Stop Windows 10 using your internet connection to share updates to other people

A lot of things have changed in Windows 10, not least the way in which updates are delivered. Now that Windows 10 has been officially released and is gradually spreading around the globe, more and more people are starting to discover that the latest version of Microsoft's operating system is using more bandwidth than expected.

Windows 10 uses a P2P-style system called Windows Update Delivery Optimization (WUDO) which means that once your computer has downloaded an update it can be shared to not only other computers on your network, but also other people online. While it makes sense to share updates to your own computers, you might well resent giving up your bandwidth to others. Thankfully, it's easy to disable internet-wide WUDO.

In its FAQ, Microsoft explains that WUDO is enabled by default. It is described as being particularly useful for computers with slow or unreliable internet connections, as it allows updates to be downloaded from multiple places at once. As well as Microsoft's own servers, updates -- or parts of updates -- will also be downloaded from other Windows 10 users. In order for this to happen, WUDO has to be enabled, but you might prefer to remain in control of your internet connection and stop it being used for update sharing in the background.

To disable Windows Update Delivery Optimization, use the following steps:

• Open up Settings and click Update & security.
• Click Windows Update section to the left and then the Advanced options link to the right.
• Click Choose how updates are delivered.
• You can opt to completely disable WUDO by flicking the toggle switch to the Off position.
• Alternatively, you can continue to share updates you have downloaded to other computers you own but disabled sharing to others by leaving this toggle in the On position and selecting the PCs on my local network option.

That's all there is to it!