Learn how to save bandwidth and reduce cellular data usage on the official X (Twitter) app and website by turning on the data saver option.
Social networks like X that feed you live information load data over the internet as things happen. But scrolling past auto-loading photos and auto-playing videos in your timeline causes X to excessively use cellular data on your iPhone.
Follow along with us to learn how to turn on X’s data saver mode and adjust other settings to save data, especially if you’re on a wireless plan with limited allowance.
Turn on data saver on the X app and website
To toggle the data saver option in the mobile X app, hit your profile picture in the top-right corner, and navigate to Settings and privacy > Accessibility, display, and languages > Data Usage. Turn on the Data Saver switch to stop videos from playing and lower-quality images from loading automatically.
If you use X on the web, turn on data saver at x.com/settings/data. You can also configure X to load high-quality images on Wi-Fi instead of cellular data.
Turn off Background App Refresh in iOS
Background App Refresh, turned on by default, is a feature that permits apps to periodically fetch new data in the background, which negatively impacts the battery and increases data consumption. Background App Refresh is automatically suspended in Low Power Mode, but you can turn it off entirely or just for the X app in Settings > General > Background App Refresh. I keep this setting turned off for all apps except WhatsApp, where it causes delayed notification delivery.
Turn off cellular data for X
You can also stop X from using cellular data on your iPhone by turning off the switch for X in Settings > Cellular > Show All. Doing so restricts X on your iPhone to Wi-Fi; it won’t work on cellular data. This option isn’t for everyone. In fact, it’s pretty extreme so only resort to it when traveling abroad (to avoid risking roaming charges) or approaching your monthly data allowance and have no other choice.
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