How long will a download take?

Transfer time is file size divided by usable download speed. Convert bytes to bits first: there are 8 bits in a byte. At 100 Mbps, a 5 GB file needs 5,000 × 8 ÷ 100 = 400 seconds, or 6 minutes 40 seconds, with no slowdown.

If the usable-speed setting is 80%, the rate is 80 Mbps and that file takes 500 seconds, or 8 minutes 20 seconds. The adjustment reduces the speed; it does not simply add 20% to the time.

Read the unit next to each number

A launcher showing 12.5 MB/s is already reporting megabytes per second, equivalent to 100 Mbps. Choose the matching unit instead of entering 12.5 as Mbps. A 5 GiB file is larger than a 5 GB file: GiB uses powers of 1,024 while GB uses powers of 1,000.

Downloading is not the whole installation

A game update may download a small compressed package but rewrite much larger files. The download can finish before unpacking, patching and verification finish. Use the download size, not the game's final installed size, when estimating network transfer.

Why the estimate differs from a real download

The source server, network congestion and other devices may limit throughput below your connection speed. A recent download-speed test on the same device is a more useful starting point than the maximum speed of a broadband package.

The progress preview is a simulation. It does not download a file, test your connection or measure a remote server. For a deadline, leave room for pauses and installation after transfer. See Mbps versus MB/s if the numbers shown by your launcher seem inconsistent.

Estimate only. Arithmetic example checked 1 September 2026. The model assumes a constant usable speed and excludes installation time.