Streaming platforms, like Netflix, are filled with a catalog of content that grows day after day with new movies, series and specials. Given so much entertainment available, it is convenient to set a limit to the application’s data consumption. How to reduce data usage when playing Netflix ?.
The application integrates a settings menu that allows you to place a limit on the use of data and calculate approximately how much data is being used when watching a movie or series. Learn about methods to limit data from any device or even block its use, as well as other ways to reduce data consumption.
Index( )
- How to limit data usage for streaming on Netflix?
- Using my mobile device
- From a PC
- Up to how many GB does Netflix consume if there is no data limit?
- How to make Netflix not play with mobile data?
How to limit data usage for streaming on Netflix?
With all the series and movies that are available on Netflix, it is normal to spend hours and hours exploring the categories and doing a marathon . However, during all those hours, you could be consuming all your cell phone data without even realizing it. To avoid unexpectedly running out of data, you need to manage your data usage well .
One way to do this is to set a mobile data limit from your device’s ‘Settings’. This will issue an alert when you approach the manually set limit , which you can monitor from the ‘Settings’. Alternatively, the application offers an option to automatically regulate data consumption during content playback.
Within the platform configuration, there is a settings menu for data usage . These options allow you to reduce data consumption based on video quality and connection speed. Although they do not offer you a real control of the amount of data used, they are very useful to save data.
There are three basic configuration options. ‘Automatic’ is the most balanced option, although the visual quality can vary greatly. ‘Maximum data’ is the one that consumes the most data, but it is reproduced in maximum quality. ‘Save data’ is the ideal setting to make minimal data expenditure while enjoying Netflix.
If you want more thoroughness, you can also adjust the settings manually to change the video quality between four options: Low, Medium, High and Automatic .
Using my mobile device
To make these adjustments from the Netflix mobile application, you must log into your account, open the options panel and open the ‘Cellular data usage’ section . There you can select one of the default settings for data management and consumption when playing content within the Netflix application.
From a PC
Sign in to the Netflix website from your browser. Look for the account options menu and enter the profile you use (in case you have a family account). There, open the ‘Playback Settings’ . Select one of the options for ‘Data usage per screen’ that suits the amount of data you want to save.
Up to how many GB does Netflix consume if there is no data limit?
Depending on the video quality you have configured for playback, data consumption can be up to 1GB per hour (SD), 3GB per hour (Full HD), or 7GB per hour (4K Ultra HD). These are the approximate figures offered by the official Netflix platform , ensuring that consumption may be lower and that it varies from one content to another.
In other words, you could spend your entire data plan on a movie if you play it in Full HD or 4K Ultra HD, or if you watch the entire season of a series on SD. Therefore, it is a good idea to configure your data usage to avoid excessive consumption when using the streaming application and to be able to get the most out of Netflix.
If you have selected a different resolution for your videos, the data usage can be reduced to 0.3 GB per hour (Low) and 0.7 GB per hour (Medium). In High, the data consumption is maximum and is equivalent to Full HD and 4K Ultra HD quality. You can also adjust the resolution according to the speed of your connection to have a smooth playback.
How to make Netflix not play with mobile data?
If the figures are excessive, but you do not want to miss everything that the Netflix catalog offers, you can use an alternative to control data consumption. Within the ‘Cellular data usage’ section, you can select the ‘Wi-Fi only’ option so that the application does not use your data for playback.
Of course, this means that you can only enjoy streaming content as long as you have a wireless internet connection. Even so, it will allow you to keep your mobile data to spend it moderately in other applications.
Alternatively, you can take advantage of the ‘Download’ option to watch movies or series offline . In this way, you can download the content you want to watch while connected to a Wi-Fi network and later play it offline from your Netflix application .
