You Asked, We Answered: When Am I Using Cellular Data?

It can be confusing to know which features on your phone might be using cellular data. One thing you can be sure of, the list will always include using email, social media, third party apps or GPS, browsing and downloading from the Internet, or streaming music or video.

As a reminder, I always encourage you to connect to Wi-Fi whenever possible. A Wi-Fi connection lets you connect to the Internet without using any cellular data at all. While connected to Wi-Fi, you can also download videos, TV shows, or movies to your phone or SD card to watch anytime at your convenience, with no data required.

You can easily check which specific apps or features are using your data, and how much, by going to the Settings menu on your smartphone and following the steps shown below.

For iPhone:

  • Go to Settings.
  • Tap Cellular.
  • Then, scroll to the section which shows a list of your apps. Your data usage will be marked next to each app name.

On Android phones:

  • Go to Settings.
  • Tap Connections.
  • Then, tap Data Usage.
  • Finally, tap Mobile Data Usage. Scroll down to see a list of your apps. The amount of data each has used will be displayed next to them.

Once you’ve determined which apps are your biggest data consumers, you have several options to control them. First, simply delete any apps you haven’t use for a while, or ones that are duplicating tasks performed by others. You can also turn data access off completely for specific apps. For iPhone users, tap the slider next to the app you want to turn off; on Android phones, turn on the “Data Saver” setting.

Another option is to turn off “background data,” the process by which your apps are updating or performing other maintenance tasks when you’re not directly using them. To do this, follow the same steps listed above for checking your data usage. Then, for all the third-party apps you’ve installed, toggle to allow or restrict background data usage for ones you don’t use often.

Once you’ve grown familiar with identifying what’s using the most cellular data, and by being diligent about connecting to Wi-Fi, you can surf, search, and stream with total confidence. You may even discover that you can save money by switching to a smaller data plan. Remember, with Consumer Cellular, there’s never a fee to change your plan! Add that to the data tips above, and you’ll always have exactly what you need.

66 Thoughts on "You Asked, We Answered: When Am I Using Cellular Data?"

  1. Fred calleon says

    I am still trying to learn about my data usage.

    • Ashley at Consumer Cellular says

      Thanks for posting, Fred. We’re always here to help if you have any questions as you get to know your device. Just give us a call at 888-345-5509 at your convenience. We hope you have a great day!

      • Sandy says

        How U turn eye On an off on at&t phoenix4

        • That is an excellent question, Sandy, thanks for posting! For the LG Phoenix 4 you listed in your comment you will go into your settings > Data Manager > Tap on the switch across from cellular data to turn it off > Tap on okay to let the phone know this is something you’d like to do. I would advise that if you do need data though you would need to turn it back on again before it would work.

  2. Larry says

    Awesome info clearly presented!!

    • Ashley at Consumer Cellular says

      Thanks, Larry! We’re glad you found it useful!

    • Teresita says

      Why does my phone use data when I am not using it?

      • Hi Teresita, thanks for your question! Smartphones continue to update and refresh even when you don’t have an app open. Our data is also reported to us 24-48 hours after it’s been used so you would see it listed in your usage after it’s actually been used. We do recommend connecting to WiFi as often as possible to keep usage down but if you have any questions about any other ways to help minimize this, give us a call at 800-686-4460 or chat with us here.

  3. Marilyn W says

    Does sending texts to a group (of 3 or 4) use data? It was previously, but doesn’t seem to be now.

    • Ashley at Consumer Cellular says

      Thanks for asking, Marilyn. When sending SMS messages, you won’t be using data from your plan as long as you are using the messaging feature on your phone. If you’ve downloaded a different app to send messages, the app may use data. We’re happy to answer any other questions you may have at 888-345-5509. We appreciate you posting today!

  4. David Whitaker says

    1) How do I know which is a 3rd party app?
    2) How do I know which app using data does?

    • Ashley at Consumer Cellular says

      Those are great questions, David! A third party app would be an option that you downloaded from the Play Store, and would not be one that came pre-installed on your phone. If you’ve reviewed the list of apps on your phone and you see one that is using more data than expected, we recommend looking for that app on your phone to see what it is, and disable it if you don’t plan to use it. We’re always happy to help you with any questions, so please don’t hesitate to call us at 888-345-5509. We appreciate you posting, and we hope you have a wonderful day!

