10 Ways You Can Save Data on Your iPhone

Key Takeaways:

• The average smartphone in the U.S. uses about 25GB of mobile data per month, but most of that consumption happens in the background without you realizing it.
• iPhone has built-in tools like Low Data Mode, per-app cellular controls, and Wi-Fi Assist settings that can significantly reduce your data usage.
• A few small adjustments to how your phone handles streaming, downloads, and background activity can save gigabytes every month.

Your iPhone is quietly using more data than you think. Between background app refreshes, automatic downloads, HD video streaming, and iCloud syncing, your data can disappear faster than you'd expect, even on days when you barely touch your phone.

According to the Ericsson Mobility Report, the average smartphone globally consumes about 21GB of data per month, and that number is climbing every year. In North America specifically, average usage has hit around 25GB per month.

The good news is that your iPhone already has the tools to fix this. You just have to know where to look. Here's how to take back control of your data without changing how you actually use your phone.

What's Using All My Data in the First Place?

Before you start adjusting settings, it helps to know where your data is actually going. Your iPhone tracks this for you.

Go to Settings > Cellular (or Mobile Data), and scroll down. You'll see a list of every app on your phone and how much cellular data each one has used. The numbers might surprise you. Social media apps, streaming services, and cloud storage tend to be the biggest offenders, especially when they're running in the background.

Reset Your Stats Monthly

The data usage shown on this screen reflects the total since you last reset it, not your current billing cycle. To get an accurate picture, scroll to the bottom of the Cellular page and tap "Reset Statistics" at the start of each month. Check back after a week or two, and you'll have a clear snapshot of which apps are actually eating through your plan.

How Do I Turn On Low Data Mode?

Low Data Mode is one of the most effective tools Apple built into iOS, and it's been available since iOS 13. When enabled, it pauses background network activity across the board: automatic app updates, iCloud photo syncing, and background app refresh all stop running over cellular data.

• To turn it on, go to Settings > Cellular > Cellular Data Options and toggle on Low Data Mode.
  
  
• If you have a 5G-capable iPhone, you'll find the option under Settings > Cellular > Cellular Data Options > Data Mode, where you can choose between allowing more data on 5G, the standard setting, or Low Data Mode.

What Low Data Mode Actually Changes

With Low Data Mode on, your phone won't automatically download app updates. It won't sync your photo library to iCloud while you're off WiFi. It won't refresh apps in the background. Streaming quality may also reduce slightly on some platforms.

The experience isn't dramatically different in day-to-day use, but the data savings are real. For most people, Low Data Mode alone can cut background data usage significantly.

Which Settings Should I Change To Save Data?

Beyond Low Data Mode, there are a handful of individual settings that make a noticeable difference.

Turn Off Wi-Fi Assist

Wi-Fi Assist is an iOS feature that automatically switches to cellular data when your WiFi signal is weak. It's turned on by default, and most people don't even know it's there. While it keeps your connection smooth, it can burn through data without warning, especially if your home WiFi has dead spots.

To turn it off, go to Settings > Cellular and scroll all the way to the bottom. You'll see a toggle for Wi-Fi Assist. Flip it off. Your connection might occasionally feel slower in weak WiFi areas, but you'll stay in control of when your phone uses cellular data.

Disable Background App Refresh

Background App Refresh allows apps to update their content in the background so they're ready when you open them. Convenient, yes. Necessary for every app on your phone? Not even close.

Go to Settings > General > Background App Refresh. You can either turn it off entirely or go app by app and disable it for the ones you don't need constantly updating. Turning this off for social media apps, news apps, and anything you don't use daily can save a surprising amount of data over the course of a month.

Turn Off iCloud Sync Over Cellular

iCloud Drive and iCloud Photos can sync files, documents, and your entire photo library over cellular data when WiFi isn't available. For most people, that syncing can wait until you're back on WiFi.

• Go to Settings > [Your Name] > iCloud > iCloud Drive and turn off "Sync this iPhone" over cellular if the option is available.
  
