We all know that one of the worst texts you can receive is:
“You’ve used 95% of your data with 12 days remaining. Extra Data for this cycle will be $15 per 1 GB.”
Here are six phone-wide setting adjustments that can keep you under your monthly data allotment.
Restrict iTunes and App Store Downloads
By adjusting your settings, you can prevent iTunes and the App Store from downloading music, apps, movies, etc. when you are away from a Wi-Fi signal
Steps: Settings > iTunes & App Store > toggle off Use Cellular Data
Disable Background App Refresh
iOS Apps like to keep you updated on the latest content. Even when you don’t have the app open, they are constantly grabbing new content so that you ARE up to date when you DO decide to open the app. It sounds like a good idea in theory, but in reality, it is eating up your data.
Steps: Settings > General > Background App Refresh in order to turn this setting off entirely. You can also go a more customizable route and select which apps can update in the background and which ones cannot.
See Which Apps Are Using The Most Data
Knowing which apps are eating your data will aid in preventing data overages. Visiting the cellular tab within your settings will allow you to see how much data you have used within your current billing period. Below this information, you will also see a list of all apps that are installed on your phone. Under each app, you will see the amount of data it has used during the current billing period. You can toggle off any app that seems to be hogging too much data.
Steps: Settings > Cellular
Use Safari’s Reading List
Safari allows you to “queue up” articles while you are on Wi-Fi to read later when you are in the cellular data range. By adding a page to Safari’s Reading List, Safari will download it for you to view later.
Steps: To add articles to your reading list hit the Share button in the navigation bar > tap Add to Reading List
Disable Wi-Fi Assist
Wi-Fi Assist is a feature that detects weak Wi-Fi connections and as a result, hands it off to cellular data instead. This prevents pages from loading slowly, or at all, as your phone hangs on to the last bit of a Wi-Fi signal. If you are spending hours on the edge of a wi-fi network, your cellular networking may be assisting more than you are aware of and more than you’d like. Thus, running up your data usage.
Steps: To disable Wi-Fi Assist go to Settings > Cellular and scroll to the bottom to toggle off Wi-Fi Assist