Most owners iPhone And iPad use tariffs or tariff options with “unlimited” Internet. But, as a rule, such offers still have a daily or monthly data limit, after which the Internet connection speed on the device is automatically limited.
A convenient opportunity has appeared to control the consumption of mobile Internet traffic on iPhone or iPad.
In older versions iOS, in particular in iOS 6, there was the ability to view the amount of downloaded and sent information in the standard application section Settings -> Basic -> Statistics However, this menu had one drawback - it was impossible to understand which specific programs were consuming precious mobile Internet traffic.
IN iOS 7 Now you can view in detail the statistics of cellular data consumption for each program on your iPhone or iPad with 3G module. In the new firmware, cellular data statistics are located in the section cellular V Settings. In this section you can find the usual number of megabytes transmitted/received, and just below is a list of all programs in alphabetical order, indicating the amount of data consumed.
In this section, you can also disable access to the mobile Internet for certain programs.
Under the list of programs there is a key to go to System Services. Here you can see which services consumed your Internet traffic especially actively.
At the very bottom of the settings section Cellular connection There is a button to reset statistics. We recommend that you do this in accordance with the validity period of the tariff plan you are using. Then you can always find out how many megabytes are available for download before the mobile Internet speed limit. In order not to forget about resetting the settings, it will be convenient to create a recurring event or event in the calendar.
The times when we paid for home Internet based on the traffic spent are long gone. Nowadays, almost everyone in their apartment has their own “unlimited” plan, limiting the use of the Internet only by speed. However, the problem with the amount of downloaded traffic for our portable devices, such as a smartphone or tablet, has not gone away, so we have to constantly monitor the consumed megabytes every day, so as not to be left without the Internet at one fine moment. But what is the most convenient way to track it is, of course, an interesting question.
Business in Russia is another topic of eternal debate. After all, there is always a possibility that the operator will turn off your Internet for exceeding the limit at a time when it has not yet been reached. How can I check this? What if you are being deceived?
Of course, on your smartphone or tablet you can always view statistics on megabytes used, but this is not so convenient. Besides, you always need to remember this. Well, let's look at the options available to us, and then decide which one is best for traffic accounting. So what we have:
1) Using the statistics collection solution built into iOS.
2) Install a separate application from the telecom operator.
3) Install a third-party application from the App Store to compare statistics.
4) Jailbreak and subsequent installation of third-party software from Cydia.
5) Purchasing an unlimited Internet package.
1. iOS already knows everything
Absolutely every iOS device has a built-in tracker that counts your megabytes spent. Its use is perhaps the simplest of all the above options. You can find usage statistics on iOS by going to Settings – cellular and go down a little lower in the menu to the item Tariff statistics via cellular connection.
Here we have general traffic statistics for all your actions, and just below - for each individual application. At the very end of the list there is a statistics reset button, clicking on which will start the countdown from zero - this will be relevant for counting traffic at the beginning of each month. In addition, among the applications you use, you can disable those that you think should not consume too many valuable megabytes, thus preventing them from accessing the network.
Pros:
- Already available on every iPhone and iPad.
— Easy to use.
— Work in the background.
— Statistics for each application.
- Ability to disable certain applications.
Minuses:
— Statistics need to be reset every month or carefully monitored.
— No notifications when the limit is reached.
2. Trust your operator
Every self-respecting operator a few years ago allowed the subscriber to manage their tariffs directly by creating a personal account for each. However, progress does not stand still and applications replacing it have replaced the personal account in web versions. However, the quality and usability of the applications themselves leave much to be desired. It often becomes quite difficult to find the necessary information in an overloaded interface, so this option is only suitable for users of cellular operators somewhere in America or Europe.
Pros:
— The most accurate statistics directly from the cellular operator.
— The application is free.
— Notifications about reaching the limit (not always).
Minuses:
— Usually disgusting support.
— Terrible application optimization (for Russian and CIS operators).
- Not an intuitive interface.
— Often there is a justified mistrust of the operator.
3. Apps from the App Store
In addition to official applications from telecom operators, the Apple app store contains many other solutions that will help you track precious megabytes, and at the same time notify you when a certain threshold of downloaded traffic has been reached. The most popular of them is probably Data Usage with a modest price of 33 rubles. However, there are others, even free analogues, but, unfortunately, of different quality. The application is worth highlighting separately Traffic Monitor, which has proven itself well for a long time.
Pros:
— Automatic reset of statistics and counting over a new one.
— Notifications when certain traffic limits are reached.
— You can set restrictions yourself (for example: daily, weekly, etc.).
— User-friendly interface, plotting.
— Independent traffic counting.
Minuses:
— Not all (and not always) applications can work correctly in the background.
— You have to pay for quality (as an exception, you can try Traffic Monitor).
