The short answer
Close the game you are playing — both PlayStation and Xbox drastically throttle downloads while a game is running. Then move the console to Ethernet or 5 GHz. Those two changes usually multiply download speed several times over without touching your internet package.
A 100 GB game download crawling along at a fraction of your connection speed is one of the more common complaints in gaming, and it is almost never the internet package that is responsible.
The four real causes
1. A game is running in the background
This is the big one and it is not obvious. Both major consoles deliberately restrict download bandwidth while a game is active, to keep the game responsive. The effect is dramatic — downloads can run several times faster with the game fully closed rather than suspended in rest mode.
Close the game completely rather than leaving it paused, then leave the console on the dashboard or in rest mode with downloads permitted.
2. Wi-Fi placement
Consoles live in TV units, behind glass doors, on the floor, surrounded by other electronics. Their antennas are not especially strong and the position is usually poor. If the console supports 5 GHz, use it; if Ethernet is even remotely possible, use that instead. A console is a fixed device, which makes it the ideal candidate for a cable.
3. The platform’s servers
On a major release day, or during a big sale, the bottleneck is at the other end. Nothing you change at home affects that. If a speed test shows your full connection but the download crawls, and it is release week, this is why.
4. Other devices sharing the connection
A household streaming 4K on two televisions leaves less for the console. Most routers have quality-of-service settings that can prioritise a device, which is worth setting up if this is a recurring argument in your house.
What to do
Close the running game entirely
Not pause, not suspend — quit to the dashboard. On PlayStation, highlight the game and press Options, then Close Game. On Xbox, press the Xbox button, highlight the game and choose Quit.
Pause and resume the download
This forces the console to reconnect, often to a different and less congested server. It is a genuine fix rather than folklore, particularly on PlayStation.
Switch to a wired connection
Ethernet removes Wi-Fi entirely from the equation. For a device that never moves, this is the single most effective change, and a long flat cable under a rug costs very little.
Use 5 GHz if wiring is impossible
Split your router’s bands into separate names and connect the console to the 5 GHz one, assuming the router is not far away or through several walls.
Check the download is not queued behind others
Consoles download sequentially. A large update ahead in the queue will make the thing you are waiting for appear stalled. Reorder the queue.
Restart the console and the router
A full power cycle of both, not rest mode. Clears stuck connections and stale addresses.
Both consoles have a built-in connection test. That number, measured at the console in its actual position, is the one that matters. A phone standing in the hallway showing 300 Mbps tells you nothing about what the console behind the TV is getting.
Frequently asked questions
Why does my console download faster in rest mode?
Because no game is running and the system dedicates more bandwidth and CPU to the download. Enable downloads in rest mode in the power settings and leave it overnight.
Is Ethernet really worth it for a console?
Yes, more than for almost any other device. Consoles are fixed in place, download enormous files and benefit from the lower latency in online play as well.
Why is my download speed far below my internet speed?
Most often a game running in the background, a poor Wi-Fi position, or congestion at the platform’s servers. Test the connection from the console itself to separate your network from theirs.
Does pausing and resuming actually help?
Frequently, yes. It re-establishes the connection and can move you to a less congested server. It is worth trying before anything more involved.
Close the game, then plug in a cable. Those two steps fix the overwhelming majority of slow console downloads.
