Which Apps Use the Most Data, and What to Do About it

What Apps Use the Most Data, and What to Do About it?

Published on: July 9, 2023
Last Updated: July 9, 2023

What Apps Use the Most Data, and What to Do About it?

Published on: July 9, 2023
Last Updated: July 9, 2023

At this point, most of us know even the most basic stuff when it comes to data usage on our smartphones.

We realize that we should always have Wi-Fi on when we are at home instead of using up our mobile data because otherwise, we’re spending money that doesn’t need to be spent.

We also know that when we are in a public place that offers a trustworthy Wi-Fi connection, we can make the most of this.

However, when we’re out in public and we can’t connect to a Wi-Fi network, the best advice is to avoid using those apps that take up a lot of data, as this is only going to end up costing more money.

This is especially relevant if you are paying for a data package.

Unless you have unlimited data, you are going to use that data up pretty quickly, and you will need to buy more data which is going to cost you more.

This means that the more you know about those data draining apps, the better you can avoid spending money unnecessarily.

Let’s take a look at what apps use the most data, and what you can do about it.

What Apps Use the Most Data?

1. YouTube

YouTube

You probably are already aware that YouTube is one of the biggest culprits when it comes to using data.

One of the best ways to avoid YouTube burning through all of your data is to not use it on your phone at all.

However, sometimes we can’t avoid using it, and sometimes we need to be able to access a tutorial video quickly.

Of course, YouTube is going to display their videos in the best quality that your connection allows for, which means that if you are viewing a video in HD, this is going to take up a lot of your data.

However, the good news is that you can get around this.

All you need to do is open the settings menu, where you will find an option that instructs YouTube to only stream in HD if your device is connected to a Wi-Fi network.

If you have this turned on, then you don’t need to worry about using as much data if you look up a video tutorial outside of Wi-Fi.

2. Spotify

Spotify

These days, Spotify is the app of choice when it comes to listening to music on our smartphones.

Similar to YouTube, Spotify is another app that takes up a huge amount of data, and you might not currently think that there is any way around this.

However, Spotify offers you the ability to download music to your phone so that you can play it offline.

This can be entire albums, personalized playlists, or individual tracks.

This means that if you have the same playlist you listen to every time you go to the gym, you can download it to your smartphone, so that you don’t need to use the Internet to listen to it.

Of course, being able to do this depends on how much room you have on your smartphone, so make sure that you’ve got enough to be able to listen to your favorite playlist offline.

3. Facebook

Facebook

Interestingly, Facebook never used to be an app that took up a lot of data, but these days it does.

This is potentially because it’s easy to check it a lot, and the team at Facebook decided it would be a good idea to automatically play videos every time you open the app.

This means that it takes up a lot of data whether you like it or not.

The good news is that you can get around this. Go to Facebook’s settings menu, and then enter your account details.

You will see a menu option for photos and videos. Within this menu, you can instruct the app never to automatically play videos.

If you are happy for it to automatically play videos when you are connected to Wi-Fi, then this is also an option.

You are probably able to guess already that the automatic playing of videos is an issue with the Twitter and Instagram as well, but both apps also contain settings so you can stop this from happening.

You will find them in the relevant settings menus.

4. Snapchat

Snapchat

Snapchat is one of those extremely popular social sharing apps that the younger generation loves to use.

However, it is a big data drainer, because Snapchat loads your content the moment it appears.

It even preloads stories and snapchats, so that they immediately play when you access the app.

Of course, this is going to take up a lot of your data.

The good news is that you can turn this feature off within the app.

However, this option is well hidden, so you need to follow these instructions carefully.

Go to your profile screen first, and then select the gear icon that you will find at the top right-hand corner.

This will bring a menu up, with an option called ‘manage’.

Select this tab and you will find another option called ‘travel mode’.

This is similar to airplane mode on your smart phone, and it alerts it to the fact that you aren’t on a Wi-Fi connection, so that it will use less data.

Final Thoughts

You might be surprised at the list of which apps use the most data.

However, you might also not be surprised, as these are not only the biggest apps out there, but the most popular ones among many demographics these days.

The good news is that it is really easy to adjust data settings within each app, so that you can avoid racking up a huge data bill on aspects of each app that you don’t even use.

Remember that you don’t have to watch YouTube videos in HD quality when you aren’t on Wi-Fi, and you don’t have to get Facebook to automatically play videos every time you open the app.

Good luck!

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Written by Jason Wise

Hello! I’m the editor at EarthWeb, with a particular interest in business and technology topics, including social media, privacy, and cryptocurrency. As an experienced editor and researcher, I have a passion for exploring the latest trends and innovations in these fields and sharing my insights with our readers. I also enjoy testing and reviewing products, and you’ll often find my reviews and recommendations on EarthWeb. With a focus on providing informative and engaging content, I am committed to ensuring that EarthWeb remains a leading source of news and analysis in the tech industry.