  5. Barbara Kintop says

    Why isn’t MyConsumerCellular app pre-installed on phones ordered and paid for on your website? By definition, the CC app is a third party app and can use a lot of my data allowance.

    • Ashley at Consumer Cellular says

      Thank you for posting, Barbara. The My CC app comes installed on most devices we offer. If you don’t see it on your device, you can download it from the Google Play Store free of charge. Please feel free to give us a call if you have any other questions. We’ll be happy to answer them! We hope you have a lovely day!

  6. Denise says

    I have a Alcatel flip phone can I get on the web

    • Ashley at Consumer Cellular says

      Thanks for posting, Denise. That device is not designed to access the internet. If you’re looking for a phone that has that capability, we’re happy to tell you more about our smartphones at 888-345-5509. Thank you again for reaching out to us, and we hope you have a great day!

  7. David Gifford says

    When I check my CC account for the data usage, The data usage is only at 12am, 6am,12pm and 6pm. Why is that and how can I get the actual data use time?
    Thanks, Dave

    • Ashley at Consumer Cellular says

      Thanks for posting, David. Your usage is reported to us by cellular towers in batches, and those reports are sent to us at the times you’ve listed. They don’t necessarily correlate to the time that the data was actually used. You can review your data usage by going to the Settings app and selecting Data Usage. We’re always happy to answer any questions you may have, so don’t hesitate to call us at 888-345-5509 if we can be of any assistance. We appreciate you taking the time to reach out to us today!

      • Karen Ellis says

        I can appreciate that Consumer Cellular must get batch reports on data usage, but I noticed on my account that on 1/25/19, at 6:00 a. m. , 876.70mb of data was accessed for this purpose. That’s almost 1gb and much higher than the lowest data plan. Why would so much he used?

        • Nicole at Consumer Cellular says

          Thank you for posting, Karen. Since the usage is reported to us in batches, that does not mean that the usage was used the same date that the report was received. You can view your usage in more detail on your phone directly by going to Settings > Connections > Data Usage > Mobile Data Usage. From there you can see what apps are using data, as well as a graph showing when data was used. If you have any questions, feel free to call us at 888-345-5509!

  8. Betty says

    So as long as I connect to WiFi I am not actually using my data on my plan correct ?

    • Ashley at Consumer Cellular says

      Thank you for posting, Betty! If your phone is connected to a strong Wi-Fi signal, you won’t be using data from your plan. If the signal gets weak, your device may need to reconnect to cellular data in order to allow your apps to work properly. We recommend connecting to Wi-Fi whenever possible, because you’ll be saving your data for when you really need it! If we can answer any questions you may have, please don’t hesitate to call us at 888-345-5509. We appreciate you reaching out to us, and we hope you have a great day!

      • Kim says

        You state “One thing you can be sure of, the list will always include using email, social media, third party apps or GPS, browsing and downloading from the Internet, or streaming music or video.”

        What is not clear is you state “always” referring to data use. But the article says using WiFi then one doesn’t use data.

        If I stream video through the browser on my phone and I have home WiFi and am home, does my phone use data, yes or no?

        Thank you.

        • Ashley at Consumer Cellular says

          We’re happy to answer that, Kim. If you’re connected to Wi-Fi, your phone will use that connection to access the internet, and it won’t need to use any data from your plan. Do keep in mind that if the Wi-Fi signal isn’t quite strong enough, your phone may need to use data. We’re happy to answer any other questions you may have at 888-345-5509, so please feel free to call us at your convenience. Thank you for reaching out to us, and we hope you have a lovely day!

  9. Gary Swenson says

    If I buy a smart thermostat and smart furnace, can I check the thermostat using the data plan vs wifi??

    • Nicole at Consumer Cellular says

      Hi Gary, if the smart thermostat and smart furnace use a third-party app on your phone that connects to the internet, then you should be able to use the app while on data or on Wi-Fi, whichever is available.

    • TAMMY HAMRICK says

      I just bought a phone from CC, but theres no place on there to connect to my wifi. Or am I missing it

      • Hi Tammy, thanks for your question, we’re happy to help! If the phone is already set up, go into Settings > Tap on WiFi and then select your WiFi network and log in. If you have any questions about this process though feel free to give us a call at 888-548-6490 or you can also chat with an agent here for further assistance.

