Q: IOS 8 High Cellular Data Usage

I'm in the UK on EE (formerly T-Mobile), was having a problem but seems I have sorted it out now.

I've had the same issues, and even when I realized this was happening and reached Apple's Support. They only suggested me to reset the iPhone and set it up as a new one.

I lost some data and configuration from Apps, but it is very frustrating that even it is a known issue to Apple, they don't take any responsibility on the issue and don't cover any charges the defects in their software caused.

The worst part of this, is not the issue itself, it is the poor response you get from Apple and realizing that they don't care their customers anymore.

Exact same problem with Fido in Canada. In seven days this (new-to-me) iPhone 5 on 8.02/8.1 used a month's data plan... when in previous 18 months I had never even hit the ceiling using a 4S. Fido technician on the phone said he had not heard of any ios8 issues about excessive data use. Apparently he doesn't use google to do research.

He was, however, familiar with the identical problem in ios6 when Fido did some reimbursements.

I've just done a reset and restore as if a new phone so we shall see...

I'm not sure about AT&T, but when I called Verizon, the customer service rep was aware of the complaint and was even reading to me notes about the complaints.  She suggested I turn off cellular data for all but the apps I want to use when not near WiFi.  She also suggested that we turn off ALL cellular data for one 24 hour period to see if data is used.  We plan on trying this over the weekend when we are normally around the house.

That's all fine and good, but it's still an issue with ios8. 

Maybe as individual apps get updated, the data/wifi issues will get sorted out?  I've seen an improvement with data use (more normal) by just turning off iCloud (which I hate) as suggested in a comment above.

Apple still needs to make sure it's fixed.  It's an Apple problem, not individual user problem. 

Yes, after trying just about every fix, we still had the problem with both iPhone 5s, and to a lesser extent with iPhone 6. Shutting off ICloud, deleting mail account, shut cellular off to multiple apps -- nothing worked. I am convinced it has to do with the carrier software. They had a similar problem back in 2012 and they released a carrier update to solve the data leak on wi-fi occurring on Verizon. I had brought the 6 back to factory reset status, did not add apps, and still had the data charges occurring every 6 hours. That tells you that it's something in the iOS that's causing it. No rogue corrupt app or anything like that.

MadApplePie -- I have tried everything including shutting the cellular off completely for over 2 days. The first day the phone was in the house under wifi. The second day the phone did leave the house. I still had data charges every 6 hours On the first day.  3 separate occurrences. That shows the phone is still leaking data under wifi.

To rule out a corrupt app causing it I did a factory reset and still had charges every 6 hours! I also have the iPhone 6 (the other phone was my daughter's) and I am also getting the 6 hour charges, but the amount of data is much smaller. I calculate 0.4 GB is being wasted a month with them. My daughter's was much worse. With the 5s, she "used" over 6 GB and 5.5 GB of that we're the every 6 hour charges.

I have given both Verizon and Apple screenshots of the settings and my data log notated daily with what "fixes" were tried, 6 hour charges highlighted, and total data, average data per day and gray data totals (the every 6 hour charges). Both say "Not me!"

My daughter is back on the 4s since the evening of the 14th. Her average data so far is 0.003 per day. FAAAAAAR LESSSSS than either the 5s or 6 And she is actually using it, instead of it just sitting abs sucking up data by itself. It's gotta be either the carrier software needs to be updated OR the sim card. See, the 4s did not have a sim but the 5s and 6 do... A friend said his company solved the problem they had with their corporate phones by changing the SIM card... I guess only way to know is to switch MY phones SIM card. I am also waiting for Apple to get back to me regarding the engineer's analysis of her 4s settings and why those actually work correctly. In the meantime they have suggested that I update my iOS to 8.1... I'm guessing this has NOT made anyone's problems better?? I'm afraid that if I do upgrade, my data leaks may get WORSE.

I'm getting a new Iphone 6 Plus of my own, on Monday, and your post made me a little curious.  My wife's iphone 6, which I got for her in September, had an issue for a couple of days until I changed some settings, and went back to 22 megs of cell data a day, which is normal for her.

I'm assuming "shutting the cellular off completely for over 2 days" does not mean you had the phone in airplane mode with wifi turned on, which is the way to shut cellular off completely.  But does it include toggling off "Use Cellular Data" under Settings / ICLOUD/Documents & Data as well as under Settings/Cellular?

Turning off "use cellular data" was not preventing the service "iTunes Accounts" from use cellular data. I mean, the only thing that worked for me, was turning off the phone or the airplane mode.

In my case, when not having WiFi coverage, this service was using about 100 MB per hour. My carrier was so happy for this!

I'd wish Apple take seriously these reports, and they release iOS versions when they are ready and functional not to meet a deadline.

Sorry to go off on a slight tangent.

