Internet data usage very high with Windows 10

I have an ASUSPro laptop with Intel Core i7-5500U CPU 2.40GHz, 4Gb Ram, 64-bit OS, x64-based processor, running Windows 10 Pro version 1607 (Anniversary Update) Build 14393.51.

We are "off-grid" (no landline access) and use a pre-paid mobile broadband router which we recharge with 27.5Gb of data with a 365-day expiry. Before moving from Win7 to Win10, we only once had to recharge before the 365-day expiry, and that by only 10 days.

When we updated to Windows 10, we had 12Gb of data remaining and this was reduced to 0Gb in 4 days.

I then checked and found that by default Windows 10 used my PC as an update server for the world.

I have since set my Wi-Fi connection as "metered" and set the Settings > Update & Security > Windows Update > Advanced options > Choose how updates are delivered > Updates from more than one place setting to "PCs on my local network" and then to "Off".

However, after a recharge to 27.5Gb on 9Jun16, my data was reduced to 0Gb on 25Aug16, just 78 days.

I do not use a Microsoft account to login but use a local account to login.

I do not use any of the Windows 10 games (I tried the Solatire game but all the adverts meant it was using data and I was not prepared to pay to remove these).

Also, I have now turned all live tiles "off" after recharging my data yesterday.

Is there any way to find out what is using all my data and, more importantly, to stop this extraordinary rate of data usage?

Any help with this data usage problem will be gratefully received, thanks.

see if this link helps :- http://www.howtogeek.com/249254/how-to-stop-windows-10-from-using-so-much-data/

it shows how to check data usage in windows 10 (think there is a 30 day limit, so only shows usage for last 30 days) and there are also some tips for limiting windows 10 data usage.

Thanks for that, terry1966. I had already turned off all but the Store suggestion that are mentioned there; now I've turned the Store setting off as well.

The Data Usage tip is also helpful. I'll keep watch on that and try to manage those apps/programs using data above what I expect.

My default browser is Firefox although I do use Edge and Chrome from time-to-time. Do you know how I can check if a browser includes a built-in compressing proxy feature? I'll add the Data Saver extension for Chrome and watch what effect that has.

Thanks again for your help.

to be honest i've never worried about data usage so never looked into browser compression features, but in my untrained opinion in networking besides probably slowing down your browsing experience (depending on pc because the data has to be uncompressed again before you can see it.) there might be security concerns/issues with using such things because everything you do (except https i believe.) will go through the same 3rd party server that gets the web page data and then compresses it before sending it on to you, so they have an opportunity to change or add anything to the original pages data including malware or ads.

i think in your position i'd just see how things go before trying any add-ons like this one :- https://addons.mozilla.org/en-GB/firefox/addon/google_datasaver_for_firefox/

and if you find you still need to save data usage then try such add ons or look deeper into what else can be turned off in the windows 10 os to save data usage.

Thanks for that advice, terry1966. I'll stay with what I've done so far and see what happens.

Just to add in my 6 pennyworth…

27.5 Gb of data these days is a relatively tiny amount….. I appreciate that on your old Win 7 set up it could practically last a whole year, however Win 10 is a rather different beast!

The switch from Win 7 to Win 10 (just the download of Win 10 can be around 4Gb or so, so that's a fairly big chunk of your data allowance taken up…..

The "anniversary" update to Win 10 practically repeats the download usage from the original download for the switch….. so that's around 8Gb or so used up, and that's without downloading anything else at all!

Add in Win 10 performing its usual updates along side your anti virus, other protective products, Microsoft Office, Adobe, or whatever other software you have installed all downloading their own updates it can soon eat into your 27.5Gb….. Even your printer and other peripherals will want to "call home" and update themselves regularly all adding to the drain on your "allowance" and that is before you actually start to use the machine and download things!

Windows 10 whilst being a very capable operating system has its default settings organised so that your system is constantly sending back to MS details of your usage of the machine, your GPS coordinates (for location etc) and of course Cortana wants almost constant 2 way communications….. all eating  into your precious data allowance.

The excellent advice you have received here in the topic from Terry will help in keeping tabs on your data usage and using it effectively, but please do remember that some folks would use 27.5 Gb of data in a day or so,…..its a connected world these days!

Regards

paws

Turn off windows update and auto run on startup that might be cause of your high internet data usage. 

Thanks for that, jedidiahbarsky. However, how do I do that? Can you provide a link to instructions on how to turn these off?

I can see how to defer non-security updates but that is all.

Jul 9, 2015 - How to Enable or Disable Automatic Updates for Windows Update in Windows 10 … http://www. tenforums.com/tutorials/2…10-builds.html.

Thanks, for those links, Ztruker.

Hopefully, they still apply after the Anniversary Update; I've found many settings have been changed and even removed with the AU.

I'll report back when I've had a chance to work through these.

I would counsel that you think very carefully before trying to prevent Windows updates from operating on essential or critical updates that can affect the security of your computer, Its your machine and its your call on how you use it, but failure to keep operating systems fully "patched" has in the past been a major vector for the infection and troublesome running of many computers. Fortunately Microsoft has made it pretty difficult with Win 10 for home users to switch off or curtail many Windows updates that are essential for the correct running and security of the computer.

Undoubtedly there will be some updates that are non essential, but I would tend to look at more peripheral issues first…. for example, your printer using up your allowance by calling home for the latest updates, similarly perhaps your audio and or video software, if you search carefully you might be surprised how many applications have been set to call home and update themselves regularly all using up some part of your data allowance

To my mind Microsoft and Windows updates and the updates to your Anti virus and other protections are the number one priority in software terms.

Regards

paws