How much data Snapchat uses on an iPhone is an important question to answer if you are on a limited data plan. If you enjoy using Snapchat filters, posting stories, and sharing snaps with friends, you might be wondering, “Does Snapchat use data? And if so, how much data is Snapchat using?” Remember, if you’re sending photos, videos, texting, or sharing your location over Wi-Fi, there’s no need to worry about Snapchat’s data usage. But if you’re doing these things using cellular data, you might be wondering how to limit Snapchat data usage. Let’s jump in: Here’s how to find the answer to how much data Snapchat is using on your iPhone, and what to do about it.
Related: Snapchat for iPad: How to Download iPhone-Only Apps on an iPad
We all love Snapchat’s filters. But when it comes to cellular data, Snapchat’s data usage can be surprisingly high. If you are a heavy Snapchat user, you should be aware of how much Snapchat data usage you are causing. You may also want to set limits on Snapchat’s data usage, which we’ll show you how to implement below.
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How much data Snapchat uses depends on what features you use. If you have a limit on your cellular data plan, it’s important to know how much data Snapchat is using. But Snapchat has chosen not to share data usage information. Anecdotally, we know that if you’re not very careful about limiting your Snapchat data usage, you could accidentally use many gigabytes of data in almost no time. For example:
- I recently downloaded Snapchat, exchanged about 10 text messages and about 3 pictures over Wi-Fi over the course of an hour and never used the app again. When I checked my data usage two weeks later, I saw that Snapchat had used over half a gigabyte of data!
- Another team member’s kid went on vacation and used Snapchat with passion. By the time the parents realized it by the end of the week, the child had used over 10GB of data!
As you can see, it’s important to keep an eye on Snapchat’s data usage. You may be using a lot more data with Snapchat than you think. Luckily, you can check how much data the Snapchat app is using. On your iPhone:
- Open the Settings app.
- Tap Cellular.
- Scroll down and find Snapchat.
- Just below the word Snapchat you will see a number. The screenshot example below shows Snapchat used 663MB of data on my iPhone.
- If you want to make sure Snapchat never uses cellular data, turn it off.
Not everyone wants to limit their Snapchat usage to Wi-Fi. Luckily, here are iPhone and Snapchat settings that you can use to limit the amount of data Snapchat uses when you’re not using Wi-Fi.
To limit Snapchat data usage in your iPhone Settings app, you can disable Snapchat’s ability to use data by constantly updating in the background:
- Open the iPhone Settings app.
- Tap > General > Background App Refresh.
- Now you have two options, you can disable background app refresh for Snapchat app only, or you can tap Background app refresh again and select Off if you don’t want apps to refresh in the background, or Wi -Fi if you want to update all your apps only over Wi-Fi.
You can also limit Snapchat data usage by enabling travel mode to limit app updating in Snapchat app’s own settings:
- Open Snapchat and go to your profile.
- Tap the gear icon in the top right corner.
- Tap Manage and turn on Travel Mode.
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