Data usage

[JJ57]

Lots of data is being used between 12:00am to 8:00 am. I’m at home during this time and usually in bed by 1:00 am so can’t understand why I’m using up data. At home I’m on my wifi should not be using data.

Do you have an explanation for this? Thanks 

[ozwald]

I'm pretty sure there should be ways to turn off your data, for example on android you can manually turn off data after you're done using it. Some people might find it a hassle, but I just find it an easier way as to not go over the line with my data usage.

[XionBunny]

On android, I just enabled data saver, and I haven't seen any dramatic spikes in usage. However, yes, the system does refresh at those hours as standard.

[Chalupa_Batman]

I noticed that myself. So I closed access on my iPhone to all apps except the ones I needed like phone and messages. Once a week, usually on Monday morning before work while getting ready I just go to my store and see what needs to be updated and update it while on WiFi. Problem was solved. 1am eh, you living my life...  when I was 20. 😞 

[BKNS27]

@JJ57 

How much data are we talking about?

Might be lots to others but nothing for some members.

[dwh1]

There are some suggestions here that it is a data reporting artifact, and that might be true.  However, at least on iPhones, there are a couple of real-world possibilities:

1) If you leave cellular turned on while also on wifi, I've found that when apps update data overnight, the wifi can take a bit too long to connect (since the phone was sleeping) and the requests can be made over cellular data.  Depending on what apps you have installed, what is allowed to make background requests, and what they are actually making requests for, that could be significant.

2) There's an option in Settings/iCloud (the entry at the top with your name)/Icloud/Backup to allow backup over cellular data. If you have that enabled, again it could happen overnight (generally will happen when the phone is plugged into power) and could be a lot of data.  Unless you never plug your phone in someplace where it has wifi, you probably should disable this.

In general, for both of these reasons, I keep cellular data turned off when the phone is in my house and on wifi.  

[Meow]

Try to turn off your phone during night to see is this phantom usage continues.

I do that and Never experienced data usage during night. Not even during the day if my data is off...

[hairbag1]

@JJ57 

could be that some of your apps, update overnight. You could turn data off on apps that you don't use on a regular basis.

[softech]

@JJ57 

PM does not update the data usage constantly.  In fact, it only update it twice a day. 

So, any entry you see is just a total usage between that timestamp and the timestamp of the previous entry.  The early morning usage  you see on the Usage log does not mean it was used in the morning but a total usage for the last 12 hours.

Also, for correct usage reading, always use Incognito mode to login My Account to avoid reading cached old info