Mobile data usage tips on android devices

When we are on mobile data (4G / LTE / VOLTE), we can manage data usage or can efficiently use mobile data.

Data usage is how much data your device uploads or downloads in a period using mobile data.

Here we will discuss certain options we can use to reduce data usage in your android handset

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• Restrict background data

Some apps transfer data in the background. This means that an app may download data when you’re not using it. To reduce your data usage, you can restrict background data usage.

Android provides an option to restrict background data for all apps or selectively

Navigate to   > Data usage >  > Restrict background data

Individually, you can tap any app [see the data usage] on the screen and toggle Restrict background data ON

NOTE: if you restrict background data, you will not get any updates or notifications for the apps that is not foreground on screen [i.e background apps]

 

• Turn auto-sync Off

By default most of the accounts [Facebook, google, Twitter, Whatsapp etc] have auto-sync ON, which draws more data

When auto-sync is on, apps automatically refresh data, and your device gets notifications about updates.

Navigate to  > Accounts > tap on any account and auto-sync off

You can use less data by turning off auto-sync. If you do this, you’ll need to sync your apps manually.

 

• Turn Auto-update apps Off

You can either update the apps manually or automatically, better to turn off auto update when you are on mobile data

Navigate to  >  > Settings > Auto-update apps > Auto-update apps over wifi only

You can even manually update the apps anytime by  >  > My apps & games

Note: Turn app update notification ON, to know which apps got latest version to update

 >  > Settings > App update available ON

 

• Turn ON chrome browser’s Data Saver

Most android users prefer to use chrome browser as it comes default and is quite faster.

When you use Data Saver, most of your web traffic goes through Google servers before being downloaded to your device. Less data gets downloaded to your device, because Google servers will compress it.

Navigate to  > > Settings > Data Saver

Data Saver won’t work if you’re on secure pages (addresses that start with https://) or private with Incognito mode.

 

• Facebook auto play video Off

Facebook’s new feature to play videos as you scroll and pass through the videos on news feed, which draws most of your mobile data

Navigate to  >  > Settings > App settings > Auto-play [on wi-fi only] ON

 

• Whatsapp media auto-download Off

Navigate to  >  > Settings > Data usage > Media auto-download, turn all options to “No media”

Manually you can download or play media from chat screen.