4. Applications from Cydia
Here, of course, everything is clear: first you need to Jailbreak your device in order to gain access to the Cydia application store. However, hacking a device does not mean that you can now install anything for free. Not at all. As with the App Store, Cydia has a fair number of apps, but most of them also cost money.
The most popular are probably WeeTrackData, which, in addition to working in the background, can be embedded in the notification center for quick access, and CCMeters, which can also be displayed in the control center, but to install it you will have to install additional CCLoader software.
Pros:
— Of course, work in the background.
— Quick access to the application from the Notification Center.
— Notifications about reaching the limit.
Minuses:
- Jailbreak required.
- Often costs money.
— Depending on the software, you may need to install additional components.
4. Down with restrictions!
One of the easiest ways to forget about the headache of traffic costs is to connect to unlimited Internet. Undoubtedly, this option can cost a pretty penny, but if this is not a problem for you, this method will be the most painless. Another thing is that not all operators offer exactly unlimited tariffs. There are packages of 80-100 GB, but they run out anyway. On the other hand, you don’t download Blu-Ray movies on iOS for days, do you?
Alternatively, if there is an operator in your city that provides truly unlimited traffic, then you can simply use its services, as I did.
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If you look at the problem from the other side, then you can think not about counting traffic, but about minimizing it. For example, use third-party browsers with this feature. By the way, Opera Mini has been able to compress it for a long time. Or if you can't stand anything other than Safari, you can try Onavo Extend, a separate application that works on the same principle. Unfortunately, not available in the Russian version of the App Store.
How much traffic do you spend per month? Is what the operators offer enough? Tell us about it in the comments!
Every year, mobile operators provide better conditions for using mobile Internet, however, not everyone can afford unlimited tariffs. In the absence of an alternative, users have to be content with what they have and try to save money. In this guide, we'll talk about simple ways to save data on your iPhone and iPad, which can help you stay online much more than usual.
We monitor data transmitted over the cellular network
The main “destroyers” of traffic on iPhone and iPad are the Safari browser and social networking applications that users actively use. But other applications are not averse to secretly spending valuable 10, or even all 100 megabytes of traffic. How to detect these “pests”?
Back in iOS 7, Apple introduced a section into the standard settings of the mobile operating system that is responsible for tracking data transmitted over the cellular network. This section contains all applications that use cellular data and the exact amount of traffic consumed is also indicated here.
Fortunately, users can not only see which application is “eating” all the traffic, but also prohibit it from doing so. To do this you need to go to the menu Settings -> Cellular data and scroll to the very bottom. To reduce your device's traffic consumption, simply deactivate the switches located opposite the most power-hungry applications. It is worth remembering that as soon as an application is denied access to the Internet, all of its online elements will stop loading.
Disable background app refresh feature
The default iPhone or iPad updates applications automatically the first time you access the Internet. In this case, the device can use both Wi-Fi and a cellular network, and this, in turn, often leads to a very rapid depletion of traffic reserves.
In order to turn off the background application update function, you need to go to the menu Settings -> Basic -> Update content and set the switch of the same name to the inactive state. After this, you will have to update applications manually from the App Store, but traffic will be consumed much more slowly.
Prevent iCloud Drive from syncing over a cellular network
It's news to many heavy iPhone and iPad users that their device can sync with iCloud Drive over a cellular network. Meanwhile, tens of megabytes of data can be sent to the “cloud,” depending on the amount of work performed on the device.
It's very easy to prevent iCloud Drive from syncing outside of a Wi-Fi network. Go to menu Settings -> iCloud -> iCloud Drive and remove the Cellular Data switch.
Blocking iTunes Match from accessing cellular networks
Similar to iCloud Drive, iTunes Match can also waste valuable traffic, provided, of course, if you allow it to do so. iTunes Match subscribers can combat bloated traffic by blocking the service from accessing cellular networks.
You can do this in the menu Settings -> iTunes Store, App Store, where to uncheck the “Cellular data” item.
Using the Reading List in Safari
The standard Internet browser iOS Safari is designed to waste traffic. Not everyone knows that a browser can do this wisely. The Reading List feature, developed by Apple engineers back in iOS 7, allows you to save any page on the global network for offline viewing by pressing just one button.
As an example, you can save interesting pages to your Reading List while within Wi-Fi coverage. After which, without an Internet connection, these pages can be opened and calmly studied. And the traffic is intact and the hunger for information is satisfied - everything is in the black. 
In order to save a web page in the “Reading List” you just need to click the corresponding button located in the Send menu of the Safari browser (the icon looks like glasses).
Getting rid of unnecessary push notifications
Push notifications from almost all applications consume data. Users really only need a few notifications, for example, from their favorite social network or sports application. This means that by disabling unnecessary push notifications we can reduce the traffic consumption of the mobile device.
