Here are some effective tips to Reduce Data Usage on Android Phone, in order to get the most out of your Limited Cellular Data Plan.
Reduce Data Usage On Android Phone
Whether you like it or not, Cellular Data is expensive in North America and this drives most users to opt for Limited Data Plans.
For those on Limited Data Plans, it is important to Monitor Data Usage and also make efforts to get the best value out of their expensive Data Plans.
Hence, we are providing below a number of methods to reduce Cellular Data Usage on Android Phone.
1. Monitor Data Usage By Apps
Try to find the most data consuming Apps on your device and either remove these Apps from your device (in case they are not important) or limit these Apps to WiFi only.
1. Tap on Settings > Data Usage.
2. On the next screen, you will see the List of Apps consuming cellular data on your Android Phone. Apps consuming the most amount of data will be on top of this list.
Most likely, you will see Social Media Apps like Facebook, Twitter, Skype consuming the most amount of data on your device.
As mentioned above, you can either remove these Apps from your device or restrict them to WiFi Network only.
2. Prevent Apps From Using Data For Background Activities
Apps like Facebook, Skype and others have a compulsive tendency to connect to parent servers and refresh data on a frequent basis.
These Apps remain active in the background and continue using a fair bit of data, even while you are not actively using them.
Luckily, can prevent many such Apps from using Cellular Data for background activities by enabling Data Saver option on your Android Phone.
1. Open Settings and tap Data usage.
2. On the Data Usage screen, tap on Data Saver.
3. On the next screen, enable Data Saver option on your Phone by moving the toggle to ON position.
As you can from above image, turning ON Data Saver prevents Apps from using expensive cellular data for sending and receiving data in the background.
3. Update Apps Over WiFi Only
Large Software updates can end up using much of your expensive Cellular Data. Hence, make sure that Automatic App updates are always delivered to your device over a WiFi Network and not over Cellular Network.
1. Open Google Play Store and tap on the 3 line Menu icon located at the top left corner of your screen.
2. From the drop-down menu, tap on Settings.
3. On the Settings screen, tap on Auto-update apps option.
4. On the pop-up, select Over WiFi Only or Auto-update apps over WiFi Only option.
After this change, all the Software Updates on your device will only be downloaded over a WiFi Network, reducing your Cellular Data Usage by a significant amount.
4. Enable Data Saver Option in Chrome Browser
The Data Saver option in Chrome browser compresses web pages before loading them in your browser, saving a considerable amount of data.
1. Open the Chrome Browser on your Android Phone.
2. Next, tap on the 3-dot Chrome icon, located at the top right corner of your screen.
3. From the drop down tap on Settings.
4. On the Settings screen, scroll down and tap on Data Saver.
5. On the Data Saver screen, switch ON the Data Saver option.
Depending on your browsing habits, Enabling Data Saver option in Chrome has potential to save a significant amount of Cellular Data on your Android Phone.
Note: Enabling Data Saver Option can slow down web pages, but you will get used to it and appreciate the fact that the Data Saver is reducing your Mobile Data Usage.
5. Use Offline Google Maps
A wonderful feature of Google Maps is that you can get Turn-by-Turn directions even when your Android Phone is not connected to a Cellular or WiFi Network.
This can be achieved by downloading the Map for your area over WiFi Network and using this Map offline on your Android Phone.
For more information you can refer to this guide > How to Use Google Maps Offline On Android Phone.
6. Do Not Download/Upload or Send Photos Using Mobile Data
In this connected age, it can be really tempting to share Pictures and Videos with your family, friends and relatives.
However, you need to be aware that even 60 seconds of Video taken with an Android Phone can consume as much as 200 ~ 250 MB of data.
Hence, it is really important that you do not Download, Upload or Share Photos and Videos while you are connected to your Carriers Network. You can do so while you are connected to a WiFi Network at your home or elsewhere.
7. Cut Down on Streaming Music Services
Streaming services like Vine, Spotify, YouTube and Groove are very convenient to use.
However, these services can end up using a ton of your Cellular data. Hence, consider downloading songs to your device over WiFi Network and listening to them offline.