Data-Saving Settings on Popular Apps You Should Apply

We love data, don’t we? The invisible glue that connects us to the internet while draining the life out of our wallets as well. Love or hate it, data has become as important as the food we eat. That is why we must learn to manage it efficiently. Many apps we use on our devices contain data-saving settings to help you manage data. The problem is, we just don’t know where to look.

In a previous article, we covered smart ways to save big on mobile data; in this article, we have detailed out data-saving settings on popular apps that you should apply right away if you are looking to browse more data efficiently:

how to save mobile data

Facebook

Video autoplay consumes the most data on Facebook. You can turn-off autoplay by doing the following:

  1. Tap Menu (the three lines buttons) in the top right.
  2. Scroll down and tap Settings & Privacy > Settings.
  3. Scroll down and tap Media and Contacts (for iPhones users, you would select Videos and Photos before you proceed)
  4. Tap Autoplay.
  5. Select Never Autoplay Videos.

You can control how fast Facebook pictures loads by adjusting how many photos you want to see. To do this:

  1. Tap Settings & Privacy at the bottom of the screen.
  2. Tap General.
  3. Tap Edit next to Data Usage.
  4. Choose Less or Normal or More
  5. Click Save.
how to save mobile data

Instagram

By default, Instagram preloads videos so they start faster whenever possible. To use less data on Instagram:

  1. Go to your profile and tap the Menu button (the three-line icon)
  2. Tap Settings below the Menu page.
  3. Tap Account > Cellular Data Use.
  4. Next to Use Less Data (iPhone) or Data Saver (Android), toggle on.

WhatsApp

Videos sent to you on WhatsApp can download automatically even when you don’t want to play it? To disable video autoplay on WhatsApp:

  1. Tap the three vertical dots on the top right > Settings.
  2. Now tap Chat settings > Media auto-download. (You’ll see three options: When using cellular data, When connected on Wi-Fi and When roaming)
  3. Tap each one and disable auto-downloads by unchecking all three options – Images, Audio, and Video.

For iPhone users:

  1. Open WhatsApp and tap the Settings button at the bottom-right, and tap on Data and Storage Usage.
  2. In this menu, you will see the Media Auto-Download option on the top.
  3. For Photos, Audio, Videos, and Documents, select the Never option.

Twitter

Like Facebook, Twitter also has an autoplay feature embedded in the app. You can disable this by following these steps:

  1. Go to your Twitter profile icon
  2. Click on Settings and Privacy
  3. Select Data Usage
  4. Set video autoplay to Never
how to save mobile data

YouTube

The video king app consumes a lot more data than most apps. To limit data usage on YouTube:

  1. Tap on your profile icon on the option right corner
  2. Select Settings
  3. Click on General
  4. Turn on Limit Mobile Data Usage

Google PlayStore

Apps auto-updates over mobile data are the main data drainer when it comes to PlayStore. You can choose to auto-update only over Wi-Fi or never auto-update. To disable mobile data auto-updates, do the following:

  1. Open PlayStore
  2. Click on Menu > Settings
  3. Click on Auto-update Apps
  4. Select Auto-update Apps over Wi-Fi Only (or you can choose Do Not Auto-Update Apps)

iPhone AppStore

Similar to PlayStore, apps on iPhone would auto-update by default unless you disable this feature or set it to Wi-Fi only. To do this:

  1. Go to Settings on your iPhone
  2. Click on iTunes and App Store
  3. Turn off the apps you do not want to update
  4. Turn off auto-update over mobile data below the menu

Manage your Sync Settings

While this is not an app, it is important to know that Google on Andriod and Apple on iPhone regularly sync with your phone data such as videos and pictures automatically. This is to provide backing and retrieval of data in case you lost your device, but it equally consumes a lot of data.