  10. Dave Butler says

    Please put a switch on your app allowing data to be turned on or off for each phone in an account. I have teens who will use data all the time. I’d like to be able to turn it off. I want to switch to CC but this feature not being available is holding me back.

    • Ashley at Consumer Cellular says

      Thanks for posting, Dave. We do offer this feature via My Account, and I’m happy to pass your suggestion on to our app team. We appreciate your feedback, and we hope you have a great day!

  11. Pat says

    My phone uses data to receive pictures via texting whether I am connected to WIFI or not. When I turn my cellular data off I get a notice of a message sent to me and the KB amount. The pictures do not appear. So can I assume that my sending pictures is also using my data plan even though I am connected to WIFI?

    • Ashley at Consumer Cellular says

      Great question, Pat. Your phone does require data to send photos via text message, but the amount of data used is quite small, and is not reflected in your data usage. Thanks for posting!

  12. Pamela Liotta says

    Does sending or receiving a photo by text use data from my plan when my mobile data on the phone is turned off and no WiFi connection?

    • Ashley at Consumer Cellular says

      I’m happy to answer that for you, Pamela. A data connection is needed in order to send multimedia messages, which contain photos or videos, but it won’t count against your plan. Thanks for asking!

  13. Rican says

    This particular question , i need an answer to asap ! If i’m at home and i turn my wifi off through the control center, will my device still show up as using my home internet or will i be using cellular data and not my home’s wifi?

    • Ashley at Consumer Cellular says

      We’re happy to answer that for you, Rican. If you’re home and you turn off your Wi-Fi router, your phone will switch to cellular data, as the Wi-Fi network will no longer be available. Thanks for posting!

  14. sooraj says

    my google app is using enormous amount of data when connected to wifi..how can i fix it.

    • Nicole at Consumer Cellular says

      Hi Sooraj, please give us a call at 888-548-6490 or chat with us here and we’ll be happy to help with your data usage.

  15. Tim says

    I’m just curious if I click my iPhone to where the screen goes casually black with no WiFi am I still using data?

    • Nicole at Consumer Cellular says

      That’s a great question, Tim! If you have any applications open in the background that typically uses data, they will likely continue using data when your iPhone’s screen turns off. If you need any assistance with managing your data, I recommend giving us a call at 888-345-5509 or chat with us here.

  16. Will says

    Excellent article. My family is planning an overseas vacation and need to make sure we monitor our data closely! Do you know if making calls/texts over wifi only (data disabled) will accrue charges ($1.79/min, $.50/text)? Or are these functions different from Data/Wifi and will cost per usage no matter our connection? We’re thinking of forgoing a temporary travel plan and just being careful to use our phones only while connected to Wifi. Thanks for your help!

    • Nicole at Consumer Cellular says

      Those are some great questions, Will! If you are using apps like Skype or Google Hangouts that allow you to make calls or send texts over Wi-Fi, they should not accrue any charges onto your account. If you want to make sure that this doesn’t happen, you can also enable Airplane mode on your phone, and then enable Wi-Fi. This will prevent the phone from connecting to any cellular network, but still allow you to connect to Wi-Fi.

  17. Mary Anne says

    Is there any way to NOT use data when hiking in a park or forest preserve, and wanting to listen to the radio? Radio apps one the phone are using data I presume? Thank you.

    • Hi Mary Anne, thanks for your question! One way to make sure your phone isn’t using data during your hikes is by turning it off in the settings of the phone. This will keep the phone from using data while its turned off. If you have music downloaded to your phone, that would be another way to keep the phone from using data by listening to it that way.

  18. Matt says

    I want to send a video I just created with iMovie to my grandmother, however, I don’t want to use a lot of data sending it and I don’t want her to use a lot of data watching it. If we are both logged onto strong WiFi connections (and both have iPhones) will the imessage app first use the wifi before tapping into our data plans? Thank you.

    • Hi Matt, great question thanks for asking! If both phones are connected to WiFi the phone would use that connection rather than switching to using data. It would be if the phones had no WiFi connection at all that they would use that data plan to download and watch the video.

  19. Clarence Frost says

    What is data connectivity and how does it work

    • Nicole at Consumer Cellular says

      Hi Clarence, data connectivity is what allows you to access the internet on our service when Wi-Fi isn’t available. This includes things like web browsing, checking your email, using social media (such as Facebook or Twitter), streaming videos from services like YouTube, or even using the navigation feature on your phones Map app. If you have any questions about data and your service, we’re happy to help if you give us a call at 888-345-5509 or chat with us here.

