How to Put Your iPhone in Low Data Mode

Updated August 25, 2021

If you’re an iPhone owner but on a limited data plan, you might find you’re running out. Apple introduces Low Data Mode with iOS 13 which can help save the amount of mobile data you use.

Are you on a limited data plan? Does your iPhone keep running out of high-speed mobile data each month? If so, one thing you can do is enable the Low Data Mode setting.

Several things determine the amount of mobile data your phone uses: streaming content, apps relaying data in the background, file uploads, and downloads.

Your shiny new iPhone has a great camera that takes amazing photos and videos. But the file sizes are large, so it consumes a lot of bandwidth to back up and share.

Enable Low Data Mode on iPhone for Cellular

Starting with iOS 13, Apple has added a new Low Data Mode that helps save on the amount of mobile and/or Wi-Fi data your phone uses.

To enable it, head to Settings > Cellular > Cellular Data Options and toggle on the Low Data Mode switch.

Turning on Low Data Mode will help reduce the amount of mobile data your iPhone uses. This is especially helpful if you’re on a limited data plan.

Note: In the UK and other regions the setting is in the same location but labeled differently. You would go to Settings > Mobile Data > Mobile Data Options and turn on Low Data Mode.

Once Low Data Mode is enabled, it will stop unnecessary data usage. Apps will stop using data in the background. The phone won’t automatically retrieve emails. It pauses automatic backups to iCloud. And it reduces the bitrate of audio and video streams and optimizes it for low bandwidth.

Pausing needless activity over the mobile network will save quite a bit of data on your mobile plan.

Enable Low Data Mode for Wi-Fi

There may be instances when you need to use Low Data Mode on Wi-Fi networks. This can be especially helpful on slow networks.

To do that, head to Settings > Wi-Fi and tap on the network you’re connected to, and toggle on Low Data Mode.

Now, one of the annoyances with Low Data Mode is not getting notifications of new messages automatically. You can still get your data, like new emails, for example. But you’ll need to check manually. But it really doesn’t affect the daily usage of your phone.

Of course, if you have an iPad with Wi-Fi plus Cellular capability, you can enable the Low Data Mode setting on it, too.