To manage your sync settings on Andriod:

  1. Go to Settings
  2. Click on Account Option
  3. Click on the App whose sync settings you want to adjust
  4. Turn off sync on apps you don’t need synchronizing

For iPhone users:

  1. Open iTunes
  2. Connect your device to a computer
  3. Select your connected device from the Top device button
  4. Go to Options in Summary Sections
  5. Disable Automatic sync when this iPhone is connected
  6. Close iTunes for change to take effect
how to save mobile data

Conclusion

Hopefully, these details save you more data for efficient browsing. Don’t forget that these settings apply to all mobile networks: MTN, Airtel, 9mobile, and Glo. If you are using a Wi-Fi connection such as Smile, you might need to go through the Wi-Fi settings to see how to manage data or reach out to Smile support.

6 Ways to Save BIG on Your Mobile Data

You know that odd feeling you get when you’re two weeks into your one-month mobile data plan and your network provider sends you that heart-breaking message; “Dear Customer…”? Ahhh!

That thing dey pain eh! You start wondering how the data finished so fast, what you did with it and why it just can’t last for 30 days as provided by your network. I know how that feels, we’ve all been there.

In this age of increased internet activities, video streaming, social networking, pop-up ads, music streaming, and tons of data-hungry apps fighting for attention on our mobile phones, data has become a vital commodity and should be managed like scare goods. If not, you might find your data bills punching huge holes in your pocket every month.

So here are 6 overall ways you can save big on monthly mobile data. Be sure to see detailed data-saving settings on popular apps you should apply:

how to save mobile data

1. Delete Data-hungry Apps you don’t Need

When you go through some people’s phones, you would start wondering whether they are selling apps. Most apps update themselves or run in the background using data. Others are notification-enabled and would send you notifications every now and then. Learn to keep only apps that you NEED. If you don’t use an app for months, what is it doing on your phone?

2. Monitor your data usage

Most smartphones are contain data usage monitor and settings so that you can monitor and limit the amount of data you use over a period of time. Been aware of the activities or applications that drain your mobile data is the first step to learning how to save mobile data. Once you know your enemy apps, easily set up data limits and alerts to tell when you exceed data limits in Settings menu.

3. Restrict Apps from running in background

You see all those apps you use daily but consumes data even when you are not using them, their medicine is to simply disable them from running in the background through Settings. However, these background feature allows apps to update themselves and complete tasks even when you move to another app. So be sure to know if you need an app to run in the background before you disable this feature. Stopping apps from running in the background helps reduce data consumption and also preserves your device’s battery life.

how to save mobile data

4. Curtail online video streaming

Perhaps this one should have come first. We simply love those funny videos, highlights and other video content that consume most of your mobile data. Excessive streaming of videos, music, high quality images or GIF files, are data pits. You need to entertain yourself responsibly to save data. If you can’t avoid the entertainment your smartphone brings, you can set the image quality or resolutions at lower rates in your Settings menu.

5. Use Wi-Fi Only for Updates or Downloading Heavy Files

A big way to save mobile data is by setting your smartphone to auto-updates only when on Wi-Fi connection. We know we haven’t gotten to the stage of unlimited Wi-Fi connection in Nigeria yet, still there are certain locations you can count on for free Wi-Fi. This way, you get to save some significant volume of the data that goes into oblivion from auto-updates. Furthermore, you can set downloads of heavy contents such as videos, high-resolution images and music files on Wi-Fi Only too.

6. Caching and preload data

Caching enables you enjoy preloaded content at any time, without using further mobile data. A cache is a hardware or software component that stores data so future requests for that data can be served faster. The data stored in a cache might be the result of an earlier computation or the duplicate of data stored elsewhere. Certain apps allow you to store data temporarily so you can cache as much content as possible. You don’t need further data to access cached data while they are available.

Hopefully, this changes someone’s data story. You shouldn’t miss data-saving settings on popular apps you should apply now.

To buy data instantly from your mobile phone at no extra cost, simply visit ppp.vtpass.com, select your network provider, and buy data you. No matter your network provider: MTN, Airtel, Glo, 9mobile or Smile data, VTpass got you covered.

