Ensuring that you don’t exceed your data limits can be a tough business, however there are a few simple steps to help curb the needless wasting. Here at What Mobile, we’ve compiled a handy Top 8 for the best ways to save smartphone data.
1. Close Apps
It probably sounds obvious but you’d be surprised how many people forget the simplest of things. Leaving applications open will place them in a suspended state, which unfortunately means that they continue to consume data. Leaving multiple applications open at a time will allow you to switch between things faster but it’s not the best practice.
2. Disable notifications and background apps
Applications can be allowed to run in the background even when they’re closed, which means they will accept incoming notifications from other devices. Notifications mean a constant data connection, which in turn means a lot of megabytes going missing while you’re unaware. Any applications you install will typically be allowed to run in background unless specified. Therefore, it’s important to carefully manage what apps you need to run in the background versus those you don’t care about.
3. Disable Geo-Location
Location data is a big drain on your allowance if you allow it to run wild within your applications. Map software, fitness apps and social networks all have the ability to track your location, which is less than ideal unless it’s absolutely necessary. Not everyone needs to know that you’re tweeting from a Costa Coffee near Liverpool Street, so it’s probably best if you disable geo-locations for those extra few megabytes.
4. Disable auto-play on social media
It seems like almost every modern social media platform now offers the ability for videos to begin playing before you’ve clicked on them. It’s an annoyance that see’s swamps of noisy clips playing in the background as you frantically try to locate them on your timeline. Head to the appropriate application and disable auto-play to help stop the annoying vids and save you some data in the process.
5. Set data usage limits
Data usage limits are a great way to impose restrictions on those who usually exceed their monthly allowance. By setting up a maximum usage allowance equivalent to what you are supplied by your mobile provider, you will be able to coincide your data expenditure with your monthly contract renewal. This means you will never reach the limit and start getting those pesky additional charges.
6. Cut down on streaming
Streaming is both a blessing and a burden, as it’s a massive data hog but so addictive. Music and videos are the primary culprits, as it gives us the convenience to watch/listen to them before they have fully downloaded to our smartphone. This uses up a hefty amount of mobile data. It’s best to pre-load videos on WIFI before you commute and watch them in that way, as you won’t be sapping that precious mobile juice.
7. Keep an eye on battery usage
Battery usage directly correlates to your smartphone usage, so it’s worth noting that if the battery is low then you’ve probably overdone it on the app usage. Unless you’ve been playing a demanding game or something similar, it’s worth monitoring your levels to see just how much time you spend needlessly surfing away your mobile data allowance.
8. Compress web pages
Most modern mobile browsers now have some form of web page compression built-in, which allows them to reduce the data usage during your typical surfing sessions. It’s worth checking out the settings pages in popular browsers such as Chrome and Opera, plus Internet Explorer if you’re a Windows Phone user.
