Save ‘gigs’ on Android: 12 tips to consume less mobile data

Contents

1. Always have the data consumed visible
2. Set a reminder to remind you to turn on WiFi
3. Avoid Internet downloads
4. Consume multimedia offline, much better than streaming
5. Reduce the quality of streaming content
6. Limit downloads on WhatsApp
7. Turn off automatic updates
8. Do this if you use your phone as GPS
9. Check which apps can access the Internet
10. Low data mode can be of great help to you
11. Limit the data you can consume
12. Try to connect to 4G networks instead of 5G

The fact that there are more and more companies that offer unlimited data rates at a good price does not mean that all users have one. If you still enjoy a limited or prepaid rate, you will surely be especially interested do not exceed the limit and save as much as possible. And that is precisely what we are here to talk about in this post.

And yes, using your cell phone less is an option, although it doesn’t guarantee anything either. If you are not attentive you could run out of data even then. In any case, tell you that there is ways to save data without having to reduce mobile usage. In this post we will see how to achieve this goal with an Android mobile.

1. Always have the data consumed visible

This tip may seem obvious, but it is no less important. Monitoring how much you are consuming is essential to know when you are approaching the limit. To do this, it is advisable to enter your operator’s application and review it manually, although many of these apps incorporate a widget that you can place on your home screen to always have consumption visible.

Likewise, it is recommended that you review the settings you have established for when your data rate runs out. And many times Extra bonuses that have an extra cost are automatically activated on the final invoice. Normally it is deactivated from the app, but if you cannot find the option you can request it by calling customer service.

2. Set a reminder to remind you to turn on WiFi

Surely on some occasion you have been in an area with WiFi and yet you have realized later that you did not have it turned on on your mobile. Preventing this from happening would be as simple as creating a routine with Google Assistant, but unfortunately it is not enabled. However, we can receive a reminder when you enter home with Google Keep.

The popular Google Notes application is very valid for this action, having to create a note in which we write our notice. For example, “Turn on WiFi.” Already in the reminder options You must click on “Choose a place” and put the location of your house there so that, as soon as you arrive, the notice goes off.

It should be noted that you can create as many notes with notices as there are places with WiFi you have pre-established. Work, family and friends’ houses, etc. This way, when the mobile detects that you are in those places you will receive the alert that you previously configured and you will not forget to turn on the WiFi. Of course, there must be a note for each of these places.

3. Avoid Internet downloads

Downloading a simple photograph from a web page should not be a problem, although it may be if you download several on a regular basis. Likewise, a single file can consume considerable data, always depending on its weight. Therefore, unless it is strictly necessary,

4. Consume multimedia offline, much better than streaming

If you are used to listening music or podcastwatch series or movies Netflix, HBO Max or other platforms with your mobile phone when you don’t have WiFi (for example, on public transport), it will be convenient for you to have the content downloaded previously.

All of these streaming platforms offer the option to download the content to be able to play it later without having to consume mobile data. Although, yes, you must proceed to download when you have a WiFi connection, since otherwise it could be even worse than streaming it.

5. Reduce the quality of streaming content

In some apps like YouTube, a data saving mode is even offered during playback.

We know that maximum quality is very popular for any content, but it is also the one that consumes the most data. So, Check the quality options in any streaming app (video, music and even video games). Although not all of them support it, surely some of the ones you use daily offer it in their settings. It is best to reduce it to a minimum to minimize consumption as much as possible, although you can also opt for a middle ground.

6. Limit downloads on WhatsApp

The most common thing is that you have configured the automatic download of photos, videos and audios on WhatsApp. It is the default configuration and can be useful to save time when we enter a chat, without having to download them manually. However, it can be a problem if the connection you have is mobile data.

For this reason, it is convenient that you go to the settings of the app itself and change preferences. To do this you must click on the three dots at the top right and go to > . Once here you must go to the “Automatic download” section and change the “Download with mobile data” settings, unchecking all possible options.

You can limit it to only do it with WiFi or directly never download the content, which will also allow you to save space in the internal storage of your mobile. Additionally, these settings are applicable to other messaging apps like Telegram, since most allow you to limit file downloads from their settings.

7. Turn off automatic updates

Almost every day a new version of one of our applications is released. Whether we use them more or less, it is always interesting to keep them up to date, since updates not only bring new functions, but also correct many bugs. However, also high data consumption occurs when they are updated, since there are some updates that can weigh almost as much as a complete download of the app.

Therefore, it is convenient that you open Google Play to change settings. You must click on your photo and then go to > . Once there, you must review and change (if applicable) the “Automatically update applications” settings and, incidentally, also those of “Application download preferences” that appears just above. Here it is convenient that you dial everything via WiFi.

8. Do this if you use your phone as GPS

We are not going to discover anything now if we start talking about the usefulness of GPS navigators for mobile phones, although we must remember that their prolonged use it can kill our data rate. But don’t worry, that doesn’t mean you won’t be able to use these applications.

The vast majority, like Google Maps or Waze, offer the possibility of download maps for offline use. You can select different sections with WiFi so that they are downloaded and then you can navigate through those areas without the mobile phone using the Internet to do so. Of course, it is advisable that you update them frequently.

9. Check which apps can access the Internet

That a web browser or a messaging app uses the Internet connection is obvious and necessary. However, the same does not happen with other apps, since there are some that are fully functional offline and yet connect to the internet. Therefore it is convenient that remove Internet access with data to those that you consider do not need to connect or that are not strictly necessary when you do not have WiFi.

This can be configured from the mobile settings and exploring the different options of the mobile data panel. It is normally located in panels called “Network access”, a place from which you can prevent an app from connecting to the Internet with WiFi, mobile data or both. As standard, everything is configured so that they can always connect to the network.

10. Low data mode can be of great help to you

Although we previously saw the possibility of removing Internet access with data from some apps, the truth is that those that are essential will continue to consume data from your rate. Therefore it would be advisable to limit it with a reduced data modealso called “smart data mode”, “data saving mode” or similar depending on the manufacturer.

This will be found in > , either in the main panel or by entering the advanced options. The way this modality saves data is fundamentally prevent data consumption in the background.

To see it clearly with a example, if you are using Twitter, when you enter you will have to wait for the feed to update, while if you have that saving mode disabled you will already have the feed ready. It loses usefulness in a certain way, but it gains a lot if we are not going to be entering those apps.

11. Limit the data you can consume

If the two previous adjustments that we have been seeing seem insufficient to you, you can always set a consumption limit, whether daily or monthly. You can probably ask your carrier for this or check it in your app settings. However, this option already appears on most mobile phones.

You will only have to enter the mobile settings again and go to the mobile data network settings. If the option does not appear, you can use the search engine by typing “Data limit”. When you enter the option you will be able to not only configure a maximum of Gb or Mbbut also timers or choose the preferred connection band.

12. Try to connect to 4G networks instead of 5G

Despite the advances of 5G that allow us to have greater speed in our connections, the truth is that it also means higher consumption than 4G. And not only data, but also battery.

So, if you have a mobile phone with 5G, you’d better try to prioritize the use of 4G as much as possible. After all, this connectivity is still the widest in coverage and continues to offer sufficient speed for any action. Using 3G is no longer recommended for speed reasons, so you should not reach that limit in the desire to save data.

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