I often grin when I hear someone say “Android Smartphones consume way too much data.” Whenever I go contrary to this popular opinion, I am bathed with so much criticism.
So here am I defending my belief that you can reduce your data usage drastically.
Highlighted below are steps that worked for me and I know would work for you.
Teknitel has devised a few tips to help you out.
1. Download a “Mobile Security App” on your phone
Getting a Mobile Security App installed on your phone is one of the most important steps required to manage your data usage. Installing this Mobile Security App is not mainly to protect the phone from malware and viruses but to make use of a unique feature that comes with most security apps. This is the “Data Usage/Management” feature.
My phone, a Lenovo A536 comes with a pre-installed Lenovo Security App. Below are steps on how to make use of this unique feature:
Step 1: Go to your installed Mobile Security App
Step 2: Click on “Data Usage”
Step 3: Click on “Network Firewall”
Step 4: Scroll down while unchecking all the listed apps:
1. Google related apps: Google maps, Google News Stand, Google Playstore, Google Play Services etc.
2. Apps you do not use often: Hangouts, Share-It etc.
3. Set Games to update/operate using Wi-fi only.
N.B: Unchecking (mobile data) for your Google Play Store app means that you will not be able to access it using mobile data. This must be checked in order to access it with mobile data.
Most Android phones come with their own customized security app. Like most Lenovo Android phones come with LENOVO SECURITY app pre-installed.
If you do not use a Lenovo Android Phone or your Smartphone does not come with a Lenovo security app pre-installed, then you can install any of the Mobile security apps on Google Play Store. I have listed a few Mobile Security apps that I know have this unique feature:
Lookout Mobile Security, CM Security, Avast, AVG and 360 Security. You can click here to read an article on them.
The steps in using this unique feature of each Mobile security app are different from one another. So be on the look out as I will write an article on this soon.
However, study below the steps with the Lenovo Security app and apply it to whatever Security app you have installed on your Smartphone.
2. Make sure Google Location Service is turned OFF
It’s important that your Auto-sync is ON. You could use the steps below to make sure of this:
Step 1: Go to SETTINGS
Step 2: Slide to left to switch it “OFF”
3. Restrict background data
Most Android phones come with their own customized security app. Like most Lenovo Android phones come with LENOVO SECURITY app pre-installed.
If you do not use a Lenovo Android Phone or your Smartphone does not come with a Lenovo security app pre-installed, then you can install any of the Mobile security apps on Google Play Store. I have listed a few Mobile Security apps that I know have this unique feature:
Lookout Mobile Security, CM Security, Avast, AVG and 360 Security. You can click here to read an article on them.
The steps in using this unique feature of each Mobile security app are different from one another. So be on the look out as I will write an article on this soon.
However, study below the steps with the Lenovo Security app and apply it to whatever Security app you have installed on your Smartphone.
Step 1: From your SETTINGS, Click on DATA USAGE
Step 2: Set the Date & Time for Data Usage. You could also drag the vertical lines to the required date. This gives you a list of the total data consumed by each app during the specified duration.
Here, you can pinpoint which app consumed most of your data.
Step 3: Locate the Menu icon on your phone and Click on it.
Step 4: You could choose to “Restrict Background Data” for all apps at once. The disadvantage in Restricting Background Data for all apps at once is that your email app would only synchronize manually. This means that you have to manually check to verify if you have received any new mails.
Step 5: You could also “Restrict Background Data” individually for each app.Select your SIM that is for Data services (if you are using a dual SIM phone). Then select any of the apps you wish to restrict background data for.
You can Restrict Background Data for as many apps as you wish.
Step 6: Check the box below to Restrict Background Data for most Google related apps.
N.B: Restricting Background Data makes it possible that updates on each app would not be carried out using Mobile Data. Rather it would make use of Wi-fi data for its updates.
These steps worked for me. You should give it a try.
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