How To: Set A Data Usage Limit on Android Device

How To: Set A Data Usage Limit on Android Device

Facebook, emails, YouTube, news, photos, cloud storage, instant messaging, games, banking…. the amount of things we do online almost seems endless.

With our mobile devices able to do so many different things on the internet, it’s no surprise that it’s easy for us to lose track of our data usage. Before you know it, you’re handed a sizeable bill with excess data usage the culprit.

Did you know, however, that your Android smartphone or tablet (with Android 4.0 and above) can help prevent you from going over your data allowance?

Set Data Limit on Android

How to set a mobile data usage limit androidThe Android OS allows you to cap your data usage per month, as well as alert you when you are close to reaching your limit. Here’s how enable this feature:

1

Go to Settings > Wireless & Networks > Data usage

2Select the Data Usage Cycle drop down, which will allow you to choose the data range within which you will measure data use (i.e your billing cycle). To set the date range, drag the white lines to the correct dates.

3Set a data usage warning limit: Drag the orange line by its right side to the level where you want to receive a warning. When your data usage reaches this level between the dates you have set, you’ll receive a notification and can cut down on your data usage.

4Set an absolute data usage limit: This is a limit beyond which your phone just won’t use mobile data for the rest of the time period you previously set. If you must use mobile data once you’ve surpassed this limit you can override it.

5

Enable theĀ Set the mobile data limit checkbox. A dialog pops up with further information about setting a mobile data limit.

6Click Ok. The red line at the top of the graph becomes active. Drag this line by its right side to the set the limit (make sure you set a conservative limit as the calculation of data usage by your mobile device may not align with the calculation of data usage that Telstra uses).

A notification will be sent when you reach the data usage limit you previously set, and mobile data will be turned off. Once this happens, you will need to make use of Wi-Fi.

For more ways to manage your data usage, check out our tips here!