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Set up a work schedule to limit the maximum network bandwidth used for BITS background transfers

Verified with Windows 11 25H2 — updated on July 30, 2026

Windows 11 25H2

Supported on: Windows 7 or computers with BITS 3.5 installed.

Path in the GPO console

Computer Configuration\Administrative Templates\Network\Background Intelligent Transfer Service (BITS)

Description

This policy setting limits the network bandwidth that Background Intelligent Transfer Service (BITS) uses for background transfers during the work and nonwork days and hours. The work schedule is defined using a weekly calendar, which consists of days of the week and hours of the day. All hours and days that are not defined in a work schedule are considered non-work hours. If you enable this policy setting, you can set up a schedule for limiting network bandwidth during both work and nonwork hours. After the work schedule is defined, you can set the bandwidth usage limits for each of the three BITS background priority levels: high, normal, and low. You can specify a limit to use for background jobs during a work schedule. For example, you can limit the network bandwidth of low priority jobs to 128 Kbps from 8:00 A.M. to 5:00 P.M. on Monday through Friday, and then set the limit to 512 Kbps for nonwork hours. If you disable or do not configure this policy setting, BITS uses all available unused bandwidth for background job transfers.

Registry

HKLM Software\Policies\Microsoft\Windows\BITS\Throttling

Value name: EnableBandwidthLimits

More options available

Options

Ignore bandwidth limits if the source and the destination are on the same subnet.
IgnoreBandwidthLimitsOnLan boolean - default: 0
From
StartDay enum
  • Sunday -> 0
  • Monday -> 1 (default)
  • Tuesday -> 2
  • Wednesday -> 3
  • Thursday -> 4
  • Friday -> 5
  • Saturday -> 6
To
EndDay enum
  • Sunday -> 0
  • Monday -> 1
  • Tuesday -> 2
  • Wednesday -> 3
  • Thursday -> 4
  • Friday -> 5 (default)
  • Saturday -> 6
From
StartHour enum
  • 12 AM -> 0
  • 1 AM -> 1
  • 2 AM -> 2
  • 3 AM -> 3
  • 4 AM -> 4
  • 5 AM -> 5
  • 6 AM -> 6
  • 7 AM -> 7
  • 8 AM -> 8 (default)
  • 9 AM -> 9
  • 10 AM -> 10
  • 11 AM -> 11
  • 12 PM -> 12
  • 1 PM -> 13
  • 2 PM -> 14
  • 3 PM -> 15
  • 4 PM -> 16
  • 5 PM -> 17
  • 6 PM -> 18
  • 7 PM -> 19
  • 8 PM -> 20
  • 9 PM -> 21
  • 10 PM -> 22
  • 11 PM -> 23
To
EndHour enum
  • 12 AM -> 0
  • 1 AM -> 1
  • 2 AM -> 2
  • 3 AM -> 3
  • 4 AM -> 4
  • 5 AM -> 5
  • 6 AM -> 6
  • 7 AM -> 7
  • 8 AM -> 8
  • 9 AM -> 9
  • 10 AM -> 10
  • 11 AM -> 11
  • 12 PM -> 12
  • 1 PM -> 13
  • 2 PM -> 14
  • 3 PM -> 15
  • 4 PM -> 16
  • 5 PM -> 17 (default)
  • 6 PM -> 18
  • 7 PM -> 19
  • 8 PM -> 20
  • 9 PM -> 21
  • 10 PM -> 22
  • 11 PM -> 23
High Priority Limit:
HighBandwidthLimit decimal - range 0-4294967200 - default: 0
High Priority Unit:
HighBandwidthType enum
  • Kbps -> 1
  • Mbps -> 2
  • Unlimited -> 3 (default)
Normal Priority Limit:
NormalBandwidthLimit decimal - range 0-4294967200 - default: 0
Normal Priority Unit:
NormalBandwidthType enum
  • Kbps -> 1
  • Mbps -> 2
  • Unlimited -> 3 (default)
Low Priority Limit:
LowBandwidthLimit decimal - range 0-4294967200 - default: 0
Low Priority Unit:
LowBandwidthType enum
  • Kbps -> 1
  • Mbps -> 2
  • Unlimited -> 3 (default)
High Priority Limit:
HighBandwidthLimit decimal - range 0-4294967200 - default: 0
High Priority Unit:
HighBandwidthType enum
  • Kbps -> 1
  • Mbps -> 2
  • Unlimited -> 3 (default)
Normal Priority Limit:
NormalBandwidthLimit decimal - range 0-4294967200 - default: 0
Normal Priority Unit:
NormalBandwidthType enum
  • Kbps -> 1
  • Mbps -> 2
  • Unlimited -> 3 (default)
Low Priority Limit:
LowBandwidthLimit decimal - range 0-4294967200 - default: 0
Low Priority Unit:
LowBandwidthType enum
  • Kbps -> 1
  • Mbps -> 2
  • Unlimited -> 3 (default)

