Three ways to reduce WhatsApp data usage

Cut back your WhatsApp data usage and save money

WhatsApp is the perfect app for chatting with all your friends and family. It offers everything you need for a great messaging app – audio and video calling, group chats, cross-platform compatibility (including desktop), encrypted messages and more.

Part of that “more” is the option to lower the amount of data usage being used by WhatsApp. Besides the obvious answer of connecting to Wi-Fi, there are three toggles built into the WhatsApp Settings menu that will reduce the amount of cellular data used by your smartphone.

Follow along with your preferred operating system below – we’ve included videos for both Android and iOS.

Android

Enable Low Data Usage

Step one

Tap the Menu button.

Step two

Tap Settings

Step three

Tap Data usage

Step four

Tap Low data usage

Disable auto-downloading over mobile data

Step one

Head back to Settings

Step two

Tap Data usage

Step three

Tap When using mobile data

Step four

Deselect any media you don’t want using data

Step five

Tap OK

Restrict chat backup

Step one

Once again, back to Settings

Step two

Tap Chats

Step three

Tap Chat backup

Step four

Tap Back up over

Step five

Tap Wi-Fi

iOS

Enable Low Data Usage

Step one

Tap Settings

Step two

Tap Data and Storage Usage

Step three

Tap Low Data Usage

Disable auto-downloading over mobile data

Step one

Head back to Settings

Step two

Tap Photos, Audio, Videos or Documents

Step three

Select Wi-Fi

Step four

Repeat for other media as necessary

Restrict chat backup

Step one

Switch to your Settings app

Step two

Tap Cellular

Step three

Scroll to the bottom and tap iCloud Drive