How to limit the upload speed for Google Drive sync?

A very common issue among Google Drive users is that there is no way to limit upload speed of Google Drive syncing process. Problem typically manifests by rendering user’s Internet connection unusable, due to sync process taking 100% of the upload bandwidth. In such case you’ll observe that you cannot browse the Internet (or it’s extremely slow), even that your download bandwidth is fully available. Issue can be overlooked if you’re only uploading small amounts of data here and there, but if you’re uploading gigabytes of information, it can take days or weeks. Anyhow, there is a way to fix this problem and that is to limit the upload speed of Google Drive process.

This important feature has never been implemented by Google, so keep in mind that this is just a workaround.

1. Go to http://www.netlimiter.com/download and download NetLimiter software

2. If you want to just test it for a very long time (somewhat of an equivalent of not paying for it), I recommend downloading their testing version. Advantage of the testing version is, that it gives you 90 days of usage for free and new testing version usually comes out before the old one expires. Giving you another 90 days of usage and sort of a perpetual free lincense:

3. Once you install the program, open it and make sure your Google Drive sync is running.

4. On the Netlimiter screen find the line for Google Drive (googledrivesync.exe). As you can see in my screenshot, without any caps on Google drive upload speed, Google Drive is taking my entire upload bandwidth (117.22 KB/s).

Now, right click on Google Drive and change the value to 60 KB/s or typically to a half of what you see under UL Rate column for Google Drive app:

5. Now place a check-mark next to 60 KB/s in UL Limit column and immediately you’ll observe that Upload Rate of Google Drive went down to 60KB, freeing up your Internet upload bandwidth and again allowing you to use your Internet.