MDM / Intune (CSP)

./Device/Vendor/MSFT/Policy/Config/ADMX_Bits/BITS_MaxBandwidthV2_Work
Device Since Windows 10, version 2004 with KB5005101 [10.0.19041.1202] and later | Windows 10, version 20H2 with KB5005101 [10.0.19042.1202] and later | Windows 10, version 21H1 with KB5005101 [10.0.19043.1202] and later | Windows 11, version 21H2 [10.0.22000] and later Official mapping (Microsoft Learn)

Microsoft Learn documentation Mapping data: Microsoft Learn (CC BY 4.0)

Export Builder

BETA

Configure the state, scope and options, then generate .reg, PowerShell, Intune and SCCM outputs — or add the setting to a multi-setting collection.

These exports write the registry — this is not a managed GPO.

.reg file

Windows Registry Editor Version 5.00

; Exported from gporais.com
; Policy: Set up a work schedule to limit the maximum network bandwidth used for BITS background transfers
; State: Enabled
; Supported on: Windows 7 or computers with BITS 3.5 installed.

[HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\Software\Policies\Microsoft\Windows\BITS\Throttling]
"EnableBandwidthLimits"=dword:00000001
"IgnoreBandwidthLimitsOnLan"=dword:00000000
"StartDay"=dword:00000001
"EndDay"=dword:00000005
"StartHour"=dword:00000008
"EndHour"=dword:00000011
"HighBandwidthLimit"=dword:00000000
"HighBandwidthType"=dword:00000003
"NormalBandwidthLimit"=dword:00000000
"NormalBandwidthType"=dword:00000003
"LowBandwidthLimit"=dword:00000000
"LowBandwidthType"=dword:00000003
"HighBandwidthLimit"=dword:00000000
"HighBandwidthType"=dword:00000003
"NormalBandwidthLimit"=dword:00000000
"NormalBandwidthType"=dword:00000003
"LowBandwidthLimit"=dword:00000000
"LowBandwidthType"=dword:00000003
More formats (PowerShell, Intune, SCCM)

PowerShell

# Exported from gporais.com
# Policy: Set up a work schedule to limit the maximum network bandwidth used for BITS background transfers
# State: Enabled
# Supported on: Windows 7 or computers with BITS 3.5 installed.

$path = 'HKLM:\Software\Policies\Microsoft\Windows\BITS\Throttling'
New-Item -Path $path -Force | Out-Null
Set-ItemProperty -Path $path -Name 'EnableBandwidthLimits' -Value 1 -Type DWord
Set-ItemProperty -Path $path -Name 'IgnoreBandwidthLimitsOnLan' -Value 0 -Type DWord
Set-ItemProperty -Path $path -Name 'StartDay' -Value 1 -Type DWord
Set-ItemProperty -Path $path -Name 'EndDay' -Value 5 -Type DWord
Set-ItemProperty -Path $path -Name 'StartHour' -Value 8 -Type DWord
Set-ItemProperty -Path $path -Name 'EndHour' -Value 17 -Type DWord
Set-ItemProperty -Path $path -Name 'HighBandwidthLimit' -Value 0 -Type DWord
Set-ItemProperty -Path $path -Name 'HighBandwidthType' -Value 3 -Type DWord
Set-ItemProperty -Path $path -Name 'NormalBandwidthLimit' -Value 0 -Type DWord
Set-ItemProperty -Path $path -Name 'NormalBandwidthType' -Value 3 -Type DWord
Set-ItemProperty -Path $path -Name 'LowBandwidthLimit' -Value 0 -Type DWord
Set-ItemProperty -Path $path -Name 'LowBandwidthType' -Value 3 -Type DWord
Set-ItemProperty -Path $path -Name 'HighBandwidthLimit' -Value 0 -Type DWord
Set-ItemProperty -Path $path -Name 'HighBandwidthType' -Value 3 -Type DWord
Set-ItemProperty -Path $path -Name 'NormalBandwidthLimit' -Value 0 -Type DWord
Set-ItemProperty -Path $path -Name 'NormalBandwidthType' -Value 3 -Type DWord
Set-ItemProperty -Path $path -Name 'LowBandwidthLimit' -Value 0 -Type DWord
Set-ItemProperty -Path $path -Name 'LowBandwidthType' -Value 3 -Type DWord

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