Understand How TikTok Uses Data
TikTok is a video-sharing social network where users can watch, create, and share short videos. Streaming and uploading videos can use significant amounts of mobile data.
According to TikTok Revenue and Usage Statistics, the average user spends 52 minutes per day on TikTok. With over 1 billion monthly active users as of 2022, this adds up to massive amounts of video streaming.
The TikTok app continually loads new videos in your feed as you scroll. Even if you don’t click on many videos, just having the app open and your feed refreshing uses mobile data. This automatic loading of videos is one of the biggest reasons TikTok can use so much data.
TikTok also uses background app refresh, which allows it to update your feed and download new video content even when you aren’t in the app. This background activity consumes additional mobile data.
Use TikTok Lite
TikTok Lite is a streamlined version of the regular TikTok app that uses less data and storage. It has fewer features but retains the core TikTok functionality. According to How Much Data Does TikTok Use & How to Reduce it?, TikTok Lite uses significantly less data than the regular TikTok app. So switching to TikTok Lite can greatly reduce your data usage.
Since TikTok Lite is optimized for regions with slow connectivity, it has smaller video sizes, fewer ads, and limits other data-hungry features. The app still allows you to browse feeds, follow accounts, create and share videos, and use effects. But certain advanced options like live streaming are not available.
TikTok Lite provides the core TikTok experience while cutting down on data usage. If saving data is your priority, switching to TikTok Lite can help you continue enjoying TikTok without the high data costs.
Limit Automatic Downloads
To reduce mobile data usage on TikTok, it’s important to limit automatic downloads of videos in the app. By default, TikTok preloads videos onto your device through a feature called “Autodownload.” This allows you to watch videos smoothly, but can rack up a lot of data usage in the background.
To disable Autodownload, open the TikTok app and tap on your profile icon in the bottom right. Then go to Settings > Data Usage. Here you will find the “Autodownload Videos” setting which you can toggle off. This prevents TikTok from automatically downloading videos over mobile data.
You can take it a step further by restricting Autodownload to only occur when connected to WiFi. Under “Autodownload Videos” tap “WiFi Only.” Now TikTok will only preload content when you’re on a WiFi network, helping minimize unnecessary data usage.
By disabling Autodownload completely or limiting it to WiFi only, you can significantly reduce the amount of data TikTok uses in the background on your phone. This forces videos to only load as you view them, saving cellular data in the process.
Reduce Video Resolution
One of the biggest factors determining TikTok’s data usage is video resolution. The higher the resolution, the more data each video will consume.1 To lower data usage, you can reduce the default video resolution in TikTok’s app settings.
To change video resolution on TikTok:
- Open the TikTok app and tap on your profile icon in the bottom right.
- Go to Settings > Data Usage.
- Under Video Upload and Playback, tap on Video Quality.
- Select a lower resolution like 720p or even 480p.
Setting video quality to a lower resolution will significantly reduce how much data TikTok uses. This comes at the expense of video quality – videos may appear more pixelated or blurry. But it’s an easy fix to limit your data consumption on TikTok.
Download Over WiFi Only
Downloading videos on TikTok can use a significant amount of mobile data. Videos are often high resolution and downloading them will quickly eat through a mobile data plan.1 To avoid unwanted data charges, it’s best to restrict TikTok downloading to WiFi only.
On both iOS and Android devices, you can limit downloads to WiFi in the app settings. Go to your profile, tap the three dots or three lines menu, choose “Settings and privacy,” then select “Data usage.” There you can turn on “WiFi-only downloads” to prevent TikTok from ever using mobile data to save videos.
With this setting enabled, you’ll only be able to download content when connected to a WiFi network. While this may mean waiting until you get home to save that funny cat video, it will prevent TikTok from cutting into your mobile data allowance.
Disable Background App Refresh
Background app refresh allows apps like TikTok to refresh their content and data in the background when you’re not actively using the app (source). This constant background refreshing uses mobile data even when TikTok is not open.
You can disable background app refreshing in your device settings to prevent apps from updating in the background. On an iPhone, go to Settings > General > Background App Refresh and toggle off background app refreshing for TikTok (source). On an Android device, go to Settings > Apps & notifications > Advanced > Special app access > Background app refresh and disable it for TikTok.
With background app refreshing disabled, TikTok will not refresh its content until you open the app. This prevents TikTok from using background mobile data when you are not actively using it.
Limit Video Length
Longer videos use significantly more data than shorter videos on TikTok. According to research, each additional minute of video increases data usage by about 10MB on average[1]. Sticking to shorter videos is one of the most effective ways to cut down TikTok’s data usage.
Try to keep your videos under one minute in length. A concise video under 60 seconds can often tell a compelling story or make an engaging point. There’s no need to drag things out unnecessarily. Being selective with content and simplifying your message can reduce file size while still entertaining and informing your audience.
If you tend to ramble on in longer videos, challenge yourself to edit them down and convey the core idea more concisely. Take advantage of TikTok’s 60-second limit to exercise your creativity. You may find the constraint pushes you to be more innovative and focused in your video creation.
Follow Fewer Accounts
One way to reduce your data usage on TikTok is to follow fewer accounts. The more accounts you follow, the more content appears in your feed. Each video that loads uses your mobile data or WiFi data.
Tailoring your feed with fewer follows means less content to load each time you open the app. You can focus on only the accounts that post content you regularly engage with. Follow accounts selectively rather than trying to watch a wide variety of content from many accounts.
Following fewer accounts gives you more control over your data usage. You will cut down on the amount of videos autoplaying as you scroll through your feed. This helps limit the mobile data needed to load all that content. Stick to accounts that consistently make videos you find interesting or useful.
Use Data Saver Mode
TikTok’s Data Saver mode is designed to help limit data usage within the app. When enabled, Data Saver will stream and download videos at a lower quality to reduce data consumption. According to TikTok, Data Saver can reduce data usage by up to 50%[1].
To turn on Data Saver mode in the TikTok app:
- Open TikTok and tap on the profile icon in the bottom right
- Go to the Settings & Privacy page
- Tap on Data Usage
- Toggle on Data Saver
With Data Saver enabled, you’ll still be able to scroll through your For You feed, view other’s profiles, post videos, and use filters and effects. However, video resolution will be lower quality to conserve data.
Connect to WiFi When Possible
One of the easiest ways to reduce your TikTok data usage is to connect to Wi-Fi whenever possible. Unlike mobile data, which draws from your monthly data allowance, Wi-Fi does not count against your data plan. When connected to Wi-Fi, you can load and watch TikTok videos without having to worry about going over your data limits or incurring overage charges from your carrier. The more you use TikTok over Wi-Fi versus mobile data, the more data you will conserve overall.
To ensure you maximize your Wi-Fi connections, be sure to log into available Wi-Fi networks whenever you are at home, work, school, or public locations like cafes, libraries, malls, and airports. TikTok will automatically use the Wi-Fi connection to load content when available, helping reduce the app’s data toll. Turning on Wi-Fi assists to avoid unintended high mobile data usage that can happen if you forget to disable mobile data or connect to Wi-Fi.
The key is to proactively seek out and utilize Wi-Fi networks whenever possible for your TikTok browsing. This will allow you to enjoy content from the platform without having to closely monitor your mobile data consumption.
