does your iPhone data bundle run out quickly? These tips will help you save data

When you’re through your monthly data plan after two weeks, it’s high time to save some of your mobile data and your precious MBs. With these tips you will definitely get through the month.

You undoubtedly know that you should always use as much WiFi as possible to spare your iPhone’s mobile data bundle. When you are connected to a wireless network, you can no longer remove the used MBs from your bundle. As long as you don’t pay for the WiFi, you can use the internet ‘for free’.

Especially with apps like YouTube, a WiFi connection is almost a must. However, with the following tips you will ensure that you no longer go over your monthly data bundle.

Save iPhone data with Data Saver Mode

Many apps want to steal some of your data bundle in the background. One of the easiest ways not to drain your mobile data bundle too quickly is to use the built-in Data Saver mode. The function can be found in the settings of iOS and you turn it on in the following way:

Your iPhone now limits cellular data usage by automatically pausing updates and background tasks.

Wifi assistance? Turn of!

Your iPhone has Wi-Fi assistance enabled by default. This function is used when the wireless connection is (too) bad. In addition to WiFi, your iPhone also (partially) uses your mobile data connection to quickly retrieve the data.

This is at the expense of your data bundle. That’s why it’s smart to turn off Wi-Fi assistance. You do this in the following way:

1. Open the ‘Settings’;
2. Tap “Mobile Network” or “Mobile Data” depending on your iOS version;
3. Scroll down until you see ‘Wi-Fi assistance’;
4. Tap the corresponding slider to disable the option.

Turn off mobile data for iCloud

Your Photo Library in the cloud is incredibly useful because it allows you to access your photos on all your devices. You need an internet connection to upload the photos to iCloud. Some snaps are even sent when you’re only on your mobile internet connection.

So if you have a mobile bundle that isn’t that big, you can use up the data in no time. Therefore, disable the feature and let iOS upload photos to the cloud only when you have a Wi-Fi connection.

1. Open the ‘Settings’;
2. Scroll down and tap ‘Photos’;
3. Scroll down again and choose ‘Mobile data’;
4. Turn off the slider at ‘Mobile data’.

Block apps from using mobile data

To cut down on your data usage, you should always check how much data certain apps are using. With this you can easily silence the largest consumers of your data bundle.

Go to ‘Settings > Mobile Network’. Scroll down a bit and under the heading ‘Mobile Data’ you will see all the apps that use the internet connection. Here you indicate which applications are allowed to use the mobile data connection. You can turn off apps that you only want to use offline. That will save you a few MBs per month.

Save mobile data on YouTube, Facebook and Instagram

Watch videos on YouTube, listen to music via Spotify and check what your friends have posted on social media. If you do this (too) often, you will quickly run out of mobile data. Fortunately, you can save quite a bit of your iPhone data here too. You then have to dive into the settings of the relevant app.

Adjust video quality in YouTube

In YouTube it is possible to download the video in advance, but of course you don’t always take that into account. That is why it is smart to set the video quality a bit lower. You do this in the following way.

1. Launch the YouTube app on your iPhone;
2. Tap the profile icon at the top right;
3. Choose ‘Settings > Video quality preferences’;
4. Tap ‘On mobile networks’;
5. Then choose the option ‘Data saver’.

Use less mobile data with Instagram

Instagram also has an option to make sure you don’t run out of bundle too quickly when you’re scrolling through the photos. This is how you set it up.

1. Open the Instagram app;
2. Tap the profile icon at the bottom right;
3. Then tap the menu icon with the three bars in the top right;
4. Choose ‘Settings > Account’;
5. Tap on ‘Data usage’ in the list;
6. Then check the box next to ‘Use less mobile data’.

And are you all done with Instagram? Then you can read in the article below how to close your account in three steps.

Read more: Delete Instagram in three steps.

Turn off autoplay videos in Facebook

Even if you are a fanatic Facebook user, there is profit to be made and you can save some of your iPhone data. You do this by stopping the automatic playback of videos and lowering the video quality.

1. Open the Facebook app on your iPhone;
2. Tap the menu at the bottom right (the button with the three bars);
3. Scroll down and tap ‘Settings & Privacy > Settings’;
4. Under ‘Preferences’, tap ‘Media’;
5. Under ‘Video Quality’, tap ‘Data Saver’;
6. Tap “Wi-Fi Only” under “Autoplay”.

Apps to monitor your iPhone data usage

You often see in the app of your internet provider how much data you have used this month, and you have left. It is more convenient to install an app that helps you keep your consumption within limits.

One such app is My Data Manager VPN. The app notifies you when, for example, you only have ten percent of your data bundle left. This way you know in time when you need to take it easy.

The application can also track your data usage per app, but that does mean you have to use their built-in VPN. This ensures that all your data traffic goes through the developer of the app and you agree that they can (anonymously) analyze this data. However, you do not need the VPN function to set a consumption alarm.

More ways to limit your mobile data usage

Of course, there are many more ways to make sure you stay within your monthly bundle. Always check the settings of the apps you use the most. Usually there is an option that helps you to save mobile data and limit your data usage in some way.

By the way, putting and sharing your photos or videos online costs a lot of data. So keep that in mind when you want to put a video on TikTok, for example. Try to do that whenever your iPhone is connected to a Wi-Fi network.

Sometimes it is also smarter to turn off 5G and switch to 4G. The faster your internet connection, the more mobile data you use. We will tell you more about this in the article below.

Read more: Turn off iPhone 12 5G and use Data Mode to save data and battery life

Follow Apple’s developments

Do you want to stay informed about the latest developments from Apple, about the Apple Watch Series 7 or the latest iPhone? Sign up for our newsletter, or download the free iPhoned app!