11 Ways to Save Cellular Data Usage in iPhone

Smartphones like iPhones are digital evolution that brings everything on your fingertips. You can read news, send messages, do online shopping and order food from anywhere. However, that comfortability also has a cost part behind it. Though buying an iPhone is one time investment, using cellular data is a regular running expense for you. So it makes sense to save the cellular data usage in iPhone in order to save money.

Related: How to disable in-app purchase in iPhone?

Why You Should Limit Cellular Usage?

As mentioned, money is one of the factors you may need to reduce the data usage. However, there are also other benefits:

• Save iPhone battery life.
• Improve the battery time
• Increase the speed by reducing the background activities.
• Better control over accessing apps like Screen Time settings.

Let us explain how to check and save cellular data usage in iPhone.

How to Check Cellular Data Usage in iPhone?

The iPhone records the data transmitted through cellular connection. This will help you to view the usage for the month.

• Tap on “Settings” icon and go to “Cellular” section.
• Under “Cellular Data” section, you can view the data usage of this month and last month.
• “Cellular Data Used” and “Roaming” details show the amount of data transferred when using 3G/4G connection on your iPhone.
• Scroll down to see the data usage by each app. This will help you to identify which apps are using more data on your iPhone.

How to Save Cellular Data Usage in iPhone?

There are many ways you can prevent the apps accessed through cellular data connection.

1. Disable Apps Using Cellular Data

• As explained above, you can find the apps consuming large amount of cellular data.
• Disable the apps that consume more data.
• Once disabled, you can’t access the apps through cellular data. You need to access the apps only using Wi-Fi.

You can also disable cellular usage under individual app’s settings. For example, go to “Settings > Music” and disable cellular data for music library update. Similarly, go to individual apps and disable the following settings:

• Under Podcasts app, enable “Only Download on Wi-Fi” option.
• Disable video playback under Videos app.
• Use low quality image mode for Messages app.

2. Completely Disable Cellular Data

At times, it is better to turn off the cellular data to use Wi-Fi connection.

• Simply tap on, “Settings” app.
• Go to “Cellular” section.
• Tap on “Cellular Data” option to turn off.

3. Turn Off Roaming

When you are in cellular data section, tap on “Cellular Data Options”.

• Disable “Data Roaming” option. This will disable cellular data usage when you are roaming outside the connected network. Remember, this option is required when you are traveling outside the service provider’s zone.
• You can also set “Enable 4G” option to use only for data. In this case, you can’t use voice calls using cellular data saving you lots of data usage.

Related: Fix slow iPhone and speed up your activities.

4. Disconnect Wi-Fi Assist

Wi-Fi Assist is a feature that will automatically connect to cellular connection when have low Wi-Fi strength. This is a useful option to keep you online. However, this may result in higher cellular bill especially you are not aware of using cellular data when watching videos on YouTube or on other platforms/apps.

• When you are in “Settings > Cellular” page, scroll down to the bottom.
• Turn of Wi-Fi Assist.

5. Turn Off iCloud Sync

Under Wi-Fi Assist option, you will see another option for “iCloud Drive”. It helps to sync your iPhone’s data to your iCloud account using cellular data when Wi-Fi is not available.

Disabling this option will help you to save large amount of cellular usage especially when you have many files to sync.

6. Turn Off Background App Refresh

Though you close the apps, they continue to get the refreshed content in background.

• Go to “General > Background App Refresh”.
• Disable the refresh option completely or choose the apps you want to disable background refresh.

7. Control Email Fetching

Fetching your emails from server consumes cellular data. If you are not using the Mail app frequently, then it is a good idea to control the time between fetching.

• Go to “Settings > Passwords & Accounts” section.
• Tap on “Fetch New Data” option and disable “Push” option.
• Select “Fetch” or “Manual” for each connected email and iCloud account.
• If you have selected “Fetch” option, under “Fetch” section, choose the time between each fetch. Choose “Hourly” option to fetch the data on hourly basis. Remember, settings up 15 or 30 minutes will consume high batter power. So set it as hourly or manually.

8. Disable Notifications

getting so many notifications not only distract you but also consumes battery and cellular data.

• Go to “Settings > Notifications” and choose “Never” option for “Show Previews”.
• Tap on individual app that sends too many notifications and disable notifications.

9. Avoid Using Video Apps and Games

Well, iPhone is meant for using and not always controlling activities. However, you should keep a track of cellular usage when viewing videos on YouTube and other apps. Also ensure to monitor when playing games that need internet connection.

Related: How to secure your iPhone and use safely?

10. Disable Location Services

location services help you to locate your iPhone’s geographical location. It helps in serving customized offers nearer to your location. Also you need location services for using certain apps like Maps. If you notice the cellular data is beyond your acceptable limit then disable location services for the apps you don’t need.

• Go to “Settings > Privacy”.
• Tap on “Location Services”.
• Disable the option completely or disable for individual apps.
• You can also limit the app access completely or allow only when you use the app.

11. Disable Automatic Updates

Automatic updates help to keep your phone and apps up-to-date. However, this will consume battery and data usage. Though automatic updates of iOS (Software Update) only happens with Wi-Fi / power, apps can still download the updates using cellular data.

• Go to “Settings > iTunes & App Stores”.
• Disable “Use Cellular Data” option.

Summary

Many of us use limited cellular data on prepaid or postpaid connection. Hence, it is necessary to understand the feature of your iPhone to monitor and save data usage. We hope, you have leant many ways of saving iPhone’s cellular data in this article.