There is no better feeling than having your mobile data run dry days before the end of your billing period. You thought there was nothing special you did to have the “you’ve exceeded 90 percent of your monthly data usage” pop up on your screen. The first reaction would be to blame video streaming because this is the culprit everyone points to. However, sometimes the culprit is not only video streaming as other applications can also consume the data unknowingly.
Without rushing into changing your behavior or purchasing additional data before even understanding what caused your mobile data consumption to spike, I do a certain routine. This is how I check.
1. I Check Which Apps Are Using the Most Data
This is where I always start. Every mobile phone has a screen in settings showing usage by app, normally within the current billing cycle. The two things I look for when opening that screen are apps that show very high usage compared to their actual usage on the phone, and apps that don't get opened frequently but show very high data usage.
If an application that you use all the time uses lots of data, then it is not strange. What should draw your attention is an application that hardly gets used but shows lots of data usage.
2. I Check for Background Data Use
Just because you have shut down apps does not mean that the communication between them is turned off; some of them sync and refresh data and look for notifications, and the thing is that this process consumes data even without an active screen.
In the app settings on its own (Settings > Apps > [name of the app] > Mobile data), it is possible to see the data used by an app while being in the background separately from the data consumed while using the app, and you may disable the former and leave the latter as it is.
3. I Check Cloud Backup and Photo Sync
The other type of backup that is highly ignored is photo and video backup, which is often done in a silent and automatic way. Since phones are configured to perform an automatic backup of all photos and videos on cloud services, when the feature for allowing mobile data use in backing up is on, then a day’s video can consume a significant amount of data from your plan.
I go into the cloud backup settings of Google Photos, iCloud, or any other cloud backup service I have and check the setting that allows backups to be performed while on mobile data or only through Wi-Fi. Turning this option to Wi-Fi only is pretty easy.
4. I Check Automatic App Updates
Updates are important when it comes to security reasons and bug fixes; thus, there is no intention to ask you to switch off all your updates completely. However, downloads of new app versions are rather resource-intensive, particularly if these app files are large enough, and they can take up quite a lot of your precious data plan if automatic downloads are allowed on all connections.
Fortunately, most applications stores give you an opportunity to choose between these two options. I always set it to be automatic only when using Wi-Fi.
5. I Check Media-Heavy Apps and Their Quality Settings
Streaming apps are worth consideration but should not be assumed guilty first. The video settings affect the data consumption greatly – streaming in HD or auto-quality on mobile internet costs more than in low data-saver settings.
Additionally, I look through the auto-play options, especially on social networking applications, since sometimes videos play automatically when browsing the news feed, adding to the data traffic without your choice. Usually, there is an option to use data-saver mode in most applications and it is hidden in the application's settings.
6. I Check Wi-Fi Assist and Network Preference Settings
Most smartphones have a function that enables them to switch to the mobile network in case there are problems with the Wi-Fi connectivity, even though they are connected to Wi-Fi. It is useful for users, but it could be risky in case you do not realize that your phone switched to mobile data.
In my case, I will check the setting and disable the function if I want to be in full control. This could be necessary when you are on the plan with limited data and want to use slower Wi-Fi than mobile data by default.
7. I Check Hotspot and Tethering Use
If you've ever used your phone as a hotspot, it's worth double-checking that nothing is still connected. A laptop or another device quietly connected to your phone's hotspot can use a large amount of data without it being obvious from your phone's screen alone.
I check the hotspot settings to confirm it's actually turned off, and look at connected devices if it's on, just to rule out something using your connection in the background that you forgot about.
8. I'm Cautious About Unfamiliar Apps — Without Panicking
Sometimes, there appears a strange application that consumes huge amounts of data without your consent. There is no reason to panic here since this may be an unknown pre-installed application with some bug. Nevertheless, it deserves to be considered.
I find out more information about the application in question, including the moment of its installation and necessity in its background work. If the application turns out to be unnecessary, I delete it. In case the purpose of the application is unknown for me, I find it out before taking any actions.
9. When I Use Data Saver Mode
Most phones come with an automatic data saving feature, which cuts down on the data usage of all applications except the one currently being used. This is really quite a helpful option, but I see it for what it is – a tool, and nothing more.
Enabling the data-saving option without understanding what the reason for your lost data is would be akin to placing a plaster over something that you don’t know how to diagnose. This may help you for a little while but will not reveal the reason for your lost data.
When the Problem Isn't the Phone
At other times, the problem might not lie with any one application or setting, but just with the manner in which you use the phone itself. Viewing videos more frequently than usual, staying away from Wi-Fi for longer than normal, working from home with no home network, or travel could all account for an increase in data usage without there being any actual problem with the phone.
Quick Troubleshooting Table
| What I'm noticing | What I check first |
|---|---|
| One app using a large share of my data | That app's data usage and background settings |
| Data draining even when I'm not using my phone | Background data and cloud backup settings |
| Data use jumped after taking lots of photos/videos | Cloud photo/video sync settings |
| Data use spiked after installing or updating apps | Automatic app update settings |
| Heavy use while streaming or scrolling social media | Video quality and auto-play settings |
| Data used even while connected to Wi-Fi | Wi-Fi Assist or network preference settings |
| Data usage doesn't match my own phone activity | Hotspot and connected devices |
Final Takeaway
It is easy to just buy extra data or turn everything off in frustration when your plan finishes up too quickly. However, that will address the symptoms of the problem rather than its causes. It is much easier to stop losing data once you have figured out what is causing you to lose it in the first place.
Don’t buy more data until you find out where yours is going.