Adjusting your Android data usage settings saves you money and battery life. Recently, we got a question asking, “How to reduce data usage on facebook app?” With all the features on Android devices, it is no surprise that many of u exceed our monthly data limits. Why is Android using so much data? Whatever the case, learn how to restrict data usage on Android by following this tutorial.
What Is Background Data Usage?
There is foreground data usage and background data usage. Foreground refers to the data used when you actively use an app, while Background refers to the data used when an app runs in the background. We begin by telling you how to “Restrict background data.”
Restrict Background Data
The first thing to do when learning how to use less data on Android is to restrict background data usage. To do this, follow the instructions:
- Go to Settings > Data Usage
- Scroll down to reveal a list of apps and their data usage stats
- From here, tap an app to view its usage data
If you notice an app consuming too much data while running in the background, scroll down and select “Restrict background data.” On a side note, you can use an app like Greenify or 3C Toolbox to limit background apps. Also, newer versions of Android have a doze mode installed to help with background apps. Restricting background data is one of the ways to extend your Android’s battery life.
Use Wi-Fi Whenever Available
Another way to use less data on Android smartphones and tablets is by using a Wi-Fi connection. Did you know that 4G consume more battery power than Wi-Fi? Connect to available Wi-Fi networks at restaurants, bars, home or work. Doing so prevents your Android from using so much data on your wireless plan and saves battery power.
Modify Data Usage in Settings
Similar to restricting background data, you can modify data usage within the settings app. Go to “settings” > “Data Usage” > “Cellular data usage“. Scroll through the list and see which apps use the most data. Select an app and look for settings you can disable to prevent data over your wireless provider connection. You can set it to only use Wi-Fi.
Check Social Media Apps
Remember that question, “How to reduce data usage on facebook app?” It is so important because of apps like Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram that sometimes use up the most data. For example, The Google+ app is a major data consumer when it’s “Auto Backup” feature is in use. Facebook’s push notifications also use quite a bit of data. Skype can also be a data hog.
Go to the “Settings” section within all social apps and ensure that they are not set to automatically upload your data, or set them to only upload when connected to a Wi-Fi network. You can also change the sync interval. Furthermore, limit your visits to Facebook, Pinterest, Instagram, and Twitter to a minimum while on your wireless data network and save it for when you’re on Wi-Fi. Loading images, videos, and other items on your news feed or timeline will use a lot of your data.
Modify Sync Interval
- Under “Settings” > “Accounts”
- Set your email, calendar, and contact apps to sync data every six hours
- Or set them to only sync when connected to Wi-Fi.
Enable Auto Update Apps Over WiFi Only
Ensure that the Google Play app is set to automatically update your apps while on a WiFi network only. To do this follow the instructions below:
- Open Google Play
- Tap the menu at the upper-left corner
- Select “Settings” and ensure the “Auto-update apps” setting is set to “Do not auto-update apps” or “Auto-update apps over Wi-Fi only.”
Lastly, you can also check for apps that install other apps in the background. Battery savers and maintenance tools are famous for doing this. You can learn how to prevent unwanted apps from installing and save data and battery life.