This iPhone guide covers system and app-level ways to reduce cellular data use.
It explains what Low Data Mode changes, how to review usage by app, and how to limit background refresh or disable cellular data for selected apps—along with the resulting trade-offs in media quality and automatic activity.
Limit data usage on your iPhone
Low Data Mode reduces data usage. You'll find it in Settings > Cellular > Data Mode. If you have more than one SIM, choose which one you want to set up first.
When enabled, it reduces the quality of content you watch or listen to online, as well as video calls. It also disables automatic updates and backups, limits how often content in apps refreshes, and stops apps from refreshing in the background.
You can individually configure background refresh in Settings > General > Background App Refresh. You can allow refresh only over Wi-Fi or disable it for specific apps.
In Settings > Cellular, you can see how much data each app has used in the current period. The count doesn't reset automatically; you have to reset it yourself. From the same place, you can prevent specific apps from using cellular data. Then they won't use data either when you open them or in the background.
Change application settings
Check which apps are using the most data. For video apps like YouTube and social media, you can turn off autoplay and choose a lower quality.
Apple Music has separate quality settings for Wi-Fi and cellular data. Most podcast apps let you turn off cellular downloads. Instagram and Spotify also have a data saver setting or similar feature.
You can pre-download maps, movies, TV shows, music, and podcasts to use offline. Some downloads expire or are only available for a limited time.
Check Wi-Fi and automatic downloads
The Connectivity Assist setting can use mobile data along with Wi-Fi when Wi-Fi is weak or has a lot of traffic. You'll find it in Settings > Wi-Fi. There you can also see how much data it's used since the last time the meter was reset.
The feature doesn't use mobile data when you're roaming in another country or when "Low Data Mode" is active. You can disable it for a specific network by tapping the information button next to its name.
To prevent automatic downloads over cellular data, go to Settings > Apps > App Store and turn them off. You can also set app downloads to always ask for confirmation or only ask for confirmation when they exceed 200 MB.
To stop backups from being sent over cellular data, go to Settings > [your name] > iCloud > iCloud Backup and turn off Back Up Over Cellular.
Use Wi-Fi when available
Connecting to Wi-Fi reduces data usage from your cellular plan. Some carriers offer their subscribers access to public Wi-Fi networks. For example, Xfinity subscribers and other carriers, such as Spectrum, may have access to networks labeled “xfinitywifi.” The Xfinity app includes a map of these hotspots and the ability to automatically connect.
If you often need to connect multiple people, you may want to consider a separate hotspot or a plan with unlimited data and unlimited use of your mobile as a hotspot. What's best for you depends on the number of people and their data needs.
Videos and video calls use up data quickly. To reduce usage, you can choose a lower resolution or make audio-only calls.
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