---
title: "Ndu service: what Network Data Usage monitoring does and whether to disable it"
description: "Ndu is the driver behind the per-app data usage numbers in Windows Settings and Task Manager. What it changes, when it hurts, and how to undo it."
url: https://frozentweaks.com/tweaks/disable-ndu-service
author: Frost LIVE, Founder of Frozen Tweaks
published: 2026-10-08
updated: 2026-10-08
category: "Network"
source: Frozen Tweaks (https://frozentweaks.com)
---

# Ndu service: what Network Data Usage monitoring does and whether to disable it

**Short answer:** Ndu is the driver behind the per-app data usage numbers in Windows Settings and Task Manager. It watches every connection to count bytes per app. This tweak sets it to Disabled, so it no longer loads at boot. It sets the Ndu service to Disabled.

## In the app

- Switch: Disable NDU (Network, Pro, Advanced)
- Undo: Partial. Switching it off sets the Network Data Usage driver to Manual. Windows ships it as Automatic, so network data usage tracking may stay off until you change it back.
- Catalog row: https://frozentweaks.com/tweaks#t-1010

## What it does

Ndu is the driver behind the per-app data usage numbers in Windows Settings and Task Manager. It watches every connection to count bytes per app. This tweak sets it to Disabled, so it no longer loads at boot.

In the app the switch is called "Disable NDU", described there as: Disables Network Data Usage service to reduce network stack overhead.

## When it helps

- PCs where Ndu is tied to steadily growing memory use (a known issue on some network drivers).

## When it hurts

- The data usage page in Settings and the network column for apps in Task Manager stop counting.
- On a healthy system the difference is too small to measure.

## What it writes

Read from the app's source. "Switching it off" is what the app writes when you turn the tweak off again.

Services (startup type):

| Service | With the tweak | Switching it off |
| --- | --- | --- |
| `Ndu` (Windows Network Data Usage Monitoring Driver) | Disabled | Manual |

Source: Tweaks/tweaks_ndu.hpp in the app's source, app 2.0.0, checked 2026-10-08.

## The same change by hand

Run in a Command Prompt opened as administrator. Make a restore point first.

```bat
sc config "Ndu" start= disabled
```

Put it back:

```bat
sc config "Ndu" start= demand
```

## How to undo it

Switch the tweak off in Frozen Tweaks. It sets Ndu to Manual. Switching it off sets the Network Data Usage driver to Manual. Windows ships it as Automatic, so network data usage tracking may stay off until you change it back.

## Verdict

Worth it only if you see the non-paged memory growth Ndu is known for. Otherwise it is tidying, not performance.

## Questions

### What does the "Disable NDU" tweak change in Windows?

It sets the Ndu service to Disabled.

### Is "Disable NDU" safe to switch on?

Worth it only if you see the non-paged memory growth Ndu is known for. Otherwise it is tidying, not performance. The main cost: The data usage page in Settings and the network column for apps in Task Manager stop counting.

### How do I undo it?

Switch the tweak off in Frozen Tweaks. Switching it off sets the Network Data Usage driver to Manual. Windows ships it as Automatic, so network data usage tracking may stay off until you change it back.

### Is "Disable NDU" free in Frozen Tweaks?

It is part of Frozen Pro and Elite. You can also make the change by hand with the values on this page.

## Related guides

- [How to Reduce Input Lag on PC: The Whole Latency Chain](https://frozentweaks.com/guides/reduce-input-lag)

## More tweak explainers

- [Prefer IPv4 over IPv6](https://frozentweaks.com/tweaks/prefer-ipv4-over-ipv6)
- [BITS](https://frozentweaks.com/tweaks/disable-bits-service)
- [ETW autologgers](https://frozentweaks.com/tweaks/disable-etw-autologgers)

---
Written by Frost LIVE, founder of Frozen Tweaks. Canonical version: https://frozentweaks.com/tweaks/disable-ndu-service