You can make a difference in the Apple Support Community!

When you sign up with your Apple Account, you can provide valuable feedback to other community members by upvoting helpful replies and User Tips.

💡 Did you know?

⏺ If you can't accept iCloud Terms and Conditions... Learn more >

⏺ If you don't see your iCloud notes in the Notes app... Learn more >

Looks like no one’s replied in a while. To start the conversation again, simply ask a new question.

invenio Author

Level 1

34 points

Unexpected high data usage on the iPhone

I have since November changed from an iPhone 3G to an iPhone 4S and recently noticed a triple increase in data usage (with additional costs incurred). While I used below 250 MB before I'm now using 470+ MB. A Genius at the Bar recommended to switch off Location Services and Cellular Data, but that doesn't really make sense. Is anyone aware what services might consume exorbitant amounts of data (maybe in background processes)?

Is there an app, that monitors data transfers and could give me some clue as to what app or services use most data?

I've asked my operator to tell me if they would be able to let me know which services might have consumed so much data, but due to privacy regulations they are not allowed to access my data usage history.

I have also read somewhere that Siri uses a fair bit of data, but I haven't used that too much either.

iPhone 4S, iOS 5.0.1

Posted on Feb 27, 2012 5:17 PM

184 replies

invenio Author

Level 1

34 points

Mar 6, 2013 12:17 AM in response to EasyStreetApps

I haven't heard of this before. One thing I noticed when I took my iPhone to an Apple Store Genius is that they close all the open apps running in the background (you know via home button double-tap, then tap-and-hold one of the icons in the multitask bar and then closing them - you can actually close several at a time if you spread your fingers to match the icon spacing). Not sure if that is a general trouble-shooting activity, or if that was really to solve part of my problem, but I do that more often now.

invenio Author

Level 1

34 points

Mar 6, 2013 12:25 AM in response to CRDF

Thanks, CRDF. One Apple Genius recommended to just go to Settings : General : Cellular and switch Cellular Data off. This is the obvious data saving "feature", but annoying and not really problem solving. I use the apps "My Data Manager" and a nifty little tool called "Consume" that you can use to track all sorts of accounts.

My provider doesn't send me high usage SMS alerts. So I've to keep track of the usage myself. I've gotten usage a bit better under control with the two utilities mentioned above and Onavo. I don't update apps anymore over 3G also to keep usage under my limit.

invenio Author

Level 1

34 points

Mar 6, 2013 2:01 AM in response to fotomaker

Hi fotomaker and others, it must be very frustrating to deal with all these people and from reading all the posts of all you guys over in the US there must be particular issues on Verizon's network. I have (knock wood) never had this nightly data increase issue here, but I still don't know what much of my data usage is for. It appears to me there is a fair bit of overhead data used and sent. It's a shame that Apple doesn't let us know.

If it helps below are my iPhone 4S' settings. What are yours and what experiences did you make with changing settings and the effect on saving data?

Bluetooth = Off (well, I don't use it, but it also saves battery life when not in use)
Notifications: I only keep a minimum of apps in there. Everything that's not in Notification Center has no badges, sounds or banners assigned. In other words, I keep the data traffic minimal.
- Phone
- Messages
- Reminders
- Calendar
- My Data Manager
- etc.
General
- About
  - Advertising
    Limit Ad Tracking = On
  - Diagnostics & Usage
    Don't Send
- Siri
  Siri = On (I had it Off for a while, but it didn't make much difference. I don't use it very often anyways)
- Cellular
  - Cellular Data = On (but sometimes off, especially when I notice too much data being used on my plan and I run risk exceeding my limit)
  - Enable 3G = On (who wants to go back to GPRS?)
  - Data Roaming = Off (cheaper to buy a local, overseas SIM)
- VPN
  VPN = Off (most of the time)
Privacy
- Location Services
  - Location Services = On (but I only allow a handful of app to use it)
  - System Services (at the very end of the screen)
    - Cell Network Search = Off
    - Compass Calibration = Off
    - Diagnostics & Usage = Off
    - Genius for Apps = Off
    - Location-Based iAds = Off
    - Setting Time Zone = On (if you don't travel across time zones, keep it Off)
    - Traffic = On or Off (depending on need)
    - Status Bar Icon = On
- Contacts - a few, but think of which apps (or providers of these apps) you want to upload your contacts to
- Calendars etc. - as above
- Twitter - a handful only
- Facebook - don't use it anyway
iCloud
- most of the apps, but not Photo Stream
- Documents & Data
  Use Cellular Data = Off
- Storage & Backup
  iCloud Backup = On (since it uses wi-fi)
Mail, Contacts, Calendars
- Accounts - Fetch New Data (Off)
  Push = Off (that can be a bit of a data hog, but if you really need it, leave it on or reduce the fetch times, or limit fetching to a minimum of accounts)
- Mail - Load Remote Images - Off
- Calendars - Sync = Events 1 Month Back
- Calendars - Default Alert Times = None
- Calendars - Shared Calendar Alerts = On (but could be Off if don't use that)
Messages
- iMessage = On
- Send Read Receipt = On
- Send as SMS = On
FaceTime
- FaceTime = On (if you don't use it, switch it to Off)
- Use Cellular Data = On (if you don't use it, switch it to Off)
Safari
Reading List - Use Cellular Data = Off
iTunes & App Stores
Use Cellular Data = Off
Photos & Camera
- My Photo Stream = Off
- Shared Photo Streams = Off
iBooks
- Sync Bookmarks = Off
- Sync Collections = Off
- Show All Purchases = Off
- Online Content = Off
Newsstand
Automatic Content Download = Off (more for reasons of saving battery life)
Podcasts
Use Cellular Data = Off
iTunes U
Sync Courses and Notes = Off (not sure if that goes over wi-fi or cell, but I don't use it anyway)
'Apps' - you'd need to trawl through that list of apps settings to see if there is anything that would eat up your cellular data usage

