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How Much Data Does Tiktok Use?
October 27, 2024
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TikTok has a user base of over 500 million active daily users and a total of over 800 million downloads. The app is enjoyed by the average user for 53 minutes per day, with 90% of users engaging daily.
The growth of TikTok is significant, and it raises questions about its data consumption on smartphones. The data usage varies depending on video views and uploads. Instead of opting for an unlimited data plan with your carrier, there are steps you can take to reduce TikTok’s cellular data usage.
The Difference Between Data and Data
In this context, we are referring to cellular data rather than the application’s storage size on your device. The initial app download occupies around 300mb of space on your phone. This data resembles a storage locker that comes with your phone. However, cellular data is what you pay for through your cell phone plan, making it crucial to manage efficiently.
Visualize cellular data like a water faucet; the flow of information in and out of your phone is akin to adjusting a faucet’s flow rate. TikTok is feature-rich, and watching videos intensifies data consumption due to the rapid information exchange.
Estimates suggest consuming 1GB of cellular data per hour of video on TikTok. Watching videos for an hour equals 1GB of your monthly data. If this pattern recurs 30 times a month, you’d potentially require a 31GB data plan solely for TikTok.
Saving Cellular Data
If you are a frequent TikTok user, high data usage is expected, especially for video viewing and downloads. While individual videos are short (around 15 seconds), multiple views daily can deplete your data allocation rapidly. To manage this, consider the following tips to reduce cellular bills.
Upload and View Videos on Wi-Fi
Wi-Fi connectivity is advantageous for minimizing cellular usage. Regardless of the video app in use, watching videos through cellular data exhausts the data allowance swiftly. To avoid this, restrict TikTok activity to Wi-Fi networks for uploading, recording, or viewing videos. Utilize Wi-Fi hotspots before engaging with the app’s content.
Turning Off Cellular Data
Newer smartphones prioritize cellular data by default, even if Wi-Fi is available. To conserve cellular data, consider disabling this feature exclusively for the TikTok app.
Android
For Android users, navigate to ‘Settings’ > ‘Apps’ > ‘TikTok’ to disable ‘Allow Background Data Usage’ under Mobile Data settings. This adjustment limits data usage to when the app is actively used.
Additionally, toggle cellular data off entirely by accessing ‘Settings’ > ‘Connections’ > ‘Data Usage’ > ‘Mobile Data.’ This action restricts internet access unless connected to Wi-Fi.
iPhone
iPhone users can block TikTok from cellular data by accessing ‘Settings,’ ‘Cellular,’ and disabling TikTok permissions along with other applications.
Limit the App Usage on Your iPhone
Parents can control app usage for children under 13 on iPhones to ensure data consumption is regulated. Screen Time settings offer options to restrict TikTok usage effectively.
- Access the “Settings” app.
- Tap “Screen Time.”
- Select your iPhone’s name and choose between “Today” or “Last 7 Days” to review TikTok usage.
- Select TikTok and set a usage limit for a day or week ahead.
- Secure the limit by adding a 4-digit passcode.
If stringent control is required, enable the Screen Time Passcode to prevent changes in time limits set for TikTok usage.
- Open ‘Settings.’
- Navigate to ‘Digital Wellbeing and Parental Controls.’
- Choose the ‘wellbeing’ option and access ‘App Timers.’
- Select ‘TikTok’ and set daily usage limits.
Get an Unlimited Cellular Data Package
The cellular providers often offer unlimited Internet data usage, which can be more expensive than regular plans. If you spend a lot of time surfing the internet, watching videos on Youtube or TikTok, getting an unlimited plan might be beneficial. With an unlimited plan, you won’t have to pay extra for data used beyond your plan limit, which can be unpleasant and costly.
Delay TikTok Viewing for Later
Record and edit videos with TikTok anytime, but save the viewing of others’ videos and uploading your own for when you are connected to a Wi-Fi network. By doing so, you can prevent exceeding your cellular data limit and avoid concerns about data usage.
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The data presented covers the years 2023 and 2024, and projected data extends to 2025 and 2026. Furthermore, the forecast data is expanded to include the years 2027 and 2028. Africa, Antarctica, Asia, Europe, North America, Australia (Oceania), Middle East, South America.
