How to Check Data Usage on an iPhone
It helps you keep an eye of data-draining apps.
Living in Nigeria, buying mobile data is just part of daily life. And with the recent price hikes in data plans, you learn quickly that every megabyte counts. I recall a time when I purchased a weekly data bundle, only for it to disappear in less than two days. I hadn’t streamed anything major or downloaded huge files—or so I thought.
That’s when I realized some apps were using data in the background without me even noticing. If you’re spending money on data, you definitely want to make sure you're in control of how it’s being used. The good news? Your iPhone has a built-in way to check exactly how much data you’ve used and which apps are eating it up.
Here's how to stay on top of it and make every megabyte stretch.
Steps to Check Data Usage
Step 1: Go to your iPhone settings and select "Cellular"
Step 2: Under Cellular Data For [name of your network], you will see a "Current Period" section that displays your total data usage
Step 3: Now, select "Show All"
Step 4: You will see a breakdown of your data usage by app, including personal hotspot. Each app’s data consumption is listed below its name
Conclusion
Checking your data usage on an iPhone is more than a tech-savvy move. It’s a way to take control of your data expenses. Whether you're on a daily plan, weekend deal, or monthly subscription, knowing how to check your data usage puts you back in control.
By tracking which apps use the most data, you can stretch your bundle much further. It only takes a minute to check, but it can save you hours of frustration and a lot of unnecessary spending.
