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Looking at my cellular data and I see that software updates is using a lot of data.
How can I prevent this? I don’t need the turn off cellular data answers. This has not occurred in previous iOS versions. It is only recently iOS 16 that I’ve noticed this issue.
[Re-Titled by Moderator]
iPhone 13 Pro Max
This is happening on my son’s phone and every month is a battle with him with going over on data. So today I reset my cell usage stats, and in the 20 minutes I was out of the house and not on WI-FI, System Services / Software Update claims to have used 747 MB of cell data on my phone. We have since turned of all automatic updates on the phones, but everything I’ve read on here and macforums says that won’t work… we’re talking GBs of updates every month, per phone, at $12 per GB. I’ve been on iPhone since they first came out, but this is last straw territory and I’m a vindictive SOB with stuff like this. Meaning, it gets fixed or I never buy another Apple product ever again and thats just the first step. There is an action that multiple people who’ve all been wronged financially by the same entity can take.
Because Software Updates are very large so you use a lot of data. When updating, make sure the iPhone is connected to Wi-Fi. and if asked wether to use Cellular data or Wi-Fi choose Wi-Fi.
iOS 16 now offers the option to use Cellular data for updates, but you are free to use Wi-Fi by choosing the option when asked.
I have a theory that the new Apple Map is the cause. Try turning off cell use of your Apple map, and see if your “software update” is still consuming a lot of data, if any.
Does “everything turned off” include Cellular Data in Settings/App Store:
I only had the "Cellular Data" on in the App Store, so will turn that off and see.
I'm at 334 MB for this billing period.
Would be great if it is this setting.
I've had the same problem, but with App Store Cellular Data turned off. Still looking for an answer. I'm trying with Automatic Updates for iOS turned off. It's unclear whether iOS updates require approval prior to download--Apple Support reports that users are prompted to choose, in iOS16, whether to download over 5G or wait for wifi. I was not prompted thusly. I'm unsure if the 660mb spike of system services data usage—half of which was Software Updates—actually included an iOS update. But the spike came out of nowhere and killed my data allowance.
Is this option dependent on the cellular carrier? I don’t find this option in cellular settings. I’m having the same issue with software updates using 292mb in about 2 weeks with everything turned off.
I have this same issue. Even though I have turned off and/or disabled absolutely every possible option to reduce or prevent data usage, “System Services” and “Software Updates” continue to eat up more cellular data than all other apps combined, resulting in additional data charges every month.
[Edited by Moderator]
I tried network setting reset as recommended by Apple support and for a few days I thought it was solved but it wasn’t. They performed a hardware check but couldn’t find anything. It remains a mystery. Quite an expensive one.
It seems not to be carrier dependent.
can i turn off most of built in apps which am not using it?
Hi. I have the same settings. But cellular data still eats 300-900mb monthly.
I think Apple must change the name what is really being used to stop this confusion!
I found out that when I switch off 5G (and use LTE instead) has fixed the problem (so far). Could someone test this theory too?
It’s happening on my iPhone XS without 5G as well.
Didn't work on my phone. Despite 'low data mode' and all updates and background refreshes turned off, even in low power mode, it consumed 1GB within minutes...
I don’t know
It happens with automatic updates switched off! So it’s not the occasional iOS update. It must be something different.
Why is Software Updates on my iPhone using so much data?
