topic Re: Data used up without being turned on? in Get Support

Data used up without being turned on?

chu_chu — Wed, 05 Jan 2022 15:01:21 GMT

I have a Google Pixel (2016) and I haven't used the data yet. Actually I haven't turned data on since I started using public mobile (data usage> mobile data is off as far as I can see). But just today I got a text that I'm close to using all of my data, and when I checked online, there's only 5 mb left. Has anyone experienced something like this?

Re: Data used up without being turned on?

gblackma — Fri, 20 Mar 2020 23:06:48 GMT

@chu_chu check to see if developer options is turned on. Settings - system - advanced - developer options - mobile data always active. Turn it off. If it isn't this, please let us know. Thanks.

Re: Data used up without being turned on?

LurganIeUk — Fri, 20 Mar 2020 23:43:07 GMT

@chu_chu

Thanks for telling us your phone model.

Check here.

Re: Data used up without being turned on?

Staliger — Sat, 21 Mar 2020 01:16:55 GMT

@chu_chu can you check data activity of your apps? Maybe they used it on background?

Re: Data used up without being turned on?

Cathy007 — Sat, 21 Mar 2020 17:43:08 GMT

i have a google pixel 2xl were did you turn off your data

Re: Data used up without being turned on?

chu_chu — Sat, 21 Mar 2020 17:48:35 GMT

Thanks, I think i did this as this was the page i referred to originally.

Re: Data used up without being turned on?

chu_chu — Sat, 21 Mar 2020 17:51:20 GMT

Thanks for the reply. I don't think I have 'developer options' enabled. Could this still be the problem?

Re: Data used up without being turned on?

chu_chu — Sat, 21 Mar 2020 18:19:32 GMT

Thanks for your suggestion. I can see that there are apps listed as using data. But I am pretty sure I never turned it on. This is strange but since I don't have an explanation, maybe I really did turn it on and off by accident at some point.

Re: Data used up without being turned on?

Anonymous — Sat, 21 Mar 2020 18:29:36 GMT

@chu_chu

It's that many phones have a feature to "failover" to cell data if wifi data becomes weak or disconnected. Oddly it seems it's only possible to turn that off in those developer options in Android.

Re: Data used up without being turned on?

Korth — Sat, 21 Mar 2020 18:32:49 GMT

Re: Data used up without being turned on?

Luddite — Sat, 21 Mar 2020 21:02:06 GMT

@chu_chu With iPhones anyway, system updates often turn on features I don't want. Now with every system update I double check my settings.

Re: Data used up without being turned on?

Korth — Sat, 21 Mar 2020 21:17:59 GMT

@Luddite

Android OS does that, too. As do Windows and many linuxes.

Proper version controls and component sandboxing are usually built into enterprise platforms. But smartphones are strictly configured for consumers. And smartphone apps - from the OEM brand or from an online store - are rampantly aggressive about asserting themselves with far too many grubby anti-consumer permissions.

The only way to completely shutdown all background data is to take your device off the network, the behaviour is embedded at all levels of software and firmware and hardware, it's not even available for audit by end-users.

Gaining root lets you mitigate the most offensive data leaks. But rooting (jailbreaking) is not really an option for most iPhones unless you basically want to break most of the desirable features and services you paid extra for when buying one.

Re: Data used up without being turned on?

Rao — Fri, 29 May 2020 18:04:36 GMT

My phone data was being used up even though I haven't done any surfing. I have turned my cellular data off. Will it solve the problem.

Re: Data used up without being turned on?

hairbag1 — Fri, 29 May 2020 18:16:54 GMT

@Rao wrote:
My phone data was being used up even though I haven't done any surfing. I have turned my cellular data off. Will it solve the problem.

When you say "..used up"...how much data is being used up ? Your phone does consume some small amounts, but nothing significant.

Re: Data used up without being turned on?

dabr — Fri, 29 May 2020 18:17:27 GMT

@Rao wrote:
My phone data was being used up even though I haven't done any surfing. I have turned my cellular data off. Will it solve the problem.

How much data was used? If it's approx. 5.30mb then that is normal buffering or ghost data. If you mean a lot more than that, then turning the data off when not needing it is a good idea. You can also make sure all your apps update only via Wifi and your background data is disabled too.

Re: Data used up without being turned on?

on2wheels — Thu, 29 Oct 2020 18:23:18 GMT

The new Pixel 4a is doing this too (mine is). I've even shown it to Google support using their screen share so the tech could see. edit: I've since learned the exact steps to repeat this and posted in the hardware forum.

I've disabled mobile data, wifi, and developer option to always have data on, and apps will still access the internet. The only possible related function was in mobile settings there's a nice new feature to allow send and receive MMS when mobile data is off. If I turn this off, the phone finally seems to not have any internet access, but with it toggled on I get full internet access again. edit: edit: I've since learned the exact steps to repeat this and posted in the hardware forum.

Ideally someone here with the pixel 4a could test it for me, I'll do a search for that phone model.

Re: Data used up without being turned on?

Anonymous — Thu, 29 Oct 2020 02:47:50 GMT

@on2wheels

Calling @gpixel : are you on a 4 or a 4a?

Re: Data used up without being turned on?

gpixel — Thu, 29 Oct 2020 04:19:30 GMT

@Anonymous I'm on the 4

@on2wheels maybe you're having the MMS leak problem where public mobile is counting it against your data allotment.

The only possible related function was in mobile settings there's a nice new feature to allow send and receive MMS when mobile data is off. If I turn this off, the phone finally seems to not have any internet access, but with it toggled on I get full internet access again.

*I don't have this problem. I don't know why your phone is using data while it's disabled. maybe there's an issue with the software? that's really weird. the pixel 4a is fairly new. it could be a bug on the os.. idk. the November update is coming up. test it out again after the update. for now, leave "send/receive MMS while mobile data is off" disabled.

do you send/receive a lot of MMS messages?

do a test, see if your self serve "overview counter changes once you send an mms. turn your data on so that the 5mb buffer shows first and then send the MMS.

these are the settings I have changed in my pixel

open the play store>settings

auto update apps disabled

app download preference over wifi only

go into your phone settings>accounts

disable automatically sync app data

open Google photos

tap on your Google profile picture

tap photos settings

turn off "backup and sync"