Checking your data limit and usage on an Android phone

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  • Video TimeChecking your data limit and usage on an Android phone
  • Transcript: Checking your data limit and usage on an Android phone

    Welcome to the 'Checking your data limit and usage on an Android phone' video course. In this video, you'll learn how to see how much mobile data you've used on your Android phone, and how to set up an alert so your phone lets you know that you're close to reaching your data limit.

    Keeping an eye on your data helps you avoid unexpected charges on your bill, and make sure you don't run out before the end of your monthly plan. From the Apps screen, tap on the Settings app, which looks like a cogwheel. Once the Settings menu opens, tap Connections, then tap Data usage.

    At the top of the screen, you'll see a bar graph showing your usage over the current period. Your phone's data usage figure is an estimate, and may not exactly match what your mobile provider records. For the most accurate reading, check your provider's app. For more information about your data usage, tap Mobile data usage. You'll see a list of apps on your phone and how much data each one has used.

    This can help you spot which apps are using the most data. Some Android phones can send you an alert to let you know you're approaching your data limit. To set this up, tap the Settings icon in the top-right of the screen. The first thing to do is set your billing cycle. This is the date your mobile plan, and data limit resets each month.

    Tap, Start billing cycle on to open a pop up, then scroll the numbers to select that date. If you're not sure of the date, check your mobile provider's app or your last bill. When you're done, tap Set. Next, tap the switch next to Set data warning to turn it on.

    Below that, tap Data warning and use the number pad to enter an amount a little below your monthly limit. For example, if your plan includes 20 gigabytes of data, you might set a warning at 18. Tap Set. Your phone will now send you a notification when you're getting close to your limit.

    You'll also see an option called, Set data limit. Turning this on will automatically cut off your access to mobile data once you reach the amount you choose, and is a handy setting if you're worried about going over your limit.