October 2, 2024
In this blog:
How much data does TikTok use?
How to save data while using TikTok?
How to check TikTok data usage?
Comparison with Instagram
TikTok has rapidly evolved into one of the world's most popular social media platforms with around 1.4 billion users all around the world. With its unique format of short, engaging videos ranging from dance challenges to informative clips, millions of people spend hours daily scrolling through their TikTok feeds. However, this constant stream of entertainment has a hidden cost: data consumption. Each TikTok video you watch consumes a certain amount of data, and depending on your viewing habits, the numbers can quickly add up. Whether you're on Wi-Fi or mobile data, being aware of how much data TikTok uses can help you manage your usage better. This blog will break down how much data TikTok uses and how to save data while using TikTok.
On average, watching a single TikTok video uses around 4MB of data. This may not seem like a lot, but considering TikTok's rapid-scroll nature, where users often scroll through dozens, if not hundreds, of videos in one sitting, data consumption can build up fast. TikTok consumes about 948MB of data per hour when you are using the app with its default settings. This is nearly 1GB per hour, which can be quite significant if you’re on a limited mobile data plan. This can vary depending on factors like the video quality and video length.
If you’re concerned about the amount of data TikTok consumes, there are several ways to reduce your data usage without sacrificing your TikTok experience.
1. Enable TikTok’s built-in data saver mode
TikTok offers an integrated data saver feature, which reduces the video quality and limits the amount of data the app consumes.
Steps to enable data saver mode:
By enabling this feature, TikTok will automatically reduce the video quality, helping you save data when you're not on Wi-Fi. While videos may take slightly longer to load, the reduction in data usage can be significant.
2. Activate your phone’s data saver
In addition to TikTok’s own settings, both Android and iPhone offer system-wide data saver options. These can limit background data usage for all apps, including TikTok.
For Android:
For iPhone:
These settings can further help you minimize TikTok’s data consumption by preventing background activity and reducing video quality while on mobile data.
It's essential to keep an eye on how much data TikTok uses to avoid unexpected charges, especially if you're on a limited data plan. Here’s how you can track TikTok’s data usage on your phone:
For Android:
For iPhone:
By frequently monitoring your data usage, you can identify if TikTok is consuming more data than expected and adjust your data usage if needed.
TikTok is not the only app where users consume large amounts of video content in short bursts. Another major platform with a similar rapid-scroll format is Instagram, particularly its Reels feature. When you watch Instagram Reels, the data consumption is even higher than TikTok. On average, Instagram consumes around 100MB per 5 minutes of watching Reels. This means Instagram uses about 1.2GB per hour. This is 1.5 times more data than TikTok.
The difference in data usage between TikTok and Instagram comes down to things like video quality settings, how each platform compresses videos, and the kind of content people share. Instagram often prioritizes higher-quality video uploads, which means more data per video viewed. While TikTok videos are generally shorter and optimized for quick loading, Instagram Reels may include more detailed visual elements and potentially higher resolution, resulting in increased data consumption.
If you’re managing your mobile data usage, TikTok is slightly more data-efficient than Instagram, but both apps can quickly drain data if used without limitations. For heavy users, especially those who enjoy both TikTok and Instagram, activating data-saving settings on both platforms could be a smart strategy to minimize overall data consumption.
Watching TikTok for extended periods can lead to high data usage, which may lead to significant roaming fees when traveling. A smart way to prevent this is by using Firsty, which helps you stay connected worldwide without excessive data costs. With Firsty Fast, you can watch TikTok without worrying about high data fees. Simply choose how many days of Firsty Fast you need and enjoy TikTok throughout your travels.
With these tips and explanations, you now know exactly how much data TikTok uses and how you can manage it to avoid unexpected charges. Whether you're using Wi-Fi at home or mobile data while traveling, you can now enjoy watching hours of TikTok more wisely!
