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Why Is Your Xbox Series X/Series S Downloading Slowly?

There’s nothing worse than waiting forever to download a game or update your Xbox Series X/S. As games get bigger and bigger, it doesn’t feel like internet connections can keep up. But is it only the slow internet causing slow download speeds on your Xbox? And what can you do to speed up your downloads? 

Slow downloads on Xbox Series X/S are usually caused by an unstable or slow internet connection, or other software (like a multiplayer game) taking up bandwidth. Using a wired internet connection or using sleep mode to download things when the console isn’t in use can help.

Let’s explore the reasons for slow download speeds on an Xbox Series X/S and how you can download your favorite games faster. 

Why Is Your Xbox Series X/S Downloading So Slowly? 

If your Xbox Series X/S takes forever to download games, there’s usually no need to worry. Slow downloads are often caused by slow internet connections, bugged downloads, and games that are too big. In some cases, the slow download speed may be caused by how the Xbox throttles downloads.

In rare cases, it could be a firmware problem. 

Let’s look at the primary reasons why your Xbox Series X/S has slow download speeds: 

Slow Internet 

Perhaps you’ve already checked this, but it’s worth mentioning since most people don’t test their internet speed as often as they should. Always test your internet connection at different times to see whether the speed is consistent.

It’s much better to have a slightly slower connection that’s stable than to have a fast but unstable connection. 

Choose any reliable internet speed testing website and repeat the test several times to get an idea of the speed.

Bugged Downloads 

Bugs in the games you’re downloading could also cause the download to go slower than usual. If the slow downloads are caused by bugs, it will probably only affect a single game.

To avoid bugs and other download problems, always get your games from reliable retailers or the official Xbox Store. 

Large Games 

The days of 10 GB games are long gone. Most of the popular games for Xbox Series X/S are over 50 GB and can take seemingly forever to download.

Even if you have a relatively fast internet connection, a 50 GB game will take much longer to download than your average Xbox One game! 

Unfortunately, there’s not much you can do about this. Unless you have 5G, you’re just going to have to wait to download a game like Call of Duty: Modern Warfare, which packs a whopping 200 GB. 

Xbox Series X/S Throttling System 

Sometimes, the throttle system of the Xbox Series X/S may cause slow download speeds. This glitch is only present in some Xbox consoles but seems to be a common problem for gamers who experience slow downloads even with high-speed internet.

The Xbox Series X/S is designed to slow down the downloads of certain games when the console is being used for gaming. 

However, if the slow download speeds remain after you’ve done with your gaming session, then it could be a problem with the Xbox’s ability to restore the download settings.

Fortunately, this problem can be solved by restarting the console, but you’ll have to pause your downloads for this. 

Firmware Problems 

In rare cases, a problem with your console’s firmware may be causing slow download speeds. However, this is a system problem and will affect other functions of the Xbox.

If your Xbox is lagging and seems slow in most functions, including download speed, then it’s most likely a firmware problem. 

Firmware bugs are usually cleared in updates, so you shouldn’t have this issue if you’ve updated the Xbox. 

How Do You Make the Xbox Series X/S Download Faster?

The best way to make your Xbox Series X/S download faster is to improve the connection speed and shut off any apps that may be taking additional power.

If the slow download speeds are caused by a glitch or bug, then updating the firmware or downloading from trusted sources is the best fix. 

Here are some ways to improve the download speed on your Xbox Series X/S: 

Restart Your Router 

The first thing to do when facing slow download speeds is to restart your router. Power off the router completely and wait for at least 30 seconds before switching it back on.

This is a proven tip used to fix most connection problems and will likely solve your problem. If it doesn’t work, try some of the solutions below. 

Get a Better Internet Connection 

While this may seem basic, it makes a major difference. Rather than going for a connection that performs well sporadically and then suddenly slows down, opt for a stable wired internet connection.  

If you want uninterrupted downloads and minimum speed variations, connect the internet directly to your Xbox with an ethernet cable (on Amazon). If you have a wireless internet connection, try moving the device or antennas to a different position to get better speeds. 

Switch Off All Games 

Although you can download games in the background while you’re playing on an Xbox Series X/S, the downloads will be slower as a result, especially if you’re playing online games. Even if you’re playing an offline game, it may still slow down the downloads since the console has to divide power between the two applications. 

Try to set your downloads for times when you aren’t going to be playing, and switch off all background applications such as Spotify, etc. You’ll notice an instant improvement in the download speed. 

Cancel the Download 

Have you ever been stuck on a YouTube video that wouldn’t load unless you refreshed the page? The same thing may happen to Xbox games sometimes. If your download is going abnormally slow, try deleting the download and starting over. This can help with games that have bugs or glitches. 

Disconnect Other Devices on the Same Internet Connection 

Depending on how much bandwidth your connection has, having too many devices connected may leave your Xbox with limited bandwidth. While there’s no harm in connecting a couple of devices to your network, avoid downloading or streaming on them while the Xbox downloads are in progress. 

This issue is more prominent in wireless networks and won’t affect your console as much if you have a cable connected to the router. 

Restart the Console 

Restarting the Xbox Series X/S is a solution that can fix a surprising amount of Xbox problems. If your downloads were going fine and have suddenly started to lag, your first step should be to restart the console.

Don’t put the Xbox into sleep mode; shut it down completely and then restart it to get a change in the download speeds. 

While this may seem like the most simple option, you’ll be surprised at how often it works! 

Does the Xbox Series X/S Download Faster When Off?

The Xbox Series X/S does download much faster when in sleep mode since there are no background games to take up resources.

However, it won’t download games when turned off completely, so make sure your power settings are on “Instant-on” mode before turning off the Xbox. 

With Instant-on mode, you can switch on your Xbox and start gaming in less than 30 seconds since the console will already be on standby.

Start the download when you’re not going to use the console for some time. That way, all the Xbox’s resources will be dedicated to the download during sleep mode.