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How to Check and Reduce Data Usage on Android Phone

Authored by:
Support.com Tech Pro Team
This Guided Path® was written and reviewed by Support.com’s Tech Pro team. With decades of experience, our Tech Pros are passionate about making technology work for you. We love feedback! Let us know what you think about this Guided Path® by rating it at the end.

Introduction

Android provides a number of excellent utilities to check, and even help limit your cellular data usage, keeping the cost of owning your smart phone low, but still providing a great experience.
Android Robot Logo.

1 Check Data Usage

  1. Open Settings on your phone or tablet.
    Android Settings.
  2. Select Data usage.
    Android Settings with Data usage highlighted.
  3. Right at the top, you'll see how much data you've used this month.
    Data usage with usage highlighted.

2 Enable Data Saver

Data saver provides compression for pages and images, making things not only load faster, but use less data when you're browsing on cellular.

Enable Data Saver

  1. Open Settings on your phone or tablet.
    Android Settings.
  2. Select Data usage.
    Android Settings with Data usage highlighted.
  3. Select Data saver.
    Data usage settings with Data saver highlighted.
  4. Select the toggle switch in the corner to turn Data saver on.
    Data saver settings with On-Off toggle switch highlighted.

When data saver is on, many apps will be prevented from sending data, or won't send data as often, in the background. In addition, most images and text in the browser will be compressed before being sent to you, further saving data.

3 Managing Cellular Data Use

Setting limits on your data in Android will alert you when you get close to your total data allotment, so you can better limit your usage to avoid fees.

Limiting Data

  1. Open Settings on your phone or tablet.
    Android Settings.
  2. Select Data usage.
    Android Settings with Data usage highlighted.
  3. Select Data saver.
    Data usage settings with Data saver highlighted.
  4. Select Billing cycle.
    Data usage settings with Billing Cycle highlighted.
  5. Make sure the proper first day of the month is set. Check the bill from your cellular provider to find out when your billing cycle starts. Select the proper date, then select Set.
    Usage cycle reset date dialog with Set highlighted.
  6. Select Cellular data usage.
    Data usage with Cellular Data usage highlighted.
  7. Here you'll see a detailed break down of every app, and how much cellular data it has used. Select the gear icon in the top-right corner.
    Cellular data usage settings with settings gear highlighted.
  8. Make sure Set data warning is turned on. Then, select Data warning.
    Billing cycle settings with Set data warning toggle and Data warning option highlighted.
  9. Enter the amount of data you have purchased from your provider per month, then select Set. Check your bill or contact your cellular provider if you are not sure what your data allotment is.
    Set data usage warning dialog with Set highlighted.

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Android provides a number of excellent utilities to check, and even help limit your cellular data usage, keeping the cost of owning your smart phone low, but still providing a great experience.
Android Robot Logo.
  1. Open Settings on your phone or tablet.
    Android Settings.
  2. Select Data usage.
    Android Settings with Data usage highlighted.
  3. Right at the top, you'll see how much data you've used this month.
    Data usage with usage highlighted.

Data saver provides compression for pages and images, making things not only load faster, but use less data when you're browsing on cellular.

Enable Data Saver

  1. Open Settings on your phone or tablet.
    Android Settings.
  2. Select Data usage.
    Android Settings with Data usage highlighted.
  3. Select Data saver.
    Data usage settings with Data saver highlighted.
  4. Select the toggle switch in the corner to turn Data saver on.
    Data saver settings with On-Off toggle switch highlighted.

When data saver is on, many apps will be prevented from sending data, or won't send data as often, in the background. In addition, most images and text in the browser will be compressed before being sent to you, further saving data.

Setting limits on your data in Android will alert you when you get close to your total data allotment, so you can better limit your usage to avoid fees.

Limiting Data

  1. Open Settings on your phone or tablet.
    Android Settings.
  2. Select Data usage.
    Android Settings with Data usage highlighted.
  3. Select Data saver.
    Data usage settings with Data saver highlighted.
  4. Select Billing cycle.
    Data usage settings with Billing Cycle highlighted.
  5. Make sure the proper first day of the month is set. Check the bill from your cellular provider to find out when your billing cycle starts. Select the proper date, then select Set.
    Usage cycle reset date dialog with Set highlighted.
  6. Select Cellular data usage.
    Data usage with Cellular Data usage highlighted.
  7. Here you'll see a detailed break down of every app, and how much cellular data it has used. Select the gear icon in the top-right corner.
    Cellular data usage settings with settings gear highlighted.
  8. Make sure Set data warning is turned on. Then, select Data warning.
    Billing cycle settings with Set data warning toggle and Data warning option highlighted.
  9. Enter the amount of data you have purchased from your provider per month, then select Set. Check your bill or contact your cellular provider if you are not sure what your data allotment is.
    Set data usage warning dialog with Set highlighted.
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