How to Turn Off Low Data Mode (iPhone and Android)

Slow internet speeds can be frustrating. Thankfully, you can speed up your connection in a lot of different ways. One helpful step if you’re experiencing issues on your phone is to learn how to turn off Low Data Mode.

Low Data Mode — or “Data Saver” on Android — is a feature that restricts background network usage. While that’s beneficial in some situations, it’s not always necessary. Here’s how you can turn off Low Data Mode on iPhone and Android for a little speed boost.

How to Turn Off Low Data Mode on iPhone

Apple phones are the best choice for simplicity, and using Low Data Mode on iOS is fittingly simple. While the feature is not on by default, you may have accidentally turned it on at some point. Here’s how you can reverse that.

Turn Off Low Data Mode for Cellular Data

Low Data Mode comes in two forms on iOS — one for cellular data and one for Wi-Fi. Let’s start with how to deactivate it for cellular.

Begin by opening the Settings app. Tap “Cellular” and then “Cellular Data Options,” which will be toward the top of the screen. In this menu, you should see the option for Low Data Mode. Tap the switch if it’s on, and it’ll turn off. You’ll know it’s off if the icon is no longer green.

These steps look slightly different if you’re one of the 166 million Americans with a 5G subscription. You’ll go to the Cellular Data Options section of your Settings like everyone else, but you must tap “Data Mode” before you see the option for Low Data Mode. Those with a dual SIM setup must choose one of their numbers to apply these settings to.

Turn Off Low Data Mode for Wi-Fi

The process for how to turn off low data mode for Wi-Fi is similar. Go into Settings and tap “Wi-Fi.” From there, tap whichever Wi-Fi network you’re currently connected to, which will have a checkmark beside it.

Tapping this icon will pull up a list of settings for that particular network. The option for Low Data Mode will be below the Auto-Join and Password settings. Tap the switch if it’s green to deactivate it, and if it’s gray, it’s already off, so you don’t need to worry about it.

How to Turn Off Data Saver on Android

Android’s Data Saver is largely the same as Apple’s Low Data Mode in terms of its function. However, you have a few different options for how you can use it. Here’s a closer look at these choices.

Turn Off Data Saver

The process of how to turn off Data Saver is the same across all Android devices, but some of the terminology may differ between phone brands. For all phones, you’ll start by opening Settings.

On a Samsung Galaxy — the most popular Android option in the U.S. — you’ll tap “Connections” once in your settings. From there, you’ll go to “Data Usage,” where you’ll find the option for Data Saver. Tap it and then tap the switch for “Turn on now” if it isn’t already off.

Google Pixel users will find this option under “Network and Internet.” You’ll see a switch labeled “Use Data Saver” in this menu. Tap it if it’s on to turn it off.

Allow Certain Apps to Use Data

Android phones also give you the option to turn off Data Saver just for a select few apps. That way, you can use less cellular data overall while letting your favorite apps get all the speed and bandwidth they need.

On a Samsung phone, scroll down in the Data Saver menu. Under “Turn on now,” there’s a section labeled “Allowed to use data while Data Saver is on.” Tap this option, and you’ll be able to toggle a switch next to any app to make an exception. Anything you turn on here will keep using background data even when Data Saver is activated.

This option is called “Unrestricted data” on Google Pixels. Like on a Samsung, it’s right under the Data Saver option. Tap it and flip the switch next to any apps you’d like to allow to use background data while Data Saver is on.

Set a Data Limit

You can also impose a data limit on Android. Unlike Data Saver, which restricts background network usage, this option turns mobile data off entirely once you reach a certain threshold. That’s not an issue for the 58% of Americans today with unlimited plans, but roughly a third of users have limits on their plans, making this a convenient setting.

Start by opening your phone’s settings. Go to “Network & Internet,” tap “Internet” and tap the settings icon next to your network provider. From there, you can tap “Data warning & limit” to activate this feature and set the amount of data you can use before it switches your connection off.

Why Should You Turn Off Low Data Mode?

Now that you know how to turn off Low Data Mode and Data Saver, you may be curious about why you’d want to. On the one hand, this feature can be helpful as a way to minimize your network usage and avoid higher bills or running into your plan’s limit. On the other, though, most people have an unlimited data plan, so those factors aren’t an issue.

Keeping Low Data Mode on can still benefit you with an unlimited plan. Minimizing apps’ background data usage can leave more bandwidth for other functions. That’s a good way to boost your Wi-Fi hot spot speed if you’re using your phone that way.

However, Low Data Mode can hamper your connection in other ways. It will likely limit streaming quality on music or video apps, for example, so turning it off will improve those experiences. Deactivating this feature will also enable automatic backups and updates, which keep everything working as efficiently as possible.

Use Low Data Mode and Data Saver Wisely

Learning how to turn off Low Data Mode and Data Saver will help you use your phone the way you want to. While there are benefits to these features, you probably don’t need them all the time. Follow these steps to take control of your phone’s data usage to get the experience you need.