Are you tired of huge data bills on your mobile device? Read this post to learn some of the best ways to reduce iPhone data usage.
If you’re tired of running out of data or accruing large bills, it’s time to take charge of your usage and limit what your iPhone can do online.
Most places have limited and expensive cellular data plans. The additional costs after you’ve used up your allotted quota can add up quickly. The best way to keep these costs under control is to reduce your iPhone’s overall cellular data usage.
So, let’s take a look at 13 useful mobile data-saving tips. But first, let’s see how to figure out how much data you still have.
How to Monitor and Reduce Your iPhone’s Data Usage
The majority of data plans do not carry over from one cycle to the next. As a result, if you save too much, you may have a bad experience and discover at the end of the month that several GBs of unused data has expired and gone to waste.
As a result, knowing how to determine how much data is left is critical. On an iPhone, there are four ways.
Make use of the iPhone’s Settings app.
Finally, under Settings > Cellular, you can see how much data your iPhone is using. You can view how much data has been consumed by each program in this section. You may do a simple computation using this information. If you choose this technique, you must press Reset Statistics on the first day of each billing cycle.
Use the app provided by your carrier by downloading it.
Downloading and logging into your carrier’s app is the simplest method to view data usage on your iPhone. All relevant information, such as the amount, validity period, overdue bill, and so on, will be available there.
In the Settings App, use the Usage Section.
Depending on the provider, your iPhone may also display plan information and usage. Simply go to Settings > Cellular > Usage or Cellular Plans from the main menu.
Call customer service or a special number provided by your carrier.
You may check your remaining data allocation by contacting a specialized customer service number, sending a text message, or dialing a particular code, such as *123*, with certain carriers. For these precise numbers and codes for your service provider, contact your carrier or do a fast internet search.
Simple Ways to Reduce Data Usage on Your Apple iPhone
Now that you know how to check your iPhone’s data usage, here are some tips for lowering it.
Select Low Data Mode from the drop-down menu.
The iPhone’s Low Data Mode is a one-stop-shop for lowering data usage. Go to Cellular > Cellular Data Option > Low Data Mode in the Settings app to make it work. Over mobile data, this setting disables automated updates, syncs, and background activities.
Use Wi-Fi to reduce iPhone data usage.
Last but not least, make the most of Wi-Fi. When you’re on Wi-Fi, download the TV episodes, movies, music, books, podcasts, and Safari reading lists you wish to utilize. This will save you cellular data by reducing the load and relying on it.
Disable mobile data usage for any apps that aren’t absolutely required.
To reduce data usage, iOS allows you to turn off cellular data for certain applications. To do so, click on Settings > Cellular and turn off the toggles next to the program names you want to disable. The finest part is still to come. In-app adverts will be disabled if you switch off the data for an app or game that operates offline.
Finally, if you make a lot of VoLTE calls, your carrier may charge you for it. To resolve this, click to Settings > Cellular and check to see whether your network permits you to make calls using 3G or 4G rather than VoLTE.
Instead of 4G or 5G, go with 3G.
Another approach to cutting down on data usage is to go to Settings > Cellular and check whether your network enables you to switch to 3G rather than 4G or 5G. As a result of the slower loading rates, fewer data will be automatically loaded.
Use a low-quality video stream
Your 1080p clear movies use a lot of data. Playing YouTube, Netflix, and other movies at a lower resolution is one of the best ways to save data on your iPhone. In-app settings for most applications allow you to choose video quality.
If you’re watching Ted Lasso or other Apple TV episodes through mobile data, go to Settings > TV > Cellular and choose Automatic.
Third-Party Apps Use Data-Saving Techniques
When you’re not connected to Wi-Fi, many chats, phones, and streaming applications include a means to save data or disable automatic media downloads. Consider using them if you’re on a limited data plan.
Toggle Use Less Data for Calls in WhatsApp’s Settings > Storage and Data option. You may also disable automatic media downloads while using a cellular connection.
Limit your use of data-hungry apps.
TikTok, Instagram, Facebook, and Snapchat are just a few examples of apps that use a lot of data. Consider using these applications less often when on mobile data to keep data usage in check. Additionally, look for in-app settings that allow you to restrict your data usage.
Go to your Instagram profile, hit the hamburger button, then Settings > Account > Data Usage > Use Less Cellular Data.
Disable Location Services You Don’t Need
Disabling location services for non-essential applications might help you manage your data usage. It also has advantages in terms of battery life and privacy. To do so, navigate to Settings > Privacy > Location Services and touch the name of the app you want to disable. Last but not least, opt for Never. Carry out the same procedure with any other unused applications.
Disable automatic cellular downloads, uploads, and updates.
Updates and synchronizations might use up a lot of data and cause you to go over your data limit. Here are a few ideas to help you stop it.
- To disable automatic downloads in the App Store, go to Settings > App Store and disable Cellular Data. Select “Always Ask” or “Ask If Over 200 MB” from the App Downloads menu. Also, disable Video Autoplay or change the setting to Wi-Fi Only.
- To activate Block Downloads Over Cellular for podcasts, go to Settings > Podcasts. Cellular Download may also be configured to always ask.
- To switch off Automatic Downloads for books, go to Settings > Books. In addition, go to Downloads and choose a different option than “Always Allow.”
- To switch off Cellular Data for photos, go to Settings > Photos > Cellular Data.
Turn off Background App Refresh to reduce iPhone data usage.
Background App Refresh may be turned off to save cellular data by preventing applications from automatically refreshing in the background to obtain new data. Go to Settings > General > Background App Refresh > Background App Refresh > Background App Refresh and choose Off or Wi-Fi.
Personal hotspots should be turned off to reduce data usage on your iPhone.
If you leave your iPhone’s hotspot active, your other Apple devices (such as a MacBook or iPad) with the same Apple ID may join automatically. Turn off Personal Hotspot in Settings > Personal Hotspot to repair the problem. Look into Cellular if Personal Hotspot is not shown on the initial Settings screen.
Rather than listening to music online, download it.
You can download songs for offline usage if you have a paid subscription to a music streaming service like Spotify or Apple Music. Downloading your favorites via Wi-Fi and limiting streaming over cellular data can help you save money.
Turn off Wi-Fi Assist and iCloud Drive Updates on your computer.
When Wi-Fi coverage is low, Wi-Fi Assist automatically switches to cellular data. This might lead to more mobile data usage. To correct this, go to Settings > Cellular and disable Wi-Fi Assist from the bottom. You may also disable iCloud Drive from here if you don’t want it to use your data.
Final Thoughts on How to Save Money and iPhone Data Usage
These are the most effective ways to save data on your iPhone. Getting through your data cycle without purchasing add-ons or paying extra gets simpler if you adopt the aforementioned guidelines.
Because we spend so much time online, knowing how to optimize Wi-Fi speed for quicker surfing and downloads is quite beneficial.