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Windows P2P Settings: Stop Sharing Updates With Other PCs

Disable Windows peer-to-peer update sharing in Delivery Optimization while keeping Windows Update and Microsoft Store downloads available.
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To stop Windows from downloading update files from or sending them to other PCs, turn off Allow downloads from other devices in Delivery Optimization. On Windows 11, find it under Settings > Windows Update > Advanced options > Delivery Optimization. On Windows 10, go to Settings > Update & Security > Delivery Optimization and turn off Allow downloads from other PCs. Windows updates and Microsoft Store apps will still download directly from Microsoft.

Turn off peer-to-peer sharing in Windows

Delivery Optimization is the Windows feature that can obtain parts of updates and Microsoft Store downloads from other PCs, and share download parts with them. The page layout and wording may differ slightly between builds. If you cannot find the setting, search Settings for “Delivery Optimization.”

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Windows 11

  1. Open Start > Settings.
  2. Go to Windows Update > Advanced options > Delivery Optimization.
  3. Switch Allow downloads from other devices to Off.

Microsoft says switching this off prevents downloads from and uploads to other PCs. Updates and apps continue to arrive directly from Windows Update and Microsoft Store. See Microsoft’s Delivery Optimization instructions.

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Windows 10

  1. Open Start > Settings.
  2. Go to Update & Security > Delivery Optimization.
  3. Switch Allow downloads from other PCs to Off.

This stops peer transfers without disabling updates or Store downloads; they continue directly from Microsoft. Microsoft ended Windows 10 support on October 14, 2025. See Microsoft’s Delivery Optimization instructions and Windows 10 support information.

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Choose how much sharing to allow

You do not have to choose between internet sharing and turning all peer transfers off. The available scope depends on the Windows version and the options shown on your Delivery Optimization page.

Setting Effect
Devices on my local network Stops internet peer sharing while allowing sharing with PCs on the local network.
Allow downloads from other devices: Off Stops peer downloads and uploads, both local and internet-based.

Windows 10’s Delivery Optimization instructions likewise describe local-network sharing as an option and turning the main control off as the way to stop peer transfers. If you want to avoid sharing beyond your home or workplace network but still use local peers, select the local-network-only option when it is available.

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Manage data use without turning sharing off

If your concern is network impact rather than peer sharing itself, Delivery Optimization offers bandwidth controls, a monthly upload limit, and Activity Monitor. Activity Monitor lets you inspect Delivery Optimization activity. Microsoft notes that its bandwidth limits apply to automatic update downloads, not manually started downloads such as a user-initiated Windows update or Store app download.

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A metered connection is another, network-specific control. Microsoft says it prevents Delivery Optimization from automatically sending or downloading parts of updates or apps to internet peers on that connection. Windows offers metered connection settings for Wi-Fi and Ethernet, but a metered network may also restrict some background updates and app syncing. It is not a substitute for switching off peer sharing across networks. See Microsoft’s metered connection guidance.

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If the setting is grayed out

A notice that settings are managed by your organization, or a disabled sharing control, can mean an IT administrator has set a policy requiring Delivery Optimization. Contact your organization’s IT support to ask about the policy; do not try to bypass a managed setting. Microsoft’s Delivery Optimization guidance describes this organization-managed case.

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What turning off P2P does—and does not do

Turning off the peer option changes where Windows gets update and app download data: the PC downloads directly from Microsoft rather than other PCs. It does not disable Windows Update or Microsoft Store downloads. Microsoft also says Delivery Optimization cannot access personal files or folders, cannot be used to download or send personal content, and applies the same security measures to peer-sourced downloads as to downloads from Windows Update and Microsoft Store; downloaded parts are checked for authenticity and downloads are checked again before installation. Details are in Microsoft’s Delivery Optimization documentation.

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