It’s a cozy Friday evening, and you just started streaming your favorite show. But, as the plot thickens, your Wi-Fi takes an unexpected hiatus. Annoying, right?
Before you unplug your router, look to your smartphone. The culprit could be apps chowing down on precious bandwidth.
What’s the big deal?
Wi-Fi performance: Identifying and monitoring bandwidth-hungry apps on your iPhone or Android will improve your Wi-Fi speeds and reduce latency.
Limited plans: Not everyone has unlimited data. Keeping an eye on which apps are using your Wi-Fi could save you from surprise fees.
Not enough to go around: Smart home devices (think cameras or voice assistants) rely on a stable Wi-Fi connection. Managing bandwidth-intensive apps helps them run more smoothly, too.
Battery life: High-bandwidth apps can drain your Android or iPhone’s battery quickly. Catching them sooner might even extend your phone’s lifespan over the long run.
How to check
Now, let’s get down to the nitty-gritty of how to detect those sneaky Wi-Fi bandits on your Android or iPhone.
If you have an Android:
- Open the Settings app > Connections.
- Tap Data usage followed by Wi-Fi data usage.
As I’m constantly reminded, steps vary depending on your phone. If that doesn’t work, search your settings for Wi-Fi or Data.
You’ll see each app and how much Wi-Fi bandwidth it has used throughout the month. Android lets you go up to four months back for an even more detailed overview. Select the dates at the top of the screen, and voilà!
For iPhone:
While iOS doesn’t have a built-in feature to track Wi-Fi usage, there’s a workaround. You can monitor your mobile data usage for an idea of what apps are potentially bandwidth-intensive.
- Open the Settings app > Cellular.
- Scroll down to view the apps.
You may not use heavier social networking apps or entertainment platforms while on your mobile data, so these might be hidden further below. Spotify, YouTube and Netflix are some of the main culprits!
What to do about it
Keep the hungriest apps closed more often if they’re eating up too much bandwidth. There’s more you can do, too:
- Content settings: Most apps have an internal setting that allows you to control the content you see. Turning down the resolution, disabling auto-play or changing to standard-quality images can lighten the load.
- Auto downloads: Email and social media apps usually auto-download files when connected to the internet. You can turn this off.
- Find alternatives: Some apps like Facebook Lite have an alternative data-efficient version. Get it here for Android. Sorry Apple fans, it’s not available for you.