This article shows a list of tips to improve the speed at which an Xbox One is able to download content from the web. Although the download speed largely depends on the ISP that provides internet connectivity and on the type of connection provided by your subscription, there are some tricks that allow you to identify and resolve any problems in the console's network connection and thus improve its download speed. After checking the current status of the network connection, you can improve its performance by closing applications open in the background, restarting downloads that appear slow or are even blocked, restarting the Xbox itself or using a wired connection instead of the normal Wi-Fi connection.
Steps
Method 1 of 5: Check the Status of the Network Connection
Step 1. Go to the Home tab of the dashboard and select the My games and apps option
It is one of the square icons located on the right side of the Xbox Home tab.
Use the left analog stick on the controller to navigate through the options on the console dashboard and select the one shown, then press the A Button
Step 2. Select the Queue entry
This will display the list of all content being downloaded and waiting to be downloaded to the console.
Step 3. Select an active download
When it is selected you are able to view its progress.
Step 4. Press the ☰ button on the controller
Press the "Menu" button, characterized by 3 parallel horizontal lines. It is located in the center of the controller.
Step 5. Choose the Suspend option
The download will be put on hold. Repeat this step for all downloads in the console download queue.
When you have finished testing the console's network connection you will need to return to the "Queue" section of the My Games and Apps screen and reactivate all downloads by following these instructions: select each pending download, press the "Menu" button on the controller and choose the "Resume installation" option
Step 6. Press the Xbox button
It features the Xbox logo and is positioned exactly in the center of the controller. A menu will appear.
Step 7. Select the item
It features a gear icon located within the main menu pane that appears.
Use the left analog stick of the controller to navigate through the options in the menu that appears and be able to select the one indicated, then press the A button
Step 8. Choose the All Settings item
It is the first item visible at the top of the "Settings" menu.
Step 9. Select the Network option
It is listed on the left sidebar of the "Settings" screen. It is the third voice starting from the top.
Step 10. Choose the Network Settings option
It is located within the central panel of the "Network" tab of the "Settings" screen.
Step 11. Select the Test Network Connection item
It is visible in the group of options located on the right of the screen in question. The console's network connection will be tested and the detected download speed will also be displayed. If this last value were to be far below the download speed declared by your ISP, the causes of the problem would be the following:
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Other devices connected to the network:
if at the moment there are other people in the house who are using the internet connection to enjoy streaming content, the connection of the Xbox One may be adversely affected. Try disconnecting other devices from the network and repeat the test.
- Heavy traffic on the network: During the evening hours or on holidays, the number of people using your internet connection is greater than at other times, so your connection speed may be slower than normal. Try downloading content at night, when most people are assumed to be asleep.
- Network problems: Your internet connection, modem or network router may have a problem. In this case, contact your ISP's technical support to try to identify the problem and resolve it.
Method 2 of 5: Close Video Games and Apps Running in the Background
Step 1. Press the Xbox button on the controller
It features the Xbox logo and is positioned exactly in the center of the controller. A menu will appear. Any running games or apps will be suspended and the console dashboard home screen will be displayed.
Step 2. Use the left analog stick of the controller to select the icon of the games or apps running in the background
The large square at the top left of the Home screen shows the currently running applications or games.
Step 3. Press the ☰ button on the controller
Press the "Menu" button featuring 3 parallel horizontal lines. It is located in the center of the controller. A context menu for the selected item will be displayed.
Step 4. Choose the Close option
Highlight the "Close" menu item and press the A button on the controller. The app in question will be closed completely. Games that take advantage of the Xbox Live service and apps for playing streaming video content consume a large amount of network connection bandwidth, which inevitably slows down any active downloads. Try not to use any other apps or programs while downloads are active.
Method 3 of 5: Restart the Xbox
Step 1. Press the Xbox button on the controller
It features the Xbox logo and is positioned exactly in the center of the controller. A menu will appear. Any running games or apps will be suspended and the console dashboard home screen will be displayed.
Step 2. Select the item
It features a gear icon located within the main menu pane that appears.
Use the left analog stick of the controller to navigate through the options in the menu that appears and be able to select the one indicated, then press the A button
Step 3. Choose the Restart console option
The Xbox One will restart automatically. All running video games and applications will be closed. All active and queued downloads will be suspended and resumed automatically after the console restarts.
If the console is frozen or unresponsive, press and hold the console's power button for about 10 seconds. This will force the Xbox One to restart
Step 4. Check that the downloads have restarted correctly
To check this, go to the My games and apps section, choose the "Queue" option then select, one by one, all the downloads that are still pending. Press the "☰" key on the controller and choose the "Resume installation" option.
Method 4 of 5: Restart the Downloads
Step 1. Go to the Home tab of the dashboard and select the My games and apps option
It is one of the square icons located on the right side of the Xbox Home tab.
Use the left analog stick on the controller to navigate through the options on the console dashboard and select the one shown, then press the A Button
Step 2. Select the Queue entry
This will display the list of all content being downloaded and waiting to be downloaded to the console.
Step 3. Select an active download
When it is selected you are able to view its progress.
Step 4. Press the ☰ button on the controller
Press the "Menu" key, characterized by 3 parallel horizontal lines. It is located in the center of the controller.
Step 5. Choose the Cancel option
This download will be canceled.
Step 6. Press the Xbox button on the controller
It features the Xbox logo and is positioned exactly in the center of the controller.
Step 7. Select the Store tab
It is one of the items listed in the upper right of the Home screen.
Step 8. Select a video game or application
Return to the section of the Xbox store where the game or app you want to download is and select them. Alternatively, click the magnifying glass icon to be able to search for the content to download by name or manually scroll through the list of apps and games in the Xbox store to locate and select the one you want.
Step 9. Choose the Install option
This way the chosen content will be downloaded and installed on the console. Now check if the download speed has improved.
Method 5 of 5: Using a Wired Connection
Step 1. Connect an Ethernet cable to the Xbox One network port
The RJ-45 connection port is located on the back of the console, on the right side. It is characterized by an icon showing 3 small squares connected to each other by a thin line.
To establish the connection, you will need a network cable that is long enough to cover the distance between the console and the router. Read this article for more information on how to connect
Step 2. Now connect the other end of the Ethernet cable to a LAN port on the router
Normally a network router is equipped with 4 RJ-45 ports dedicated to cabling the local LAN located on the back of the device. In most cases they are characterized by a yellow color.
