How to save cellular data on your iPhone in 6 easy ways

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iPhoneREUTERS/Mike Segar

  • There are many ways to save data on your iPhone. 
  • You can turn off cellular data entirely, disable data for certain apps, and limit background data usage in your iPhone’s settings. 
  • If you’re traveling or have a limited data plan, you’ll definitely want to take these steps to save data on your iPhone and avoid extra charges. 
  • Visit Business Insider’s homepage for more stories.

It’s easy to run through data on your iPhone. 

Apps constantly download and update. Some programs use data in the background without telling you, and sometimes, even when hooked into Wi-Fi, iPhones will pull cellular data to augment speeds. 

The more data your iPhone consumes at any given time, the slower it can go. And during certain data sucks — for example, if you’re regularly outside Wi-Fi reach for extended periods, and especially when you’re traveling — it’s very easy to run through anything but an unlimited plan. 

Even then, in some countries, and on cruise ships, for example, your unlimited data plan likely won’t apply. 

Here are a few tips for saving data on your iPhone.

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How to save data on your iPhone

The first way to save data is to turn cellular data usage off – so you can only use Wi-Fi. 

How to disable cellular data

1. Open Settings.

2. Tap on "Cellular" (should be below "Bluetooth" and "Wi-Fi").

3. Tap on "Cellular Data" to turn it off.

iPhone data1.PNGRyan Ariano/Business Insider

You can also adjust your cellular data options to disable LTE and roaming, which is especially helpful when you’re traveling internationally and don’t want to incur roaming charges.  

How to disable LTE and roaming 

1. Open Settings.

2. Tap on "Cellular."

3. Tap on "Cellular Data Options."

4. Tap on "Enable LTE."

5. Tap "Off" (or you can change it to only work with "Data" instead of "Voice & Data").

iPhone date2.PNGRyan Ariano/Business Insider

6. Go back to "Cellular Data Options".

7. Tap "Voice & Data Roaming" so it toggles the green off.

iPhone data3.PNGRyan Ariano/Business Insider

How to turn off background data usage 

Background data is one of the biggest ways your apps use data, especially because you don’t necessarily know that they’re using it.

1. Open Settings.

2. Tap on "General."

3. Tap on "Background App Refresh" (should be under "iPhone Storage").

4. Tap "Background App Refresh" which will likely be "On."

5. You can either turn it to "Wi-Fi" (which will save cellular data but still download data, which may slow performance) or tap on "Off" to turn it off completely.

iPhone data4.PNGRyan Ariano/Business Insider

How to turn off Wi-Fi assist

You can also turn off the phone’s default connection to cellular data when Wi-Fi is spotty.

1. Open Settings.

2. Tap on "Cellular."

3. Scroll down to tap on "Wi-Fi Assist" (near the bottom) and turn the toggle from green to white.

iPhone data5.PNGRyan Ariano/Business Insider

How to disable data for certain apps 

Finally, you might decide to just limit which apps can use data.

1. Open Settings.

2. Tap on "Cellular."

3. Scroll down to the "Cellular Data" subheading.

4. This will contain all of your apps. Scroll through the list and turn off whichever ones you don’t want to be using data automatically.

iPhone data6.PNGRyan Ariano/Business Insider

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Source: Business Insider – feedback@businessinsider.com (Ryan Ariano)

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