---
name: "CURLOPT_MAX_RECV_SPEED_LARGE"
section: "3"
platform: "linux"
package: "curl"
version: "8.23.0-1"
release: "Arch Linux 2026-11-01"
platforms: ["linux", "macos"]
url: "https://new.carta.tech/CURLOPT_MAX_RECV_SPEED_LARGE"
---

# CURLOPT\_MAX\_RECV\_SPEED\_LARGE(3)

rate limit data download speed

## NAME

CURLOPT\_MAX\_RECV\_SPEED\_LARGE - rate limit data download speed

## SYNOPSIS

```
#include <curl/curl.h>
CURLcode curl_easy_setopt(CURL *handle, CURLOPT_MAX_RECV_SPEED_LARGE,
                          curl_off_t maxspeed);
```

## DESCRIPTION

Pass a curl\_off\_t as parameter. If a download exceeds this *maxspeed* (counted in bytes per second) the transfer pauses to keep the average speed less than or equal to the parameter value. Defaults to unlimited speed.

This is not an exact science. libcurl attempts to keep the average speed below the given threshold over a period time.

If you set *maxspeed* to a value lower than *[CURLOPT\_BUFFERSIZE(3)](/CURLOPT_BUFFERSIZE/3.md)*, libcurl might download faster than the set limit initially.

This option does not affect transfer speeds done with *file://* URLs.

## DEFAULT

0, disabled

## PROTOCOLS

This functionality affects all supported protocols

## EXAMPLE

```
int main(void)
{
  CURL *curl = curl_easy_init();
  if(curl) {
    CURLcode result;
    curl_easy_setopt(curl, CURLOPT_URL, "https://example.com/");
    /* cap the download speed to 31415 bytes/sec */
    curl_easy_setopt(curl, CURLOPT_MAX_RECV_SPEED_LARGE, (curl_off_t)31415);
    result = curl_easy_perform(curl);
  }
}
```

## AVAILABILITY

Added in curl 7.15.5

## RETURN VALUE

*[curl\_easy\_setopt(3)](/curl_easy_setopt/3.md)* returns a CURLcode indicating success or error.

CURLE\_OK (0) means everything was OK, non-zero means an error occurred, see *[libcurl-errors(3)](/libcurl-errors/3.md)*.

## SEE ALSO

[**CURLOPT\_LOW\_SPEED\_LIMIT**(3)](/CURLOPT_LOW_SPEED_LIMIT/3.md), [**CURLOPT\_MAX\_SEND\_SPEED\_LARGE**(3)](/CURLOPT_MAX_SEND_SPEED_LARGE/3.md), [**CURLOPT\_TIMEOUT**(3)](/CURLOPT_TIMEOUT/3.md)