  
• For Photos, go to Settings > Photos and make sure "Use Cellular Data" is toggled off under the cellular data section. Your photos will still upload to iCloud, but only when you're on WiFi.

Does Streaming Really Use That Much Data?

In a word, yes. Video streaming is by far the biggest data consumer on most phones. Watching a single hour of HD video can use anywhere from 1.5GB to 3GB of data, depending on the platform and resolution. An hour of music streaming is lighter, around 70 to 150MB depending on quality, but it adds up over time.

Adjust Streaming Quality in Your Apps

Most major streaming apps let you control video and audio quality.

• On YouTube, tap your profile icon and go to Settings > Video Quality Preferences, then select "Data Saver" for mobile networks. On Netflix, go to Settings > Cellular Data Usage and choose "Save Data."
  
  
• On Spotify, go to Settings > Audio Quality and set the streaming quality to "Low" or "Normal" when you're on cellular.

Download Content on WiFi

If you know you'll want to watch or listen to something while you're out, download it ahead of time while connected to WiFi. Netflix, Spotify, Apple Music, YouTube Premium, and most podcast apps all support offline downloads. It takes a minute of planning, but it's one of the simplest ways to avoid burning through data on your commute or during a workout.

The same logic applies to maps. If you're heading somewhere unfamiliar, Google Maps lets you download an area for offline use. Open the app, search for the area, tap the three-dot menu, and select "Download offline map." You'll get full turn-by-turn navigation without using a single megabyte of cellular data.

How Can I Track My Data Usage Over Time?

Staying on top of your usage is the best way to avoid surprises. Your iPhone's built-in tracker under Settings > Cellular is a good start, but remember that it only resets when you manually reset it.

Most carriers also let you track your data usage through their app or website. At RedPocket, you can monitor your data right from the RedPocket app, which shows how much high-speed data you've used and how much remains in your billing cycle.

If you notice you're consistently using less than your plan allows, that's a good sign you could step down to a smaller plan and save money each month.

Match Your Plan to Your Actual Usage

This is where the real savings kick in. A lot of people are paying for 50GB plans when they're only using 10 to 15GB. Once you've spent a month or two tracking your usage with these settings in place, you'll have a much clearer picture of what you actually need.

RedPocket prepaid plans start at $10 a month with 3GB of 5G Premium Data, which is plenty for someone who's mostly on WiFi and uses their phone for texting, email, maps, and light browsing away from home.

Conclusion

Your iPhone is a powerful device, but it doesn't always manage data the way you'd expect out of the box. A few small changes to your settings, turning on Low Data Mode, disabling Wi-Fi Assist, limiting background refresh, and adjusting streaming quality, can save you gigabytes every month without changing how you actually use your phone.

And once you understand your real data usage, you can stop overpaying for a plan built around a number you never hit. That's less waste, more control, and more money in your pocket, which is something we're always behind at RedPocket.

Frequently Asked Questions

Does Low Data Mode affect phone calls or texting?

No. Low Data Mode only restricts background data activity like app refreshes, automatic downloads, and iCloud syncing. Calls, texts, and the apps you're actively using will work normally.

Will turning off Background App Refresh break my apps?

No. Your apps will still update their content when you open them. They just won't do it in the background when you're not using them, which is where a lot of unnecessary data usage happens.

How much data does social media use?

It varies by platform and how you use it. Scrolling through Instagram or TikTok with autoplay video on can use 1 to 2GB per hour. Text-based browsing uses far less. Turning off autoplay in each app's settings is one of the easiest ways to reduce social media data usage.

Can I set a data limit on my iPhone?

iOS doesn't have a built-in hard data cap, but you can monitor usage under Settings > Cellular and manually disable cellular data for specific apps. Most carriers also offer usage alerts through their apps.

Sources:

Mobile Data Traffic Forecast | Ericsson Mobility Report

How Much Cell Phone Data Do I Need? | Reviews.org

Use Low Data Mode on Your iPhone and iPad | Apple Support