invenio Author

Level 1

34 points

Mar 6, 2013 2:03 AM in response to wisewoman42

Hi Melissa,

Have you found the culprit?

invenio Author

Level 1

34 points

Mar 6, 2013 2:07 AM in response to SirSimonofCheam

Hi SirSimonofCheam,

I asked my provider if they could give me an idea where data was consumed, but they gave me the answer that they were not allowed to look into my data and basically said that I was using it. No arguing necessary, and while it sounds good to know that there might be policies in place at my provider preventing support staff to see what I was doing on my iPhone, it didn't help me.

The backup and factory reset didn't help me back then under iOS 5, maybe time for a try again under iOS 6...

Mar 6, 2013 2:21 AM in response to invenio

Got my iphone 5 on Saturday, was only able to get a nanosim Monday evening. Tuesday afternoon at work my data usage said 255MB which is absurd considering I hardly used it. Monitoring it today and it's at 3,9MB. No idea what's up either. I'll just have to monitor it a bit and see what happens.

Jfunsun

Level 1

4 points

Mar 6, 2013 5:00 AM in response to Jfunsun

Update:

So, after a month of unrestricted data usage, I used 400mb in one month on my tmobile plan using a iphone 4s. I noticed that in the beginning of the month, I was using a lot of data, especially at night. However, as the month went on, the data at night slowed.

The second month, I began leaving my wifi on all night, and noticed that my usage went down. However, I dont believe it was as a result of keeping the wifi router on all night. It seems that the problem or bug has been fixed, potentially from the ios6 upgrades released by apple. Currently, two weeks into my 200mb plan, I have only used 46mb. This appears to be back to normal because I have wifi at home, work, gym, etc!

Therefore, I dont have any possible solutions that may help solve the problem for others, however, it does seem the problem has ceased for me. Wish all the best.

Mar 6, 2013 5:05 AM in response to Jfunsun

Actually, you might be answering the issue yourself. If apple was doing it's updates automatically, possibly while you were not on any wifi, this may amount on a huge bit of MB. Updating to 6.1.2. takes hundreds of MB from what I understand.

julespom

Level 1

0 points

Mar 7, 2013 2:19 PM in response to invenio

I cant understand what happened, same phone but changed from a T mobile contract to Orange, essentially the same company!

I was averaging 390mb date now Im using suddently 4 times that... I am using so much now after only finding out and 10 days left to run this much that I cant use the data features when not on wifi.

My cellular data is off, and my work suffering.

I am scared and just cant understand what is going on, I really don't use the phone much.

I hope I can soon feel secure about it!

Mar 8, 2013 7:30 AM in response to invenio

Hello there,.

So a little update... I decided that whilst turning off everything in privacy - locatons services - system settings seemed to slow down the usage data counter (in general - usage- cellular data) it still didn't stop it completely. So in the end I did a 'reset all settings' from general - reset.

This didnt lose any of my games or data but just reset apps and things back to default. After than - it appears that I have no mysterious data eating! yay!

I have still kept diagnostiocs and usage / genius for apps and location based i-ads all off in systtem settings.

Other info = *before my reset* I installed the Onavo Count data usage app (free from the Appstore) and it reported that 'Ads' were eating my data! It was by far the highest thing on the list! So I also turned *ON* general - about - advertising - limit advertising . For whatever reason there seem to be two ad related settings on an iPhone? This one and the location based i-ads in system settings? I have no idea exactly what they do.