I used the methods suggested below:

1) Settings>General>iCloud>Documents & Data... Scroll down and have the customer turn off Use¿Cellular Data

2) Settings>iTunes & App Store> Scroll down to AUTOMATIC DOWNLOADS and have the customer turn off MUSIC, APPS, UPDATES

3) Settings>General>Background App Refresh (turn off any apps that the customer doesn't want to automatically refresh with their information)

4) Settings>Privacy>Location Services (the customer will see all the apps that have the GPS enabled(Everything should be turned off except Setting Time Zone)

Number 4) I have half of the location services still switched on to enables those app to work.

These methods have generally kept my data usage lower. However, YouTube seems to eat a load of data still. For example, I load a video for about 5 seconds and it uses up between 40-50 MBs in one go. I try to not watch many videos whilst on 3G/4G but I just find it bizarre that it uses up this much data in a short space of time when my previous handset - iPhone 4s used up a significant smaller chunk of data whilst on YouTube.

I have also tried to erase all content and set up the phone as new. However, I downloaded the YouTube app again and the same problem occured.

Any advice?????

Just guessing, of course, but make sure you have "Play HD on Wi_Fi only" turned on.  The setting is found in the You Tube app itself by tapping the three horizontal bars to open the side panel, then the gear.

Hey, thanks for the advice. Unfortunately 20 MBs of data is still being used up just by loading a video for 5 seconds. I was wondering  if this was normal for an iPhone 6 or whether the usage is excessive? I am also on iOS 8.1.

nj   How much data was downloaded, vs how much was charged, has to be figured based on how far the progress bar (buffer bar) gets, clip resolution, and clip length in seconds.  I would pick a short clip, let it fully download (buffer bar is full), and see if the data charged exceeds the clip size in MB.  1080p uses 12MB for a 1 minute clip, 480P uses 4MB for a 1 minute clip.  I'd say if the clip size is a lot less than the data charge you are getting overcharged, just my opinion.

a) Something else I just noticed is that the "Stocks" app that comes with all Apple iOS installations is pre-loaded with about a dozen stocks and "Background App Refresh" to use cellular data is defaulted on.

If you never looked at the Stocks App before, surprise, it's been chewing up data in the background since you activated the phone.

Must be turned off in:  Settings>General>Background App Refresh

You also can delete all the stocks on the list by opening the Stocks app and using its settings. Stocks app does not appear in the alphabetical list of apps that you find in the main Settings screen.

b) Despite have Notifications turned off for Tips and iTunes Store, this morning I had notifications from both of those.

It seriously looks like settings I make are not sticking, and are being changed either by the app, by unexpected incoming Push notifications or simply that the setting never 'took' in the first place.

The posting from nuno.bett in this thread helped me prevent dozens of apps from using cellular data, but the solution is a bit technical and probably scary to a few people. I had a lot of apps that I could not get to stop using cellular data. I would switch them off, but Settings always showed them as switched on. As it turned out, they had a "2" in the database nuno.bett mentions, where they should only have a 0 or 1 (for off/on to use cellular). And also as it turns out, most of the apps stuck on 2 were apps that come as part of iOS and can't be deleted. (Like Newsstand, Game Center, App Store...) If you're not afraid of manually editing and then uploading a config database file to your phone, this solution is great for resetting all apps to be Cellular off. You can practice editing the file a few times without actually sending the file back to your phone, if you're not confident.

After restoring the changed file back to your phone, it takes about 4 minutes for the phone to restore and reboot. Then you can then go back into Settings and set each app individually to use Cellular on if you need.

I too just realized that my iphone5 with the new IOS8 has sucked all my 6GB for the month and i still have 3 weeks left!!!! Called BELL and of course i got now where with them on that! Seems the new update is sucking everyones data!!! What a brutal update apple did this time..... i cannot believe this !!! i even had to update to a new IPAD from my IPAD2 because the update totally screwed it up!

Interesting! Please keep us updated on what Apple tells you.

I'm convinced it's the ios8 software (even with updates).  But I'm also making sure we all keep the apps updated as updates are available because maybe some of the fixes will be included in those, too? Not sure. 

Someone here mentioned the new Stocks app that comes already running on the iPhone 6. Thanks, Apple, for choosing what apps you feel are relevant to us. I don't need an up to the minute stock report that is running in the background 24/7.  Turned that off.  Would remove it if I could. I've deleted all of the stocks but NKE continues to pop back up every time I launch the app so this will be a continuing problem. (APPLE, FIX THIS!).

Again, it's all well and good for Verizon and Apple to "suggest" that we simply turn off cellular data for everything. But the PROBLEM is (Apple, are you listening?) that when connected to WiFi, NONE OF THESE APPS SHOULD BE TOGGLING BACK TO CELLULAR DATA. 

I'm patiently waiting for ios8.3 or 4 or 5 I guess.

Do you think anyone from Apple is even reading this thread?