How to Change Delivery Optimization Cache Drive for Windows and Store App Updates in Windows 10



Windows Update Delivery Optimization lets you get Windows and Store app updates from sources in addition to Microsoft. This can help you get updates and apps more quickly if you have a limited or unreliable Internet connection. And if you own more than one PC, it can reduce the amount of Internet bandwidth needed to keep all of your PCs up-to-date. Delivery Optimization also sends updates and apps from your PC to other PCs on your local network or PCs on the Internet.

When configuring Delivery Optimization on Windows 10 devices, the first and most important thing to configure is the Download mode, which dictates how Delivery Optimization downloads Windows updates.

You can choose to download updates only from Microsoft, Microsoft and PCs on your local network, or Microsoft and PCs on your local network and internet.

Delivery Optimization works in two ways.

Download updates and apps from other PCs

In addition to downloading updates and apps from Microsoft, Windows will get updates and apps from other PCs that already have them. You can choose which PCs you get these updates from:

PCs on your local network. When Windows downloads an update or app, it will look for other PCs on your local network that have already downloaded the update or app using Delivery Optimization. Windows then downloads parts of the file from those PCs and parts of the file from Microsoft. Windows doesn’t download the entire file from one place. Instead, the download is broken down into smaller parts. Windows uses the fastest, most reliable download source for each part of the file.

PCs on your local network and PCs on the Internet. Windows uses the same process as when getting updates and apps from PCs on your local network, and also looks for PCs on the Internet that can be used as a source to download parts of updates and apps.

Send updates and apps to other PCs

When Delivery Optimization is turned on, your PC sends parts of apps or updates that you’ve downloaded using Delivery Optimization to other PCs on your local network, or on the Internet, depending on your settings.

Delivery Optimization uses locally cached updates. In cases where devices have ample local storage and you would like to cache more content, or if you have limited storage and would like to cache less, use the following settings to adjust the Delivery Optimization cache to suit your scenario:

For more details about Delivery Optimization, see:

This tutorial will show you how to change the cache location used by Delivery Optimization for Windows and Store app updates in Windows 10.

You must be signed in as an administrator to change the Delivery Optimization cache location.


 CONTENTS:

  • Option One: Change Delivery Optimization Cache Drive Location in Local Group Policy Editor
  • Option Two: Change Delivery Optimization Cache Drive Location in Registry Editor





OPTION ONE

Change Delivery Optimization Cache Drive Location in Local Group Policy Editor



The Local Group Policy Editor is only available in the Windows 10 Pro, Enterprise, and Education editions.

All editions can use Option Two.

1. Open the Local Group Policy Editor.

2. In the left pane of the Local Group Policy Editor, click/tap on to expand Computer Configuration, Administrative Templates, Windows Components, and Delivery Optimization. (see screenshot below)

Change Delivery Optimization Cache Drive for Updates in Windows 10-cache_drive_for_delivery_optimization_gpedit-1.jpg

3. In the right pane of Delivery Optimization, double click/tap on the Modify Cache Drive policy to edit it. (see screenshot above)

4. Do step 5 (default) or step 6 (specify) below for what you would like to do.


 5. To Use Default Delivery Optimization Cache Drive Location

A) Select (dot) either Not Configured or Disabled, click/tap on OK, and go to step 7 below. (see screenshot below)

Not Configured is the default setting.


 6. To Specify Delivery Optimization Cache Drive Location

A) Select (dot) Enabled, enter a location you want in the Modify Cache Drive field under "Options", click/tap on OK, and go to step 7 below. (see screenshot below)

You can set the location to be an environment variable (ex: %SYSTEMDRIVE%), a drive letter (ex: D:), or a folder path (ex: D:\DOCache).

Change Delivery Optimization Cache Drive for Updates in Windows 10-cache_drive_for_delivery_optimization_gpedit-2.png

7. When finished, you can close Local Group Policy Editor if you like.






OPTION TWO

Change Delivery Optimization Cache Drive Location in Registry Editor


1. Press the Win+R keys to open Run, type regedit into Run, and click/tap on OK to open Registry Editor.

2. Navigate to the key below in the left pane of Registry Editor. (see screenshot below)

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Policies\Microsoft\Windows\DeliveryOptimization

If you do not have the DeliveryOptimization key, then right click on the Windows key, click/tap on New, click/tap on Key, type DeliveryOptimization for the name, and press Enter.

Change Delivery Optimization Cache Drive for Updates in Windows 10-cache_drive_for_delivery_optimization_regedit-1.png

3. Do step 4 (specify) or step 5 (default) below for what you would like to do.


 4. To Specify Delivery Optimization Cache Drive Location

A) In the right pane of the DeliveryOptimization key, double click/tap on the DOModifyCacheDrive string value (REG_SZ). (see screenshot below step 2)

If you do not have the DOModifyCacheDrive string value, then right click on an empty area in the right pane of the DeliveryOptimization key, click/tap on New, click/tap on String Value, type DOModifyCacheDrive for the name, and press Enter.

B) Enter a location you want, click/tap on OK, and go to step 6 below. (see screenshot below)

You can set the location to be an environment variable (ex: %SYSTEMDRIVE%), a drive letter (ex: D:), or a folder path (ex: D:\DOCache).

Change Delivery Optimization Cache Drive for Updates in Windows 10-cache_drive_for_delivery_optimization_regedit-2.png


 5. To Use Default Delivery Optimization Cache Drive Location

This is the default setting.

A) In the right pane of the DeliveryOptimization key, right click on the DOModifyCacheDrive string value (REG_SZ), and click/tap on Delete. (see screenshot below step 2)

B) Click/tap on Yes to confirm, and go to step 6 below. (see screenshot below)

Change Delivery Optimization Cache Drive for Updates in Windows 10-cache_drive_for_delivery_optimization_regedit-3.png

6. When finished, close Registry Editor.

7. Restart the computer to apply.


That's it,
Shawn


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