iOS 17.1 Bug - iCloud Using Cellular Data Despite Being Set to Wifi Only

I signed up here just to respond that I’m having this same issue as well. 

I’ve been traveling abroad and because of that I’ve been purchasing data-only eSIMs for data usage during my trip. There’s no WiFi at the place that I’m staying at and I’ve done this exact trip before, so like usual I’ve made sure to turn on Low Data Mode for the data eSIM with Cellular Data Switching turned off, as just these settings were able to keep my data usage to a minimum during previous trips this year.

At the start of my trip, my iPhone 15 Pro Max was on iOS 17.0.3. No issues with excessive data usage.

When iOS 17.1 was released, I updated to that version because I was running into other non-data related bugs that I wanted to get fixed. The morning after I updated my phone, I couldn’t seem to load anything so I checked my cellular data usage and it showed that iCloud used 46.1 gb of data. My eSIM data plan was for 50gb, so it used up all of my data in one night. I checked my iCloud backup and confirmed that there has been no backup made while I’ve been on my trip. I also checked Photos and confirmed that they have not been synced during my trip. 

I temporarily switched from my data-only eSIM to my T-Mobile eSIM to purchase another data-only eSIM. I was able to purchase another eSIM, but in the few minutes that it took to purchase another eSIM, I received a text from T-Mobile saying “Heads up! You’ve used your free 5GB of high-speed data.” Checking the cellular data usage again, it was iCloud using all of that data. 

Before activating the new eSIM I purchased, I manually turned off everything iCloud related that has a toggle to turn off besides Find My, since that would defeat the purpose of having AppleCare+ Theft and Loss. I also specifically made sure that settings like Wi-Fi Assist and iCloud Backup were toggled off. I also restarted the phone before and after activating the eSIM and checked all of the settings again.

It’s been less than 24 hours since activating this new eSIM, and iCloud has already used over 25gb of data. Again, no iCloud backups have been made recently and no Photos have been synced from my trip.

At this point I’m debating if I need to just sign out of iCloud completely to see if that will stop this from happening, although that really shouldn’t have to be the solution.

mikeyruse wrote:

I recently upgraded to iOS 17.1 on iPhone 13 Mini. My phone is now using significant amounts of data to do some sort of iCloud process overnight even though I have the settings toggled to only do backups and iCloud processes over wifi.

The amount of data it's using is insane. For example, last night, October 31, my phone used over 6.5gb of data between 12am and 6am!

What's more, the process isn't even doing a phone backup. The last phone backup I have is from October 29. The data usage statistics appears under Settings -> Cellular -> System Services -> iCloud. It's showing over 7gb used in a 24 hour period for iCloud.

What's more, I have iCloud turned off over cellular in two places. Once within Settings -> Apple ID - > iCloud -> iCloud Backup where I have backup over cellular selected as off. Then also under Settings -> Cellular where Wifi Assist, iCloud Drive, and iCloud backup are all toggled to off.

Apple support has been useless. The only recommendation was to toggle on and off and restart the phone. This didn't help.

This issue only started on iOS 17.1 and is now costing me a small fortune in data overages. This needs to be fixed immediately. My only temporary solution is to put the phone on airplane mode at night.

post a screenshot of your claim "My phone is now using significant amounts of data to do some sort of iCloud process overnight even though I have the settings toggled to only do backups and iCloud processes over wifi."

Hi;

I have same exact issue with both esim (Mexican carriers), all my data is gone (20gb+) , I bought the 2nd esim in order to get more amount of data, but now that I noticed this post, it's the same pretty much.

I've followed this troubleshooting and settings are disabled.

Just so you have the loop closed, I already called my esim carrier service, they told me, pretty much the 80% of you data is shown was used by the system.

I'll just report it now to Tech Support, I'm not expecting them to do something about a compensation or so, but to have my data stop wasting that much. And not to have this amount of money wasted on data every month.

I experienced this last week, where software updates were using up cellular data.

After updating to the latest IOS 17, it started reporting massive cellular usage for things like Push Notifications and Time & Location. However, after checking my Verizon account, it wasn’t actually using any cellular at all.

No idea what’s really going on.

Well, the reported System Services usage is way down in 17.1.1 (though as I mentioned previously, I don't think it was actually using as much as it was reporting). Time & Location and Push Notifications are still the biggest reported users.

There used to be just a handful of items under System Services, but now there are over 2 dozen, mostly reporting less then 1Mb each. They include things like Game Center and HomeKit, which I never use, so I'm still not sure it's reporting accurately.

mikeyruse wrote:

https://discussions.apple.com/content/attachment/e54ea7d4-65de-4698-ad68-155c17c9cc82

timestamp 00:05 31 October

https://discussions.apple.com/content/attachment/60fa9dc8-b156-4cf4-a4d2-1af69713396b

timestamp 06:26 31 October

https://discussions.apple.com/content/attachment/e2784af5-b012-4166-83b4-023f546f5876

timestamp 06:26 31 October showing iCloud backup over cellular set to off and no iCloud backup was actually completed (last backup 29 Oct)

https://discussions.apple.com/content/attachment/26d8b36b-0e14-417e-9de9-86b356f556e8

timestamp 06:27 31 October demonstrating cellular data for iCloud also turned off under cellular

If you look at your screenshot all of those increased not just icloud.

Icloud should only work if phone is connected to wifi, but when it goes to sleep it is disconnected.

You can talk to yoru phone carrier and ask them about what exactly your cellular data is doing at night.

mikeyruse wrote:

The others increased marginally versus over 6.5gb for iCloud. Thanks for your interest but I don't think you're on the right track or have provided a solution.

Will wait for others to chime in and hopefully someone from Apple Dev to see this.

Per the term of use you signed up for you would know there are no Apple or Apple Dev in these user to user technical forums.

You want apple use the support link at the top right of the forum.

Thank you for your reply and for posting about this issue in the first place. I appreciate your efforts in trying to make sure that Apple is aware of this issue.

Please do let me know if you have any success with getting them to open up a ticket or if there’s any progress on that end.

Hi, bringing back an old post here but did any thing come of this?

Having the exact same issue in 17.4.1, iCloud shouldn’t be using cellular data at all, all settings, backs ups etc. turned off.

I've just woken up to a message from my eSIM provider saying all my data has been used and have found the culprit in Mobile Data > System Services > iCloud as being a 9.1gb to finish off my data allowance, so £40 very much wasted.

Will have to do cellular off at night in the hope that works in the interim, unless there’s a solution.

Thanks in advance.

Appreciate the update and your continued effort in trying to get this fixed.