You can choose which applications are worthy of your attention and which are not in the menu Settings -> Notification Center.
How to reduce the consumption of mobile traffic on a smartphone or tablet is a classic problem of the era of the mobile Internet, solved with varying success from year to year, as technology develops and new services appear. We will tell you below how to minimize traffic consumption when using an iPhone.
Video instruction
How to reduce mobile data consumption on iPhone or iPad
1. How to track traffic consumption
Is there a problem with overspending at all? To do this, you need to know exactly how many bytes have leaked and arrived over a specified period of time, tied to the tariff plan, usually per month. The numbers you are looking for can be found along the following path: Settings → cellular In chapter Cellular tariff statistics field "Current period", but there's one catch. iOS automatically counts traffic and summarizes old data with new ones, showing by default values for the entire period of operation of the gadget.
This means that you will have to get into the habit of pressing the button once a month "Reset statistics" at the very bottom of this menu and “start life from scratch.”
As an alternative, you can use a third-party service, for example, the Traffic Accounting application or.
2. How to identify and disable applications responsible for increasing traffic consumption
Here in the section Cellular data for Mobile traffic usage statistics are available for each application installed on the iPhone.
Starting with iOS 7, the system is trained to report, in detail, which specific applications used cellular communications in their work. And indicating the value of traffic shares in understandable units of measurement - kilobytes (Kb) and megabytes (MB), calculating the most “gluttonous” is as easy as shelling pears. In order to show who the true owner of this iPhone is, we study the list of consumers and, with royal gestures, turn off the very best. In case of doubt, the switch can be moved in the other direction at any time.
3. Turn off cellular data (2G, 3G, LTE)
A method recommended when traveling or for users with a small monthly mobile data limit. You don’t have to deal with a long list of applications that consume cellular Internet, but with just one toggle switch (Settings → Cellular → Cellular Data) turn off cellular transmission (mobile traffic) completely.
There is no reason to worry; you certainly will not be left without access to the Internet - Wi-Fi is not turned off by this toggle switch.
4. Limit Instagram, VKontakte, FaceTime and other social networks and instant messengers
Scrolling through the list of applications during tip 2, you will probably see this name, among others, with far from symbolic numbers next to it. Is being ready to communicate every second with your contact list really so important that you don't have to worry about paying for traffic? Then there is no point in taking further actions - move the switch to the " off", leaving only a connection via Wi-Fi. The one that is free in many cafes, offices and in the presence of frivolous neighbors. We do the same with « gluttonous » Instagram, Skype and Vkontakte.
5. Turn off syncing iCloud Drive
The option is designed for a good purpose, but in practice, not everything is so simple - updating data in the cloud at every convenient moment does not so much help save files as it increases traffic. Of course, for those who actively use content, automatic synchronization is vital all the time when working with documents.
Especially when it comes to real work and corresponding responsibility, but most iPhone owners do not store business files in iCloud at all, but all sorts of interesting garbage. And even though it is as dear as a memory, for the sake of the great goal of minimizing traffic it is worth visiting Settings → Cellular and at the very bottom turn the switch iCloud Drive, to the off position, thereby prohibiting the system from using cellular communications to work with cloud storage.
6. Block downloads from the iTunes Store and App Store on cellular networks
The business world is cruel - we are forced to pay for content, for using a virtual service and, in addition, for traffic. Often redundant, and the question of the need to necessarily copy purchased files to all iOS gadgets is still a matter of debate. Meanwhile, the optimal solution is before our eyes - let’s go to Settings → iTunes Store, App Store and turn off cellular traffic (switch Cellular data) for automatic downloads from the iTunes Store, App Store.
7. Turn off data roaming
What many compatriots vacationing abroad have been burned by - downloaded clips, fashion hits, news from home and other benefits of mobile Internet at the resort turn into millions of bills. It may be an exaggeration, but it is not based out of nowhere, and since this article is about minimizing traffic to reduce costs, you should absolutely not ignore this aspect.
The easiest way is to “take and cancel”, switch to position "Off" corresponding toggle switch data roaming, located along the way Settings → cellular → Data Options → data roaming.
8. Use Safari offline
Many users like to save web pages of sites for later offline reading. And you don’t need to download third-party applications for this; you can use the standard Safari browser. For this:
1. Open Safari and load the desired web page;
2. Switch to reading mode by clicking on the special icon to the left of the URL;
4. In the menu that appears, click on the option “ Save PDF to iBooks»;
5. Once saved, the page will open in the easy-to-read iBooks app.
Hello! Despite the fact that the number of gigabytes (included by cellular operators in their tariffs) is growing every year, and the price, on the contrary, is falling, still not many can afford completely unlimited Internet on their device. And here, most likely, it’s not a matter of “allowing”, but simply not many people need it. There is a conditional one gigabyte per month and it is enough - why pay more?
