iPhone 7 Plus Using A Lot Of Data? Here's Why & The Fix!

David Lynch

AUGUST 4, 2017

Your iPhone 7 Plus is using too much data and you're not sure why. Not all apps are made equal and some of them will use significant more data than others. In this article, I'll show you how to save on your data plan, look for troublesome apps, and answer the question: why is my iPhone 7 Plus using a lot of data?

How Do I Know If My iPhone 7 Plus Is Even Using Data?

To check if your iPhone 7 Plus is using data, open up the Settings app, then tap Cellular. Look at the switch at the top of the screen next to Cellular Data.

If the switch is gray and shifted to the left, then your iPhone is not using data. If the switch is green and shifted to the right, then your iPhone is using data.

cellular data is on iPhone 7

As you can see in the picture above, I have turned on Cellular Data on my iPhone. However, my iPhone is also connected to Wi-Fi. When your iPhone 7 Plus is connected to Wi-Fi, your iPhone won't use data from your cellular plan.

This leads us into our first tip for when your iPhone 7 Plus is using a lot of data — connect to Wi-Fi whenever its available.

How To Fix An iPhone 7 Plus Using A Lot Of Data

5 Steps Total
1.

Use Wi-Fi Whenever Possible

When you're connected to Wi-Fi, your iPhone won't use data. Therefore, make sure you connect to Wi-Fi whenever it's available!

  1. Open the Settings app.
  2. Tap Wi-Fi.
  3. Make sure the switch next to Wi-Fi is turned on.
  4. If you're in a new area, connect to a nearby network by tapping on it under Choose A Network...
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2.

Close Out Of Apps You Aren't Using

When you don't close out of your apps, they stay loaded in the background so they'll be ready to go as soon as you open them back up. Problems really begin when one of those apps you have open in the background crashes, which can make your iPhone battery drain fast and possibly cause other apps to malfunction as well.

Apps left on in the background of your iPhone can also still send and receive data, which may slowly drain the amount of data your iPhone can use.

How Can I Check If One Of My Apps Has Crashed?

If you're ever wondering if an app is crashing on your iPhone, you can look for confirmation in the Settings app. Tap Privacy -> Analytics -> Analytics Data and check to see if any apps underneath LatestCrash.  If there are any apps listed here, then there may be a problem with those apps which is making them crash.

How Do I Close Out Of Apps You Aren't Using?

  1. Double-press the Home button to activate the App Switcher on your iPhone, which will display all the apps you currently have open.
  2. Using your finger, swipe up on the apps you want to close out of.
  3. You'll know the app has been closed when it's no longer displayed in the App Switcher.
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3.

Look For Problem Apps

If an app crashes, it may be stuck trying to send and receive data for a prolonged period of time. Usually, closing out of the app will solve this problem.

However, if this problem persists, there may be a software bug or issue within the app itself. If that's the case, you may want to delete the app entirely and look for an alternative.

  1. Open the Settings app.
  2. Tap Cellular.
  3. Scroll down to the Cellular Data submenu, where you'll see a list of your apps and how much data they've used over the Current Period.
  4. Look for apps that are using multiple GB of data.
  5. If one of your apps is using lots and lots of gigabytes, it's probably the reason why your iPhone uses too much data.
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4.

Avoid Streaming Music And Videos Using Data

Streaming music and videos using apps such as Spotify, YouTube, or Netflix can be the biggest drains on your iPhone's data. If you want to seriously cut back on how much data you use on your iPhone, only stream music and videos when you're connected to Wi-Fi.

Let's say you stream a lot of videos or music using the Safari app. You can turn off the ability to use Safari with data in the Settings app.

  1. Open Settings.
  2. Tap Cellular.
  3. Make sure the switch next to Cellular Data is on.
  4. Scroll down and turn off the switch next to Safari. You'll know it's off when the switch is gray and positioned to the left.
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5.

Check For Stuck Emails In The Mail App Outbox

If a message gets stuck in the Outbox of the Mail app, it will keep using data as it tries over and over again to send. As this cycle drags on, your iPhone will slowly use up data.

How Do I Check For Stuck Emails In The Mail App Outbox?

  1. Open the Mail app.
  2. Under Mailboxes, tap Outbox.
  3. Check to see if an emails are stuck in the Outbox.
  4. You'll know an email is stuck if you see the status ring to the left of it.
  5. If an email is stuck, delete it and try to send it again.

If Emails Keep Getting Stuck In Outbox

If your emails continue to get stuck in Outbox, there may be an error in your email settings. To fix this problem:

  1. Open the Settings app.
  2. Tap Accounts & Passwords.
  3. Tap your email account under Accounts.
  4. Tap your email address next to Account (see image 3).
  5. Fix any errors with your email settings.
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Tada! More Data!

You've diagnosed why your iPhone 7 Plus is using too much data and you've taken steps to prevent it from happening again. We hope you'll share this article on social media with your friends and followers who ask, "Why is my iPhone 7 Plus using a lot of data?" Thanks for reading and feel free to leave a comment down below!

  1. Use Wi-Fi Whenever Possible
  2. Close Out Of Apps You Aren't Using
  3. Look For Problem Apps
  4. Avoid Streaming Music And Videos Using Data
  5. Check For Stuck Emails In The Mail App Outbox

Applies To: iPhone 7 Plus

AUTHOR

David Lynch

David Lynch is an expert on cell phones, cell phone plans, and other tech. After using a flip phone into his early 20s, he learned the ropes about iPhones and Androids from a former Apple employee. Today, his articles and videos are read and viewed by millions, and he has been cited by major publications including Reader's Digest, Wired, CMSWire, Consumers Advocate, and more.

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