* This information was taken from various sources around the world, including these countries:
Australia, Canada, USA, UK, UAE, India, Pakistan, Philippines, Indonesia, Nigeria, Tanzania, Kenya, US, United Kingdom, United States of America, Malaysia, U.S., South Africa, New Zealand, Turkey, United Arab Emirates.
Afghanistan, Albania, Algeria, American Samoa, Andorra, Angola, Anguilla, Antarctica, Antigua and Barbuda, Argentina, Armenia, Aruba, Australia, Austria, Azerbaijan.
Bahamas, Bahrain, Bangladesh, Barbados, Belarus, Belgium, Belize, Benin, Bermuda, Bhutan, Bolivia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Botswana, Bouvet Island, Brazil, British Indian Ocean Territory, Brunei Darussalam, Bulgaria, Burkina Faso, Burundi.
Cambodia, Cameroon, Canada, Cape Verde, Cayman Islands, Central African Republic, Chad, Chile, China, Christmas Island, Cocos (Keeling Islands), Colombia, Comoros, Congo, Cook Islands, Costa Rica, Cote D’Ivoire (Ivory Coast), Croatia (Hrvatska), Cuba, Cyprus, Czech Republic.
Denmark, Djibouti, Dominica, Dominican Republic, East Timor, Ecuador, Egypt, El Salvador, Equatorial Guinea, Eritrea, Estonia, Ethiopia, Falkland Islands (Malvinas), Faroe Islands, Fiji, Finland, France, Metropolitan, French Guiana, French Polynesia, French Southern Territories.
Gabon, Gambia, Georgia, Germany, Ghana, Gibraltar, Greece, Greenland, Grenada, Guadeloupe, Guam, Guatemala, Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, Guyana, Haiti, Heard and McDonald Islands, Honduras, Hong Kong, Hungary, Iceland, India, Indonesia, Iran, Iraq, Ireland, Israel, Italy.
Jamaica, Japan, Jordan, Kazakhstan, Kenya, Kiribati, North Korea, South Korea, Kuwait, Kyrgyzstan, Laos, Latvia, Lebanon, Lesotho, Liberia, Libya, Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Luxembourg.
Macau, Macedonia, Madagascar, Malawi, Malaysia, Maldives, Mali, Malta, Marshall Islands, Martinique, Mauritania, Mauritius, Mayotte, Mexico, Micronesia, Moldova, Monaco, Mongolia, Montserrat, Morocco, Mozambique, Myanmar.
Namibia, Nauru, Nepal, Netherlands, Netherlands Antilles, New Caledonia, New Zealand (NZ), Nicaragua, Niger, Nigeria, Niue, Norfolk Island, Northern Mariana Islands, Norway.
Oman, Pakistan, Palau, Panama, Papua New Guinea, Paraguay, Peru, Philippines, Pitcairn, Poland, Portugal, Puerto Rico, Qatar, Reunion, Romania, Russia, Rwanda, Saint Kitts and Nevis, Saint Lucia, Saint Vincent and The Grenadines, Samoa, San Marino, Sao Tome and Principe.
Saudi Arabia, Senegal, Serbia, Seychelles, Sierra Leone, Singapore, Slovakia, Slovenia, Solomon Islands, Somalia, South Africa, South Georgia and South Sandwich Islands, Spain, Sri Lanka, St. Helena, St. Pierre and Miquelon, Sudan, Suriname, Svalbard and Jan Mayen Islands, Swaziland, Sweden, Switzerland, Syria.
Taiwan, Tajikistan, Tanzania, Thailand, Togo, Tokelau, Tonga, Trinidad and Tobago, Tunisia, Turkey, Turkmenistan, Turks and Caicos Islands, Tuvalu, Uganda, Ukraine, United Arab Emirates (UAE), UK (United Kingdom), USA (United States of America, U.S.), US Minor Outlying Islands.
Uruguay, Uzbekistan, Vanuatu, Vatican City State (Holy See), Venezuela, Vietnam, Virgin Islands (British), Virgin Islands (US), Wallis and Futuna Islands, Western Sahara, Yemen, Yugoslavia, Zaire, Zambia, Zimbabwe.
How Much Data Does Tiktok Use?