But in some cases (especially when switching to an iPhone from another device), these same gigabytes suddenly begin to not be enough - when turned on, Apple’s mobile phone begins to wildly eat up traffic and eats up the entire available limit in a few hours. And this is where the screams begin: “The iPhone is bad, I just inserted a SIM card - I don’t do anything, and the traffic goes away on its own (and even the battery is drained!).” Ay-ay-ay and all that...:) Why is this happening? Believe me, not because the iPhone is bad and the company decided to ruin you. No.
The thing is that the iPhone, like any modern smartphone, has a number of settings that you simply need to pay attention to in order to avoid such “arbitrariness” of your smartphone with your own Internet.
But first, a small list of where traffic on iPhone can go without your knowledge:
An experienced reader and user will say: “Yes, there are still plenty of places where traffic can flow!” And he will be right - mailbox updates, push notifications, browser, etc. all this also affects the number of gigabytes consumed, but:
- Say that push notifications, mail loading, etc. they really eat up the entire cellular Internet - it’s impossible. If they use it, it is in very small quantities.
- And if you turn all this off, as suggested on many sites (the most brilliant advice I’ve come across is to turn off the Internet in the settings so that you don’t waste it), then why use an iPhone?
Therefore, we’ll try to make do with little expense - we’ll ban the iPhone from consuming the Internet on its own, but without much damage to us.
Updating or downloading programs from the App Store
Current applications and games can reach 2-3 gigabytes in volume, and Apple has taken care of preserving traffic - you cannot officially download a program with a volume of more than 150 megabytes from the App store (though we know). But at the same time, there are a large number of programs with a volume less than this threshold (150 MB). And it is they who can devour your Internet package.
Here we are talking not so much about downloading (you see what you are downloading), but about independently updating these programs via the cellular network. Therefore, such an update needs to be disabled:
That's it, now programs will stop using the cellular network for their updates, and will do this only via Wi-Fi.
How to find out which application is consuming traffic on iPhone
Installed programs, in addition to simply updating their version, can also consume the Internet in order to perform their normal functions. Therefore, if you really feel that megabytes are running away, it makes sense to check - maybe some application is too greedy? You can do this:
Just in case, remember this point so that in the future you won’t be surprised why cards (for example) refuse to work and update their data.
Sending “official information” can also waste internet
In fact, of course, this option does not consume the mobile Internet so much and I have not encountered this myself, but I have seen several stories that talk about this particular “glitch” or failure, when this very service information was constantly sent. Therefore, I decided to include this item here - disabling its sending would definitely not be superfluous. How to do it?
As we see in the explanation, this information is sent daily, and does not carry any special burden other than helping Apple improve its products. Therefore, if you turn off its transmission, then nothing bad will happen, and traffic (even if small) will be saved.
“Help with Wi-Fi” – traffic on iPhone leaks very quickly
“Wonderful” option, which for some reason is enabled by default. Its essence is that if your Wi-Fi signal does not work, and the cellular network can provide better speed, Wi-Fi will automatically turn off and data transfer will go through the SIM card.
Not long ago I fell for this bait myself - I sat watching videos on YouTube and didn’t bother anyone. Then the iPad didn’t like something about my Wi-Fi (bad signal, insufficient speed) and considered it necessary to turn it off (which is important - no notifications come!), and I, blissfully unaware, continued to enjoy the video via cellular connection. I came to my senses only after the operator sent an SMS message with the text: “Your Internet package is coming to an end.”
Therefore, in my opinion, if you do not have an unlimited tariff, this option should be disabled immediately. How to do it:
I repeat, this option should be turned off in almost any case, so that there are no surprises with the disappearance of traffic.
Syncing iCloud services eats up mobile data
iCloud is really good and convenient, and backups are generally beyond praise. However, if you care about saving precious megabytes on your tariff, then in this case the “cloud” will have to be turned off.
We are now talking about iCloud Drive - this is a kind of cloud data storage (I have already discussed the principles of its operation). So, synchronization (downloading and uploading data) with this storage can occur over a cellular network. And it’s good if you sent a small object there, but what if it’s 100-200 megabytes? By the time it downloads, all traffic will go away.
Yes, and ordinary programs can store their data there. And who knows how much they will load there? But the good thing is that all this can be turned off:
After this, the “cloud” will synchronize exclusively via Wi-Fi.
It would seem that each of the actions is quite simple and does not require much effort. But disabling and performing all points:
- Firstly, it will not cause much damage to the functionality of the iPhone.
- Secondly, it will help save traffic and the Internet will not disappear to no one knows where.
P.S. Write in the comments if even after doing all these steps your iPhone is still too power hungry.