What’s a metered connection?
A metered connection is that Internet connection which has a data limit associated with it. Mobile data connections are set as metered by default. WiFi network connections can be set to metered, but aren’t by default. Some apps and features in Windows will behave differently on a metered connection to help reduce your data usage.
To set a WiFi network connection as metered:
Select Start > Settings > Network & Internet.
Select WiFi > Advanced options > Set as metered connection.
It depends on whether your Internet service provider charges you by the amount of data you use. Here are some general guidelines:
Wi‑Fi networks—Windows sets Wi‑Fi networks to non-metered by default. But if your Internet service provider charges you by the amount of data you use, setting your network connection to metered can help you limit your data usage.
Mobile broadband networks—Windows sets mobile broadband networks to metered by default. But if your mobile broadband service is actually unlimited, then you might want to change the network setting to non-metered.
If you’re not sure what to do, keep an eye on your data usage. If you find that you’re being billed for extra data usage, setting your network connection to metered can help you manage this.