Netflix is the most used online streaming service. It has been known for its quality and convenience, but what about data usage?
People these days are always trying to reduce their monthly bills, and Netflix can be expensive if you’re not careful.
If you’re a Netflix subscriber, or you’ve ever wondered how much data Netflix uses and how that can affect your monthly bill, then read on.
General Netflix Data Usage
Netflix has four different settings that you can use to change how much data Netflix uses during streaming. The four settings are: Auto, Low, Medium, and High.
Auto Data Usage
Netflix will use as much data as it needs to stream a movie in the Auto data usage settings. If you have a slow connection, this might mean that Netflix uses more data than average. But It’s not a problem if you have a fast internet connection.
Low Data Usage
Netflix will only use as much data as it needs to stream a movie in the Low Netflix data usage settings. This setting is excellent if you have a limited amount of data each month and don’t want to go over your limit. It is a lower-quality video and some details might be lost during playback. It uses 0.3 GB per hour to stream video.
Medium Data Usage
The Medium Netflix data usage settings are the default ones.
Netflix will use about 0.7 GB per hour when using this setting. This is a good balance between quality and data usage.
You won’t have to worry about extra charges each month like in Auto mode, nor will you notice that much difference in video resolution.
Medium data usage is the default setting, but you can change it on your Netflix account page if you want.
High Data Usage
The High Netflix data usage settings will use about 3 GB per hour when streaming video. You can stream Netflix in High Definition. If you choose this setting, Netflix recommends that you only use it with an unlimited data plan.
It’s recommended that you turn this mode off if you’re on a limited data plan. This mode will provide the best video quality, but you’ll end up paying more if you’re not careful.
How to Reduce Netflix Data Usage
Netflix is a convenient method to view movies and TV series, but it can get expensive if you’re not careful. To reduce data usage without adjusting the video quality of your Netflix stream, there are two ways you can go about it.
Use a VPN
A Virtual Private Network, or VPN, could help you reduce your data usage when using Netflix. A VPN encrypts all the data that goes from your computer to the internet and back again. Since this process is encrypted, it is harder for anyone to track what sites you visit online and how much data you’re using. This means that you can use sites like Netflix without worrying about going over your monthly data allowance.
Adjust Your Streaming Quality
Netflix also allows you to adjust the quality of its videos. You can do this by clicking on the ”Playback Settings” option under Netflix account or Netflix app. Then click or tap on Playback Settings. You have four options to choose from.
Netflix Data Usage on Mobile Devices
Suppose you watch Netflix on a mobile device. In that case, there are also some data usage settings that you can adjust to change how much data Netflix uses during streaming.
It depends on the speed of your internet connection for WiFi, or on your cellular data usage.
Netflix might not work well with this setting if you have a weak WiFi connection because of how much data it uses. It uses 0.3 GB per hour to stream Netflix.
If you have an excellent and strong WiFi connection, then the quality of your video will be better when using this setting. Netflix says it can use up to 0.9 GB per hour when streaming video on a strong WiFi connection.
Cellular Data Usage for Netflix
If you have cellular data usage on your Netflix account, then the default picture quality is Medium. On cellular data usage, Netflix will use about 0.7 GB per hour when using this setting.
This is a good balance between quality and cellular data usage, so you won’t have to worry about extra charges each month.
Conclusion
We hope this article answers the question “how much data does Netflix use?” Feel free to go over our maximum data usage recommendations, but remember that you’ll be charged extra if you go over your maximum limit. We also recommend changing the video streaming quality on Netflix, using a VPN, or changing playback settings. These changes can help you reduce the maximum amount of data that your Netflix app uses each month.
