How to Check Your Data Usage

This article explains how to check data usage directly from an iPhone or Android phone or through a major carrier, such as AT&T, Verizon, T-Mobile, and more.

How to See How Much Data You Have Left From Your Phone

Both iPhone and Android let you check how much data has been used on your cellular plan. If you know how much is allotted to you monthly, then some simple math will tell you how much data is left.

Check iPhone Data Usage

iPhones store this information in Settings > Cellular. Scroll down to Cellular Data. The figure next to Current Period is the running total.

Check Android Phone Data Use

How this works on Android differs between operating systems and manufacturers. If searching the Settings app for data or usage doesn't get you there, try these directions to check data usage on your Android:

• Settings > Connections > Data usage
• Settings > Network & internet > SIMs > Verizon (or your carrier)
  

Check Data Usage With Xfinity

For mobile users, see the iPhone and Android information above. Each phone line is limited to a certain amount of data per line.

If you are an Xfinity subscriber for cable and home internet, there are two ways to check your data usage: the web and the app.

Visit the Devices page of your Xfinity account to find the Data Usage Overview area. In the Xfinity app, tap Account at the bottom and then Data Usage to see how much you've used in the past few months. If you have an xFi Gateway, open the app to WiFi > View WiFi equipment > Advanced settings > Data Usage.

Check Data Usage With AT&T

The easiest way to check AT&T data usage if you subscribe to their phone service is by dialing *3282# (it's *DATA# if that's easier to remember). For Spanish, dial *3286#.

AT&T will send you a free text message summarizing your next billing date, total data usage, and what data overage (if any) has occurred. If you’re on a family plan, you’ll even be able to see the usage for each number on your account.

The myATT app is another option. For example, to check your home internet data usage, open the Services tab and then tap Home internet. Next to My data usage is the current total for the month. This same information is available through the myAT&T account overview page.

To avoid surprises at billing time, use the myATT app to set up data alerts and receive text messages when you reach a set threshold. The myATT app’s Video Management feature limits video streams to standard definition at a maximum speed of 2 Mbps.

Check Data Usage With Verizon

Verizon provides ways to monitor and control data usage, including a text summary. Dial #3282 to get a text alert summarizing your data use. Verizon will even repeat the information verbally if you stay on the line.

The My Verizon app works, too. Go to Account > Usage > Usage Overview for those details. This is also where you can set data usage alerts, see which user and which apps use data, and set limits by app or user.

Depending on which data plan you use, the My Verizon app’s Safety Mode will let you keep using data after you’ve reached your monthly allowance, albeit at reduced speeds. It’s a solid way to keep from incurring overage charges.

Check Data Usage With T-Mobile

You’ll receive a text message as you reach 80 percent and 100 percent of your account’s minutes, texts, and data. To check anytime, dial #932#.

T-Mobile’s app does basic data use reporting and manages its Binge On feature. When enabled, Binge On optimizes video as you stream it to limit data usage. So plowing through entire seasons on Netflix doesn’t necessarily mean laying waste to the month’s data allowance.

To see your T-Mobile data usage from the app, go to Account > Plans and usage details > Usage.

Check Data Usage With Cricket

Cricket touts its plans that include unlimited data, so you might not see the need to monitor usage. But there’s a catch. After a set amount of data, Cricket may temporarily slow data speeds when the network is congested. So, keeping track of precisely how much you’ve consumed at the all-you-can-stream data buffet might be worth it if you rely on your phone to stream video.

One way is to check your usage through your account by signing in and then going to Account > Usage. Pick the phone line you're interested in to see how much data it has used.

To check your data usage in the myCricket app, sign in and tap Usage at the bottom. Cricket does not automatically send data usage alerts by text.

Check Data Usage With Boost Mobile

Most of Boost Mobile’s plans offer unlimited data usage and will alert you to data usage throughout your billing cycle. Like Cricket’s unlimited data feature, however, you have access to a limited amount of high-speed data before you’re throttled back to a slower connection.

Boost will send notifications as you approach your high-speed data cap. Optionally, you can check usage by logging in to your Boost Mobile account or opening the Boost Mobile app. There, you can track data usage closely, and review outgoing calls and messages.

Why Am I Using So Much Data?

Not surprisingly, the apps and activities you spend the most time with are likely the same ones consuming the most data. Here are some of the biggest culprits:

• Autoplaying videos on Facebook, Instagram, YouTube, and Snapchat
• Streaming high-definition video on YouTube, Hulu, Netflix, etc.
• Allowing apps to refresh in the background when they’re not being used