Do you want to know the 9 best tips and tricks to reduce data usage on Android? In recent years, mobile data usage has skyrocketed. Apps have become more data-hungry and new version updates are constantly arriving.
Previously, web browsing used to be mostly text based as there was not much development in web technologies.
Now, video streaming services have gained wide popularity, and social media platforms like Facebook and Instagram have also integrated video services as a main draw. It has become increasingly difficult to reduce data usage on Android.
Here we have compiled some of the most effective ways to save Android data.
Top 9 Ways to Reduce Data Usage on Android
1. Limit your data usage in Android settings
Setting a limit for your monthly data usage is the easiest thing you can do to avoid using excess amounts of data without your knowledge. You can limit your mobile data usage on Android through the Settings app.
Go to:
- configurations
- Toca Data Use
- Then billing cycle
- Let's go to Data limit and billing cycle.
- There you can set the maximum amount of data you intend to use in a month. In addition, you can also choose to automatically disconnect from the network, once the data limit is reached.
2. Restrict app background data
Some applications continue to consume mobile data even when the mobile phone is not in use. Background data allows you to keep your apps monitored and up to date while multitasking or when the screen is off. But not all apps need to use background data at all times.
When going to Settings >> Data Usage, you can see the statistics of which app consumes how much data.
Touch an app and you can see the foreground and background data usage of that particular app. Foreground data usage is the data the app consumes when you actively use the app when it's open. Background data is the data that is consumed when you are not using the app and the app is running in the background.
It requires no action and happens automatically. This can include things like automatic app updates or syncing.
If you find that background data is too high for an app, and you don't need the app to stay in the background at all times, tap «Restrict app background data." This ensures that the app will consume data only when it is opened and therefore use less data.
3. Use data compression in Chrome
Google Chrome is one of the most popular Android browsers. It has a built-in feature that can significantly reduce data consumption on Android.
When data compression is turned on, all your traffic goes through a proxy run by Google. Your data is compressed and optimized before being sent to your phone. This results in lower data consumption and also speeds up page loading without any significant changes to web content.
At use data compression, open Chrome, tap the 3-dot menu in the top right corner, tap Settings, and scroll down to Data saver. There you can tap on the top right corner to activate Data saver.
Turning on Data Saver also implements Chrome's Safe Browsing System to detect malicious pages and protect you from malware and harmful content. Chrome managed to save 17% of the data over the period of one month.
You can revisit that settings panel in Chrome to see how much data you've saved during that period.
4. Update apps only over Wi-Fi
One of the most effective ways to reduce mobile data consumption is to disable automatic app updates in the Play Store. Go to Play Store and tap Menu >>configurations >>Automatic update of applications.
Be sure to select "Automatic update of applications only via Wi-Fi. “Alternatively, you can choose”Don't update apps automatically “but it is not recommended as you will need to periodically remember to update your apps manually.
How to reduce the data consumption of your smartphone
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5. Limit your use of streaming services
The streaming of music and videos is the content that consumes the most data, as well as high-quality images. Try to avoid them when using mobile data. You can choose to store music and videos locally on your storage or download them when connected to WiFi.
While transmitting mobile data, you can lower the quality of the transmission to decrease data usage. YouTube consumes a lot of data, so make sure to lower the video resolution while using mobile data on Android.
Many Android streaming apps like Netflix and YouTube Go offer a mobile data saver mode that effectively reduces data usage.
6. Keep an eye on your apps
Using data-hungry apps can seriously affect your data usage while on your mobile network. You may not realize that the app Google Photos it could be syncing your photos in the background every time you click one.
Social media apps like Facebook and Instagram consume a lot of data. Try to avoid watching videos and GIFs in those apps.
Try to use alternatives to some apps that will still perform the required functions while consuming less data. For example, Facebook Lite is a highly lightweight alternative to the Facebook app. Plus, it saves battery and data usage. TweetCaster is a similar option for the Twitter app.
7. Google Maps cache for offline use
did you know you can save maps in google maps app? Caching Google maps for offline use can save you time and data. Once a map is downloaded, you can even navigate when the phone is offline simply by using your GPS.
This feature comes in handy for your daily commute as you can never be sure if some places will have network coverage. It is a good idea to download the map of your home area and the regions you frequently travel to.
So the next time you're on Wi-Fi, open Google Maps, go to Menu and select "Offline maps.«. There you can touch «Select your own map» and zoom in or out to select the area you want to be available offline.
Once you have decided on the area, press «Download »
8. Optimize account sync settings
Your account's sync settings are set to auto-sync by default. Keep auto-sync disabled for data-intensive apps like Facebook that use sync services to sync files like photos and videos, consuming a lot of data in the process.
Google constantly syncs your data when a change is made. Most of these synchronization services may not be necessary. This background sync service affects both data consumption and battery life.
To adjust your sync settings, go to Settings >> Accounts. There you can adjust the sync settings for different apps. To optimize Google sync, touch Google and uncheck the options you don't need.
For example, I don't need Google Fit data, Google Play Movies and Google Play Music to sync them. So, I turned them off while keeping the other services on to sync them.
How to reduce the data consumption of your smartphone
How to reduce the data consumption of your smartphone
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9. Remove malware
Not just the normal Android apps on your phone, there could be other reasons why your data limit runs out every so often.
Regularly scan your Android phone for malware with some good antivirus app. Malicious apps could be sucking up your bandwidth in the background, while sending your valuable information to attackers. Doing so will also help you speed up your Android phone.
tips and additional tricks To reduce mobile data usage on Android:
- Download large files when connected to Wi-Fi.
- Do not clear your system cache unless you have no other way to free up your space.
- Turn off mobile data when not needed.
- Turn off notifications from apps that you don't need to be notified of.
- Set a longer update interval for home screen widgets that update frequently.
Did you find these ways to reduce data usage on Android helpful? Share your feedback and suggestions in the comments below.