How to check your data use on your Android phone or tablet

With ample affordable streaming services, millions of apps in the Google Play Store, and solid game streaming platforms at your fingertips, it’s easy to use a lot of data on your Android phone. While some carriers are more generous with data than others, most unlimited plans have usage thresholds. If you go over this threshold, your service could be throttled, or you might get a hefty bill.

Whether you use a Pixel device or a shiny new Samsung Galaxy phone, the default Android data monitoring function can help you avoid slower speeds and large bills. You can set a data limit for your monthly cycle and enable Data Saver mode to reduce background use.

Read along to learn to check data usage on your Android phone and use the Data Saver mode to cap excessive data usage.

How to check your data usage on most Android devices

If you use a Google Pixel phone or a stock Android device (such as one from Nokia or Motorola), follow the steps below to check your data usage.

1. Swipe up from the homescreen and open the app drawer icon.
2. Find and open the Settings app (the one with a gear icon).
3. Go to the Network & internet menu.
4. Select SIMs.

5. Tap App data usage from the following menu.
6. Check the set cycle, total data consumption in that period, and data usage by installed apps.

How to check your data usage on Samsung phones and tablets

Checking data usage on your Samsung Galaxy phone or tablet is a little different, as Samsung phones ship with the company’s One UI skin.

1. Swipe up from the homescreen and open the app drawer.
2. Open the Settings app.
3. Tap Connections.

4. Select Data usage.
5. Tap Mobile data usage.

6. A data usage graph displays the relevant details such as the billing cycle, data usage limit, data usage warning limit, and consumption by installed apps on the phone.

How to set a data warning and limit on Android

Do you frequently exceed the monthly data plan on your Android phone? You can set a data limit on your phone so that the system warns you before you reach the specified data. Follow the steps below to set a data warning on Android.

Set a data warning and limit on Android phones

1. Select your primary SIM in the Network & internet menu (check the steps above).

2. Scroll to Data warning & limit.
3. Tap Mobile data usage cycle and select the date of each month to reset the cycle.
4. Tap Set data warning and enable the Set data limit toggle.

5. Set a data limit.

Your phone turns off mobile data once it reaches the limit you set. There might be a slight difference between the data usage measured by your phone and your carrier. We advise setting up a conservative limit.

Set a data warning and limit on Samsung Galaxy phones

1. Open Connections in the One UI Settings app (check the steps above).
2. Select Data usage.
3. Open Mobile data usage.
4. Tap the Settings gear at the top.

5. Set the billing cycle, data limit, and data warning from the following menu.

How to use Data Saver mode on most Android phones

If you’re running out of mobile data, enable Data Saver mode and reduce your data usage by preventing apps from using data in the background.

1. Open the Network & internet menu on your Android phone (refer to the steps above).
2. Tap Data Saver.
3. Turn on the Use Data Saver toggle switch.

1. Swipe down from the top and open the notification center.
2. Swipe down again and open the Quick Settings menu.
3. Tap the pencil icon to open the Edit menu.
4. Scroll down and then drag and drop the Data Saver tile in the quick toggles menu.

5. Tap the back icon, and the Data Saver function is ready to use. Tap it to enable the function or long-tap the tile to open Data Saver Settings.

How to turn off Data Saver for essential apps

While Data Saver mode reduces cellular usage, you shouldn’t enable it for essential apps like Gmail.

1. Open the Data Saver menu in Android Settings (refer to the steps above).
2. Tap Unrestricted data from the Data Saver menu.
3. Enable the toggle for relevant apps from the following menu.

These apps continue to consume data in the background and function normally.

How to use Data Saver on Samsung phones and tablets

Samsung offers a Data Saver mode and packs an Ultra Data Saving function to trim data use.

1. Open Settings and go to the Connections menu (check the steps above).
2. Select Data usage.
3. Tap Data saver.

4. Enable the Data saver toggle and add exceptions to allow apps to use data while the data saver is on.

5. Go to the Data usage menu and scroll down to Ultra data saving mode.
6. Enable Ultra data saving mode. The system then compresses images, videos, and received data.

The function blocks background data for all apps and compresses data using the Samsung Max service. You can customize Ultra Data Saving mode from the Data compression menu and add up to six apps that can use mobile data while running in the background.

How to check your data usage from the Android homescreen

Google and Samsung don’t offer a way to check data usage on the homescreen. A third-party app called My Data Manager has one of the most useful Android widgets for keeping track of data usage on a mobile network and home/office Wi-Fi.

Download the My Data Manager app on your phone using the link below, and open the app to set data limits for cellular data and Wi-Fi. Place the app widget on the homescreen, and you are good to go.

Add a data usage widget on the Android homescreen

Third-party data monitoring apps can be inaccurate at times. If you want to stick with the default data monitoring, add a widget on the homescreen. That way, you don’t have to dig into Settings to check the data usage.

1. Long-tap on the homescreen and select Widgets.
2. Scroll to Settings and add a 1×1 shortcut.

3. Select Data usage as Settings shortcut.

Now, you can check data usage with a single tap on your Android phone’s homescreen. Samsung’s One UI doesn’t offer such shortcuts to access Settings menus.

Tips to reduce data usage on Android

If you have a limited data plan or want to limit your internet browsing, here’s how to get the most mileage from your data plan:

• Don’t stream 4K videos or lossless audio on mobile data. Most streaming apps offer an option to lower the resolution on cellular data.
• If a specific app consumes high data usage in the background, disable the permission from the info menu.
• Opt for a Wi-Fi connection whenever possible.

Keep a close eye on data usage

Among all the Android 13 underrated features, Google still doesn’t offer a dedicated widget to check live monthly data usage on the homescreen. While it’s not on our Android 14 wishlist, we wouldn’t mind one in 2023.