How to make your phone data last longer in South Africa

If your data disappears too quickly, start with three things: switch on Data Saver or Low Data Mode, stop apps from using mobile data in the background, and lower video and call quality inside apps like WhatsApp, TikTok, YouTube and Instagram. For most people in South Africa, those changes help more than buying a new phone or moving to a bigger contract.

You also do not need an expensive handset for this. A budget phone like the Xiaomi Redmi Note 15, from R4,999, can save data just as well as a premium model if you set it up properly.

Switch on Data Saver or Low Data Mode first

If you only change one setting today, make it this one. It limits background activity so apps do less syncing, refreshing and updating when you are not using them.

How to turn on Data Saver on Android

1. Open Settings.
2. Tap Network & internet or Connections.
3. Tap Data Saver.
4. Switch it On.

On Samsung Galaxy phones, the path is often Settings > Connections > Data usage > Data saver. On many Xiaomi and Redmi phones, look under SIM cards & mobile networks or Connection & sharing.

How to turn on Low Data Mode on iPhone

1. Open Settings.
2. Tap Mobile Service or Cellular.
3. Tap Mobile Data Options.
4. Switch on Low Data Mode.

This will not stop your phone from working normally. It mainly tells apps to be less aggressive with background use.

Find the apps that are using the most data

Do not guess. Your phone can show which apps used the most mobile data in the current period, and that makes it easier to fix the real problem.

Check mobile data use on Android

1. Open Settings.
2. Tap Connections or Network & internet.
3. Tap Data usage or Mobile data usage.
4. Check the app list.

Check mobile data use on iPhone

1. Open Settings.
2. Tap Mobile Service or Cellular.
3. Scroll down to see app-by-app usage.

In most cases, the biggest drains are video apps, social media, cloud backup and app-store updates. Fix the top one or two first instead of switching off everything.

Fix WhatsApp settings before anything else

For many South Africans, WhatsApp is the app that quietly burns data all day. Family groups, school groups, church groups and work chats can download photos and videos you did not ask for.

If you want more detail, read our guide on how to cut WhatsApp, Teams and Zoom data use on your phone. The core settings are quick to change.

Best WhatsApp settings for a small data bundle

1. Open WhatsApp.
2. Tap the three dots on Android or Settings on iPhone.
3. Tap Storage and data.
4. Under Media auto-download, set photos, audio, videos and documents to download on Wi-Fi only, or disable the ones you do not need.
5. Under Call settings, switch on Use less data for calls.

This is especially useful if you make lots of WhatsApp calls on mobile data. Call quality can drop a little, but the trade-off is usually worth it if your bundle is small.

Better WhatsApp habits that save data

• Do not upload long status videos on mobile data.
• Wait for Wi-Fi before downloading big videos from groups.
• Use voice calls instead of video calls when you can.
• Clear large forwarded videos if your storage is filling up.

Stop background data, backups and app updates over mobile data

A lot of data disappears when you are not even touching your phone. Photo backup, app refresh and automatic updates are common reasons.

Block background data for heavy apps

On Android, open the app info page for a heavy app, then look for Mobile data or Data usage. Switch off Background data for apps that do not need to update constantly.

On Samsung phones such as the Galaxy A37 5G, from R7,034, or the Galaxy S26, from R15,936, you can also use battery and background limits to stop apps running too freely. That can help battery life too.

Set photo and chat backups to Wi-Fi only

Check Google Photos, OneDrive, Dropbox, iCloud Photos and WhatsApp backup. If any of them can back up over mobile data, switch them to Wi-Fi only.

This is one of the best free fixes because a single backup after a holiday, wedding or school event can use a lot of data very quickly.

Set app updates to Wi-Fi only

• Android: Open Google Play Store > Settings > Network preferences > App download preference, then choose Over Wi-Fi only.
• iPhone: Open Settings > App Store, then limit automatic downloads over mobile data.

Lower video quality and download ahead on Wi-Fi

Streaming is one of the fastest ways to finish a bundle. If you watch videos on the taxi, bus or train every day, lower quality will usually help more than any other single app tweak.

Low-data habits that make a real difference

• Set YouTube mobile playback to Data saver.
• Turn off autoplay in YouTube, Facebook, Instagram and X.
• Use standard quality instead of HD in streaming apps when you are on mobile data.
• Download music, podcasts and offline maps on Wi-Fi before you leave home.
• Be careful with short-video apps, because long scrolling sessions can drain a small bundle fast.

Worked example for a South African contract

Example: You take the tracked Vodacom Redmi Note 15 deal at R349 per month over 36 months with 1GB data. If you stop WhatsApp video auto-downloads, set YouTube to Data saver and move photo backup to Wi-Fi only, that 1GB can stretch much further because you have cut the biggest background and video drains first.

Example: The tracked Cell C Samsung Galaxy A37 5G deal is R349 per month over 36 months with 1.5GB data. That extra 0.5GB helps, but you can still run out early if Instagram, TikTok and cloud backup stay on full quality and full background access.

When changing your plan makes more sense than buying a new phone

Most people should try the free fixes first. If you still run out every month, your contract may simply include too little data for how you use your phone.

Free fixes to do before you spend money

1. Switch on Data Saver or Low Data Mode.
2. Turn off WhatsApp auto-download on mobile data.
3. Set cloud backup to Wi-Fi only.
4. Set app updates to Wi-Fi only.
5. Use lower video quality on mobile data.
6. Download playlists, podcasts and maps on Wi-Fi.

If this is your first smartphone, or you are helping a parent or teen, our guide on how to use less mobile data on your first smartphone is a useful next step.

Check the included data before you sign a deal

Our tracked cheapest phone deals start at R189 per month on MTN, R219 per month on Cell C, R249 per month on Telkom, R349 per month on Vodacom and R595 per month on Rain. Those prices do not all include the same amount of data, so the cheapest monthly payment is not always the cheapest option overall.

You can browse the latest phone contract deals to compare contract length, network and included data. If your bundle is only 1GB to 2GB, your settings matter a lot more than the phone brand.

Who should not buy a new phone just to save data

Do not buy a premium phone only for data-saving features. A foldable or flagship can use the same basic saver settings as a budget handset.

If you do need a replacement, start with affordable options such as the Redmi Note 15 from R4,999 or the Galaxy A37 5G from R7,034 before looking at far more expensive models. You can compare devices on our phone comparisons page.

Frequently asked questions