Saving cell phone data usage

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Am on Wi-Fi much of the time and have been playing around with some of the following settings to save data usage.

1. Reduce cell data usage using Google Chrome.

On Google Chrome’s main screen, tap the three dots in the top right corner to open the menu. Next Select Settings. Then Scroll down and tap Data Saver. Turn Data Saver on by tapping the slider in the top right-hand corner. Now when you come back to this screen, you can track your progress and see how much data you’ve saved!

2. Google Play Store.

In the Play Store, tap the three bars in the top left corner of the screen to open the Menu. Next Select Settings. Tap Auto-update apps. Select Auto-update apps over Wi-Fi only.

3. Facebook

In the Facebook app tap the stacked 3 lines on the right hand side 2nd line down. Next Scroll down to “Help & Settings” Tap App Settings'. On “Refresh interval” Changing from 30 minutes to 1 hour halves the number of times your phone reaches out to Facebook. Then on “Sync Photos” Switch to “Off”, or to “Sync over WiFi only.” On “Video Auto Play” Set it to only happen “When on WiFi” or if you desire, switch it to “Off”.

4. You Tube

In the You Tube app, tap the three dots in the top right corner of the screen to open the Menu. Next On the Settings screen, tap General. Check the box next to "Limit mobile data usage" to only allowing streaming HD video while you’re connected to WiFi.
 
I hate having a date limited plan, and have already adopted what you've posted SrDriver. I also have all location services and automatic anything that uses data turned off. Quite a difference, there are many apps that reach out several times a day for updates. No thanks.

And agree with KD0AXS!
 
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Some other settings that could prove useful.

. Google Drive

In Drive, tap the three bars in the top left corner of the screen to open the Menu. Next Select Settings. Then make sure the Transfer files only over Wi-Fi check box is checked.

. Instagram

On the Instagram app’s main screen, tap the Profile icon in the bottom right corner of the screen. Next Tap the three dots in the top right corner to open the Options screen. On the Options screen, scroll down and tap Cellular Data Use. Next Select the Use Less Data option. (Photos may take longer to load).

Netflix

Another streaming app that loves cell data. Not much we can do here really, but Netflix does provide the option of only streaming over WiFi .


Snapchat

This is becoming one of the most popular apps in the mobile ecosystem. There are no options within the app itself to reduce the amount of cellular data it is using, but you can use the features in Android to prevent the app from running in the background (and from downloading all those pics & videos without you knowing). We gotta roll up our sleeves for this one, but it’s worth it…

Since this one is a little more involved, completing these steps officially graduates you to “Data Saver Ninja”!

From the phone home screen, we have to get to Android Settings. Swipe down on the home screen, tap the little face and squares in the top right corner and tap the “Settings” icon. Alternatively, you can hit the App Launcher (middle button, bottom row of the home screen and tap the “Settings” icon). Then tap “Data Usage”. Scroll till you find SnapChat. Tap the icon. Check the box for “Restrict background data.
 
Originally Posted By: bullwinkle
It's a lot easier using iOS, just turn the cellular data off, then everything goes over wifi (which is what I do on my Tracfone iPhone 4).


Android just as easily allows you to do the same thing, or to set a limit on the total amount of cellular data you want to allow, after which it automatically switches off cellular data and uses Wi-Fi only.

I believe the original poster was focusing on ways to minimize data usage when no Wi-Fi connection is available.
 
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