An example provides a system and method for decreasing a data transfer rate of a linear tape drive. The method includes detecting, within a linear tape drive, a first data transfer rate of a host computing system to determine whether the first data transfer rate is slower than a second data transfer rate of a magnetic tape head within the linear tape drive. The method also includes, in response to determining that the first data transfer rate is slower than the second data transfer rate, deactivating a specified number of data write elements within the magnetic tape head, wherein deactivating the specified number of the data write elements includes decreasing the second transfer rate.