  20. Judy little says

    When using Facebook messenger video chat, does that affect my data plan? I have a home Wi-Fi.

    • Nicole at Consumer Cellular says

      Hi Judy, if you’re connected to home Wi-Fi when using the video chat feature with Facebook Messenger, then it won’t affect your plan. It’s also recommended to disable data on your phone just to make sure.

  21. Barbara Rich says

    Does my iphone7 automatically switch to my community wi-fi when I’m at home and go back to CC when I leave home?

  22. Larry says

    In that list I have something listed as “2906”. ???
    It used just 200k but that’s what bothers me…
    It has only about 2 weeks history.can anyone identify this “2906”
    Disabler Pro doesn’t list it either…

    • Nicole at Consumer Cellular says

      Hi Larry, our customer service team would be happy to help you with your data usage if you give us a call at 888-345-5590 or start a live chat here.

  23. Donald Comer says

    if you use your phone for a hot spot does it use data

  24. Hillary says

    My phone have mobile data usage not working turn on.. how do things.

    • Nicole at Consumer Cellular says

      Hi Hillary, all you should need to do is enable Mobile Data in the settings of your phone. If that isn’t working, give us a call at 888-345-5509 or chat with us here and we’ll be happy to help.

  25. Sue Gante says

    I find the world of wifi/data usage pretty confuding. I always use wifi @ home & naively thought that internet use with wifi would greatly reduce data charges on phone. As I am new to Consumer Cellular this article helps. I have a lot to learn. Data use shown on account doesn’t agree with data use shown on phone so really scary wondering where CC is deducting for data use. Wish charges weren’t so hard to decipher.

  26. Meghan says

    My cellular data does not work. I only have data when I have wireless.

    • Hi Meghan, thanks for your post! Not having that feature is definitely frustrating. I’ve gone ahead and reset that feature, making sure it’s enabled properly for your line. To allow for this to go through, please power the phone completely off and back on again. If you continue to have trouble with this, give us a call at 800-686-4460 or chat with us here for further assistance.

  27. Gregg J. Bach says

    Hi. I’m a CC customer and iPhone user, and noticed that my data usage was creeping up even though I was connected solely to wifi. Was under the impression from others, from my own internet research, and from some of the CC employee replies above that when connected to a strong wifi signal, that any data usage would flow through wifi only.

    I finally got through to a very helpful employee and his supervisor at CC that solved the mystery of why my data usage was creeping up (drum roll)…when sending a text message with a photo (an MMS vs. SMS), even if you’re connected to wifi, your cellular data will be used if you’re sending it to a NON-iPhone user, i.e., and Android user. Same with group text messages, they’re also considered MMS. No cellular data used if sending to another iPhone user. Not sure if it works the other way around from Android to iPhone, but the good news is that the CC employee and his supervisor I spoke with finally solved the mystery. I did not find this info anywhere on the internet, so well done to this employee and supervisor at CC!!

  28. Rick S says

    I was under the assumption that texting does not use or need data and such was the case until recently. However, lately, whenever I send a text message away from home I get the message that I have to connect to Wifi (data) to send the message. I know there were numerous cases in the past when this wasn’t necessary. My wife (who never has her data on) has sent our children text messages while we’ve been on the road and received replies. I was told by a CC rep that I would have to turn on data to receive a text. Is this indeed the case? How would you know if you had a text if you didn’t have your dats turned on?

    • Hi Rick, thanks for your question. If you’re sending a group message or a message that has a picture attached to it, or any kind of message that has some form of media attached to it, the phone does need the data connection in order to send it. The amount that they use is so small though it’s not taken out of your data plan, they just need that cellular data network connection in order to get them sent out correctly. If you’re having trouble with having a regular text message without any added things, such as photos, links, or a group message, on just the cellular network, give us a call at 800-686-4460 or chat with us here for further assistance.

  29. Jeannine says

    Anytime I’m out and about and want to use DATA (not Wi-Fi) it always says I’m offline and to retry. I’ve checked all settings and everything is setup to use data. I have data on my account so I’m not out of data to use. I can’t connect to data anywhere. Why is that?