How to Monitor and Limit Cellular Data Use on iPhone

See exactly which apps are using your iPhone's cellular data, turn off data for specific apps, and avoid hitting your monthly data cap.

In this guide (5 steps):

1.Open Cellular settings
2.Turn off cellular data for specific apps
3.Enable Low Data Mode
4.Reset statistics at the start of your billing cycle
5.Check your carrier's own usage tool

Open Cellular settings

~15s

Go to SettingsCellular. The top section shows your current period data usage. Scroll down to see a list of every app with its cellular data usage.

Turn off cellular data for specific apps

~20s

Find any app using more data than you want — video streaming apps are usually the biggest. Tap the toggle next to that app to turn off its cellular data. It will only work on Wi-Fi.

Quick Tip

Turn off cellular data for Netflix, YouTube, Hulu, and music apps. These account for the majority of data use for most people.

Enable Low Data Mode

~15s

Go to SettingsCellularCellular Data OptionsLow Data Mode → turn it on. This tells apps to use less data in the background.

Reset statistics at the start of your billing cycle

~20s

Scroll to the very bottom of the Cellular settings page and tap "Reset Statistics." Confirm. This resets all per-app data counters so you can track this billing cycle accurately.

Warning

iPhone does not automatically reset data counters monthly. If you never reset, the numbers shown reflect all-time usage since you last reset, not just this month.

Check your carrier's own usage tool

~15s

Your carrier's app (My AT&T, T-Mobile, My Verizon) shows your official data usage and remaining balance. iPhone's counter is a helpful guide, but the carrier's data is what determines your bill.

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iPhones give you granular control over which apps can use cellular data (your carrier's mobile network). If you have a limited data plan, turning off cellular data for data-hungry apps like streaming video can make your monthly allowance last much longer.

Checking data usage

: Go to Settings → Cellular and scroll down. Every app installed on your phone appears with its cellular data usage since the last time you reset the counter. The counter does not reset automatically — you need to scroll to the bottom of the list and tap "Reset Statistics" at the start of each billing cycle for accurate tracking.

Turning off cellular data for specific apps

: Next to each app in the Cellular settings is a toggle. If you turn off Netflix's cellular data, it will only stream over Wi-Fi. Same for YouTube, social media apps, or any other data-heavy service. The app still works — it just does not use your cellular plan.

Low Data Mode

: iOS 13 and later has a Low Data Mode toggle in Settings → Cellular → Cellular Data Options. When enabled, iPhone reduces background data activity — pausing automatic downloads, reducing streaming quality, and limiting updates — to conserve your data plan.

For people with limited data plans (under 5 GB/month), turning off cellular data for video and music streaming apps and only using them on Wi-Fi can make a dramatic difference in monthly data consumption.

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