DATA BUDGET:How to reduce data usage

Keeping in touch with the life around us has always been the reason the lot of us stay close to the internet services on our Android, IOS phones, and other electronic devices. Apparently, being able to stay current, interact and connect over the cloud does not come free, it is paid for. With every passing moment, service providers like MTN, Airtel, 9mobile and GLO tag a price on every megabyte offered, in so much that the free or unlimited data plan that used to be is rarely available anymore.

On the part of the users, several tons of data, that could otherwise be saved, are being consumed at a high rate. It, therefore, becomes important to know how to manage it so as not to expend whatever money you have. Follow up on the tips below and you should be able to rescue your data budget.

JUST THE RIGHT AMOUNT OF DATA

One incontestable way to reduce data usage and save cost is knowing how much data you need in the first place. It is easier to use something lavishly when it is readily available. But if every megabyte is reasonably accounted for, there will be no cause for any such unwarranted waste. To know your approximate need, and the plan you really need to subscribe for, keep tabs on your previous data usage and make a mental table of what really are your requisite needs online. Sum up a number of the unimportant ways you have put your data to use. Then approximately calculate just what bundle you will need for your next subscription. Your internet bundle should be slightly above your data needs in case of an emergent situation.

HOW TO SAVE DATA USING VTPASS.COM

Vtpass.com, as an online payment platform, helps reduce your data usage and save cost in more ways than one. For one, you can credit your wallet with a budgeted amount according to your need and capacity, and only fund your internet subscription from the wallet. This way, you can have an online account specifying just how much you are willing to use for your data subscription on your GLO, MTN, 9MOBILE and AIRTEL,  networks.

Again, you can follow up on all your transactions through vtpass.com. This helps you keep track of your expenses. Not only that, you can even earn money on vtpass.com while buying data subscription on your device. This is possible through the Refer a Friend affiliate program.  By referring a friend to the platform, you will be paid for the transactions they carry out. The good thing is vtpass.com, as an online payment platform, can be readily accessed even on your mobile device, so you don’t need a PC or laptop to get on the site. Log on to ppp.vtpass.com now to make payment and optimise data usage.

WIFI PLEASE!!!

ONE WAY TO REDUCE DATA IS TO USE PUBLIC WIFI
USE WIFI IN PUBLIC LOCATIONS AS MUCH AS YOU CAN

Really, considering the high rate of technological awareness in Nigeria, more and more places are being braced with wifis. There is, therefore, no need to use cellular data to update apps or download huge files. This can be done when within range of a wifi network. Also, streaming of high-quality videos needs not be done unless when wifi service is available. Better still, in very immediate circumstances, these videos can be downloaded or you can use offline options like YouTube Red.

BACKGROUND DATA

Several apps consume data in the background, getting updated severally, uploading messages or posts etc. One such app is Instagram. Because of the constant visuals, it deals with, its data consumption is on par. It is therefore advisable to regulate the number of people you follow on Instagram. This, of course, excludes those whose main line of operation, lie within this realm. But as much as possible, use wifi wherever possible to update or upload message with rich texts or high par images. You can also restrict the background data consumed by some apps on your Android phone. First, go to Settings> Wireless & Network> Data Usage. This presents the statistics of applications consuming the bulk of your data in ascending order. Click on any of such app and you will be given the option to restrict its background data.

COMPRESS YOUR DATA

Another way to reduce data usage is to optimise the use of browsers that help compress information before sending it to your mobile Android or IOS device. Such browsers include Opera Mini and Google Chrome.

SET YOUR LIMIT

If you are such one that still whittles off your data before its stipulated time of expiry, then it is good you set a limit for yourself, so that every now and then, you know just when to stop. You can also enable an alert that tells you when you are going over the bar. To do this on your Android, you should go to Settings>Wireless & Network>Data Usage. Below the Mobile data button (which should be switched on at this point), there will be an option to Set Mobile Data Limit, tick it, and then set your limit and alert level.

There is nothing better than being able to get your data subscription or renew your data plan, just when you want to, and still be able to save as much of it as you can. With Vtpass.com, this is very possible. Visit our website ppp.vtpass.com, to buy and renew your data. Also, utilise our affiliate programs to earn more money even as you stay connected.