How to Reduce System Sevices Appetite for My Cellular Data? (iOS 16.5.1, iPhone 14 Pro)

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How to Reduce System Sevices Appetite for My Cellular Data? (iOS 16.5.1, iPhone 14 Pro)

I’m the only one on my cell plan so I don’t pay for unlimited data, meaning each GB costs me $15. Currently, with 8 days to go until my plan resets, I’ve used 735 MB of data, but 477 MB of that is for “System Services”, which is completely out of my control. I’ve contacted Apple Support and their only suggestion was to turn off cellular data, which I now do when I get dangerously close to my limit (happens every month). It’s a shame that I have to severely restrict the apps I want to use, just to make room for Apple’s “System Services”. (Out of the 93 apps I have installed, only 15 are allowed to use cellular data.)

Between home, work, stores and connecting to Xfinity hotspots, I’m probably on Wi-Fi 95% of the time. I feel Apple could do a much better job of giving us control over how the system eats up data when not on Wi-Fi.

I am not sure why these services in particular take up so much data:

Apple ID Services
DNS Services (I know what DNS is and DNS lookups only use a tiny amount of data)
Push notifications (I wish I could see how many notifications and data each app is using)
Software Updates (I have this set to Wi-Fi only)
ITunes Media Services (I have both iTunes and Music turned off for cell data - I only listen to downloaded music)
iTunes Accounts

I am wondering how much “Background app refresh” is using data. If an app is turned off for cell data, can it still use it to “refresh” in the background? If so, that’s one area Apple could adjust.

Is anyone aware of anything else I can do to reduce beyond-my-control System Services’s appetite for my precious cellular data… and my wallet?

iPhone 14 Pro

Posted on Jul 4, 2023 4:47 AM

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Answer 1

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Rob_H1

Community Specialist

Jul 5, 2023 11:53 AM in response to Ukiman0714

Hey there Ukiman0714,

Thanks for reaching out to Apple Support Communities. We're happy to provide some assistance.

The actions in this article can help you view and change your cellular data on your iPhone:

View or change cellular data settings on iPhone - Apple Support

As mentioned in that article, "If Cellular Data is off, all data services—including email, web browsing, and push notifications—use Wi-Fi only. If Cellular Data is on, carrier charges may apply. For example, using certain features and services that transfer data, such as Siri and Messages, could result in charges to your data plan."

You also have some options to reduce cellular data usage as outlined under the "Choose cellular data options for data usage, performance, battery life, and more" section:

Choose cellular data options for data usage, performance, battery life, and more

To turn Cellular Data on or off, go to Settings > Cellular.

To set options when Cellular Data is on, go to Settings > Cellular > Cellular Data Options, then do any of the following:

* Reduce cellular usage: Turn on Low Data Mode, or tap Data Mode, then choose Low Data Mode. This mode pauses automatic updates and background tasks when iPhone isn’t connected to Wi-Fi.

* Turn Data Roaming on or off: Data Roaming permits internet access over a cellular data network when you’re in a region not covered by your carrier’s network. When you’re traveling, you can turn off Data Roaming to avoid roaming charges.

Depending on your iPhone model, carrier, and region, the following options may be available:

* Turn Voice Roaming on or off: (CDMA) Turn Voice Roaming off to avoid charges from using other carrier’s networks. When your carrier’s network isn’t available, iPhone won’t have cellular (data or voice) service.

* Enable or disable 4G/LTE: Using 4G or LTE loads internet data faster in some cases but may decrease battery performance. There may be options for turning off 4G/LTE or for selecting Voice & Data (VoLTE) or Data Only.

On iPhone 12 models and later with a 5G data plan, you can do the following:

* Enable Smart Data mode to optimize battery life: Tap Voice & Data, then choose 5G Auto. In this mode, your iPhone automatically switches to LTE when 5G speeds don’t provide noticeably better performance.

* Use higher-quality video and FaceTime HD on 5G networks: Tap Data Mode, then choose Allow More Data on 5G.

For additional assistance, we recommend that you reach out to Apple again directly:

Get Support

Have a great day!

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Answer 2

Ukiman0714 Author

Level 1

30 points

Jul 5, 2023 5:09 PM in response to Rob_H1

Thanks for the info, Rob. I’ve turned on low data mode - that might make a difference. Have to compare once I reset my data usage on the 13th.

I’ve also wondered why some apps have used cellular data even though they are toggled off. It’s possible that I turned some of them on temporarily, but I know that I’ve never turned the apps I circled below on for cellular data. I wonder if this is some kind of background updating. It’s really confusing and I wish toggling off an app truly prevented it from doing anything over cellular. Hopefully low data mode will help.

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How to Reduce System Sevices Appetite for My Cellular Data? (iOS 16.5.1, iPhone 14 Pro)

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