regular Steam cache clearing and system resource monitoring will help prevent such situations in the future.