How to fix slow download speed in Microsoft Store?

Microsoft Store downloads crawl while the rest of the internet is fast? Check Delivery Optimization limits, metered connection, the Store cache and VPN.

Tom Bradshaw
Published , updated

Prefer to fix it yourself? The manual steps follow.

Methods
9
Time
10 minutes
Level
Intermediate
Applies to
Windows 11, Windows 10
Start with the first method and stop when the problem is gone.Go to the steps
9 methods in this guide
  1. Why it happens
  2. Remove the Delivery Optimization bandwidth limit
  3. Turn off metered connection
  4. Let other Windows downloads finish first
  5. Disconnect the VPN and turn off the proxy
  6. Clear the Store cache with wsreset
  7. Restart the Delivery Optimization service
  8. Repair or reset Microsoft Store
  9. Reset the network
  10. Re-register Microsoft Store
  11. Frequently asked questions

Apps and games from the Microsoft Store (and the Xbox app on PC) download very slowly, stay at the same percentage or say Pending, while browsing and streaming run at normal speed. This happens on Windows 11 and Windows 10. The reason is usually a Windows setting, not your connection.

Why it happens

  • Delivery Optimization limits. Store downloads go through Delivery Optimization, the same Windows service that downloads updates. If a bandwidth limit is set there (by you, an app or an organization policy), Store downloads are capped too.
  • Metered connection. When the network is marked as metered, Windows holds back and slows background downloads to save data.
  • Damaged Store cache or app data. A stuck download queue or broken cache keeps downloads slow or frozen.
  • VPN or proxy. Traffic goes through a slower or distant server, or the Store's content servers are reached through a congested route.
  • Windows updates downloading at the same time. They share the same service and bandwidth.

Fix 1: Remove the Delivery Optimization bandwidth limit

  1. Windows 11: open Settings > Windows Update > Advanced options > Delivery Optimization > Advanced options. Windows 10: Settings > Update & Security > Delivery Optimization > Advanced options.
  2. Under Download settings, clear the check boxes that limit bandwidth for background and foreground downloads, or select Percentage of measured bandwidth and move both sliders to 100%.
  3. If the options are greyed out with a note that some settings are managed by your organization, a policy sets the limit. On a work PC ask IT; on a home PC check for tweaking tools that changed it.
  4. Pause the Store download and resume it so the new limit is used.

Fix 2: Turn off metered connection

  1. Windows 11: open Settings > Network & internet, select Wi-Fi (then your network's properties) or Ethernet. Windows 10: Settings > Network & Internet > Status > Properties.
  2. Turn Metered connection off.
  3. Resume the download.

Fix 3: Let other Windows downloads finish first

  1. Open Settings > Windows Update. If updates are downloading, let them finish or pause updates for a week while the Store download runs.
  2. In Microsoft Store, open Downloads and pause other app downloads so the one you need gets the full bandwidth.

Fix 4: Disconnect the VPN and turn off the proxy

  1. Disconnect your VPN app.
  2. Open Settings > Network & internet > Proxy (Windows 10: Network & Internet > Proxy). Turn off Use a proxy server unless your organization requires it.
  3. Restart the download. If speed is now normal, add the Store to the VPN's split-tunnel exceptions or keep it off for big downloads.

Fix 5: Clear the Store cache with wsreset

  1. Press Win + R, type wsreset.exe and press Enter.
  2. An empty window opens. Wait; it closes by itself and Microsoft Store opens.
  3. Start the download again.

Fix 6: Restart the Delivery Optimization service

  1. Restart the Delivery Optimization service (service name DoSvc) and make sure Background Intelligent Transfer Service is running: Check and restart Windows services.
  2. Reopen Microsoft Store and resume the download.

Fix 7: Repair or reset Microsoft Store

Use Repair first; it keeps your data. Reset signs you out of the Store. Follow Reset the Microsoft Store.

Fix 8: Reset the network

If downloads are slow in the Store and also in other Microsoft apps, flush DNS and reset network settings: Reset the network and flush DNS.

Fix 9: Re-register Microsoft Store

If the Store itself misbehaves (downloads never start, the Store closes), register it again.

  1. Right-click Start and open Terminal (Admin) (Windows 10: Windows PowerShell (Admin)).
  2. Run: 
    Get-AppxPackage -AllUsers Microsoft.WindowsStore | Foreach {Add-AppxPackage -DisableDevelopmentMode -Register "$($_.InstallLocation)\AppXManifest.xml"}
  3. Restart the PC.

Frequently asked questions

Does turning off "Allow downloads from other devices" make the Store faster?

Not usually. That setting lets your PC share pieces with other PCs; downloads from Microsoft's servers still run. Try it only if the problem continues after the fixes above: it is on the Delivery Optimization page in the same Settings section.

Why are Xbox app downloads slow too?

The Xbox app on PC uses the same Store download system and Delivery Optimization, so the same fixes apply.

The download is stuck at "Pending". What now?

Check Fix 3 first: other Store or Windows downloads may be in the queue ahead of it. Then run wsreset (Fix 5).

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