The Onavo website said that 'ad's' realted to banners - which i assume mean the advertising banners you get in a lot of free apps?

Anyway all that done and my data usage does not tick up in front of my very eyes wen I am doing nothing!

I'm not completely convinved yet that the issue is totally solved. My monthly data allowance starts again today so i will be watching my usgae like a hawk over the next few days to check that the cellular data that my iPhone reports, correlates with what my mobile servcie provider is saying I am using......

Melissa

Mar 9, 2013 4:08 AM in response to invenio

I logged in to itunes on pc with my iphone 3 hours ago and it detected an update to 6.1.2. stating it solves issues with the exchange services, ending in depleted batteries and high data usage. Takes about 2 hours to install, did it, let's see now what it gives. I'd suggest trying it out.

Mar 10, 2013 9:19 AM in response to invenio

Here is the solution I came up with for now - I turned off my Cellular Data and I hardly used any data while in my WiFi area last month. When I need to turn it on - I will and then hopefully remember to turn it off. BUT - the data usage was NOTHING like the past year!!

My usage since Mach 4 is: 5.12 MB

Should this be the solution - probably not - but I feel like I WASTED so much time dealing with both companies that I need to take a break before delving back into it. Not sure if I needed to use my phone outside of a WiFi area as to how much it would gobble up but I guess I will see how that goes when it happens. I am sure you will be hearing back from me then! I just had Verizon FiOS installed in my home. . . I'll do my testing as I get close to the end of my billing cycle - that way I will be able to monitor it and not go over in case it is still a major issue.

My son's doesn''t have any problems with his iPhone 5

I just read that julespom has their celleluar data turned off - it seems like there is not one concrete soultion to everyone's problems.

Mar 15, 2013 7:37 AM in response to GroteGnoe

I am suddenly having this problem, too. I can see massive data amount sent from my phone at odd times. But I can't find this update to 6.1.2. 6.1.2 was a fairly recent update, and the problem seems to have started after that.

Meanwhile I've removed all my apps. This is crazy.

What was the update number that you found?

Mar 16, 2013 4:44 AM in response to invenio

Ok guys.... this is scary! I could never believe that such a thing would make me loose my sleep but it has!! During the last 4 days my iphone ate 4GB!!!! It eats them without me doing nothing!!! No new apps! I downloaded the data manager just to log in every few minutes to see my MB going away 20-20!!!

I would never guess that being forced to switch off my celural data would make me feel so sad!!

I didnt upgrade to the latest io6 for weeks now but it shouldnt be that cause this thing happened the last 4 days! But last nght I did everything, stayed up until 3.00 and updated to the latest io6. Woke up in terror at 6.00 in the morning to find out the little thing is still eating my data! I have freaked out!!

snif snif has anyone heard of any solutions? I called ATT and they will check it out after this bill finishes etc etc end of April!!!

DO I have to call apple now? I read that some people deleted all their apps!! I'll do that too 😟 so saaad

Any new ideas??

VonSox

Level 1

0 points

Mar 16, 2013 6:29 AM in response to Selene128

Apple and the mobile 'phone companies claim to have no idea why this is happening and won't accept any responsibility, but I would assume that is because it is not in their interests to make us aware of how to avoid this serious and expensive issue.

We have our cellular data turned off at all times, unless we are away from wifi and need to use 3g, in which case we turn it on, do what we have to do, and ALWAYS TURN IT OFF AGAIN ONCE WE'VE FINISHED!

That way, your cellular data cannot be used by any app or system while it is off (as far as I know, but it's worked for us!).

We also have 'Limit Ad Tracking' turned to 'ON' (click Settings; General; About; Advertising), nothing at all syncing with iCloud but 'Find My iPhone' enabled in case of loss, and 'Diagnostics & Usage' set to 'Don't Send' (click Settings; General; About; Diagnostics & Usage).

Your 'phone could be sending and receiving data at any time without you knowing it is happening - this is totally above board and nothing untoward is happening, but for the fact it could well be eating up your data plan when you're not even aware of it. Even with wifi enabled, as far as I can tell your 'phone will default to using 3G when it is asleep for any data transmission.

Give it a try, you soon get used to turning your cellular data on and off as and when you need to use the internet through 3G and it only takes a few seconds.

Good luck to all of those who are having issues and please tell your friends they could have similar problems too if they're not careful - the more people are aware of how to avoid this, the less people will be stung with unexpected expensive 'phone bills.

Unexpected high data usage on the iPhone