iOS · Engadget
How to reduce mobile data usage on your iPhone
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A few simple tweaks can make a big difference.
Key facts
- Then, set the App Downloads option to Always Ask or Ask If Over 200 MB so you don't accidentally download a massive new app while away from Wi-Fi
- Visit Settings > General > Background App Refresh, where you can change the master option to Wi-Fi to avoid background refresh entirely on cellular data
- Go back to Settings > Cellular, and under the Cellular Data section, tap Show All to see a list of data amounts used by apps in the Current Period (which only resets when you do so manually)
- Choose Low Data Mode instead, and your iPhone takes various actions to reduce data usage
Summary
While "unlimited" mobile internet plans are common, you might have a limited data plan to save money with an MVNO. When you don't want your iPhone to gobble up data for every little task, you have several options to reduce what your device does on your mobile connection. The easiest place to start is with a single toggle that lowers data consumption across everything your iPhone does. This will probably be set to Standard, which is good in most cases. For a less drastic approach, turn off Background App Refresh for apps that don't need to fetch new information while inactive.