How to Reset Network Data Usage Stats in Windows 11

How to Reset Network Data Usage

The data usage counter tracks how much bandwidth each app uses, including apps running in the background. Checking it and resetting it takes only a few clicks in Settings. You don’t need administrator rights for this part, and no restart is required.

1. Press Win+I to open Settings. The Settings⚙️ window opens with the System page showing.

2. Click Network & internet in the left pane. The page lists your Wi-Fi📶 and Ethernet connections.

3. Click Data usage. You now see the usage for the last 30 days, with a list of apps and how much data each one used. If you have more than one connection, use the drop-down at the top of the page to pick the network you want to look at.

4. Scroll down and click Reset next to Reset usage stats. If Windows asks you to confirm, confirm it. The app list and totals should drop back to zero and start counting again.

There is no undo for this. Once you reset the counters, the old numbers are gone. If you need the figures for a bill or a report, write them down or take a screenshot first.

Full Network Adapter Reset

A full network reset removes and reinstalls your network adapters and returns all related settings to their defaults. Use it when the internet is slow, connections keep dropping, or simpler fixes have failed. It is not the way to clear usage stats. Use the Data usage page for that.

You need administrator privileges to do this. The reset also deletes your saved Wi-Fi passwords and your virtual private network (VPN) connections. Before you start, make sure you know your Wi-Fi password (it is often printed on the router) and have your VPN details ready to enter again.

1. Open Settings and go to Network & internet.
2. Click Advanced network settings. Scroll down if you don’t see it right away.
3. Select Network reset. The page explains what the reset will remove.
4. Click Reset now, then confirm when Windows asks.

What happens when it’s done? The computer restarts automatically, so save your work and close your apps before you confirm. Windows reinstalls the network drivers and returns all networking components to their original factory state. After the restart, reconnect to your Wi-Fi, enter the password again and set up any VPN connections you use.

Pro Tip: Command Line Troubleshooting

You can fix stubborn connection problems by running a couple of commands in Command Prompt. This method keeps your saved Wi-Fi passwords and VPN connections, so try it before a full network reset. It also needs administrator rights.

1. Click Start and type cmd.
2. Right-click Command Prompt and choose Run as administrator.
3. Click Yes if User Account Control asks for permission. A Command Prompt window opens with “Administrator” in its title.
4. Type netsh winsock reset and press Enter. Windows tells you the Winsock catalog was reset and that you must restart for it to take effect.
5. Type ipconfig /flushdns and press Enter. Windows confirms that it flushed the DNS Resolver Cache.
6. Restart your🔄 PC so the Winsock reset takes effect.

The commands are shown in the block below.

netsh winsock reset
ipconfig /flushdns

Why bother? The Winsock reset clears the TCP/IP stack (the core communication rules for internet traffic) and the flush clears the DNS cache (which translates website names into numeric IP addresses). Bad entries in either one can cause stubborn connection failures, and clearing them often resolves those failures.

Summary

You now have three tools, and each does a different job. Use the data usage reset to track monthly bandwidth. Use the Command Prompt commands as a first fix for connection trouble. Save the full network reset for persistent connectivity issues, since it removes your saved networks and VPNs. Noting down your Wi-Fi passwords before a full reset prevents connection headaches later.