Instagram is the most popular app worldwide, with 2 billion active users. If you are spending most of your time scrolling reels and watching stories, it can be the most data-consuming app on your device. The more time you spend on Instagram more data is in use. To monitor your data consumption, consider how much data you use with Instagram. 

In this article, I will go through the details of how much data Instagram uses and the tips to reduce over-data consumption.

How Much Data Do You Use With Instagram Full Guide

How much data does Instagram use?

Instagram data usage is not similar for every individual. It depends on how much time you spend on Instagram and at which resolution you scroll through reels. If you post high-quality photos and videos on Instagram, you may require high data. Standard video consumes 840 MBs in an hour, while high-standard quality takes 1.5 GB. The data usage depends on which activity you like most to do. Browsing feeds may not require much data while uploading the content uses more data. 

The estimated monthly data consumption according to users.

Data UserTime per dayMonthly data use
Light user 30 minutes/day2-4 GB/month
Moderate user 1 hour/day5-9 GB/month
Heavy user 3+ hours/day15-30 GB/month

Data Usage for Browsing Feeds

It varies based on your feed content. If it contains HD videos, definitely more data will used, while for pictures, the consumption is different. On average, browsing a feed without videos takes 100 to 200 MBs in an hour. 

Data Use for Watching Instagram Reels, Videos and Stories

As I mentioned, watching HD videos on Instagram uses big data amount. Watching reels for a minute takes 5 to 10 MBs, according to the video length. If you spend an hour watching the stories, 300 to 500 MBs will be used. While scrolling reels may consume 800 MBs to 1.2 GB of data. It may also vary based on your video resolution. 

Data Consumption for Uploading on Instagram

Uploading a high-quality image on Instagram takes up 2 to 4 MBs. If you are uploading a one-minute video of high resolution, it may consume 50 to 100 MBs. It happens because devices store high-quality content, and when it is required to upload one Instagram, it consumes more data amount. 

How to monitor Instagram data usage on Android and iOS devices?

Like other social media apps, Instagram doesn’t have a direct feature to monitor data usage. Thus, you can check the data consumption from your device Settings. 

For Android Devices

  • Open your Android Settings
  • Move to Apps and find Instagram.
  • In the app, move to Mobile Data, and under Data Usage, you can check how much data monthly your Instagram uses. 

For iOS Devices

  • Open your iPhone settings.
  • Move to Mobile Service and scroll to Instagram. 
  • Under the app name, you can check the data usage. 

How to reduce Instagram data usage?

If you think Instagram consumes most of your data, the following tips will help to reduce this data consumption. 

Enable Data Saver Mode

Data saver mode can be beneficial to reduce data usage. It will disable the video preloading and the image quality to reduce the data use. You can simply do it from your Instagram app settings. 

  • Open the Instagram settings app.
  • Move to Data usage and media quality in your app and media.
  • Look for the Cellular Data Settings.
  • Toggle Data Saver to turn it on. 

Disable High Resolution 

Android users can minimize the resolution quality to save the data. You can do it from the Instagram settings page. Tap high-resolution media in the app to restrict data consumption. 

Use Instagram Lite

Instagram Lite is the best alternative to reduce data consumption. The app is designed to be used in regions with lower network signals. It takes less data but offers fast performance. Is the Lite app similar to Instagram? There may be a limited filter, and the app is restricted to use in limited regions.  

Use Instagram with a WiFi Network

Connection to WiFi is the better solution to avoid the extra data consumption. If you are traveling abroad, use public WiFi at hotels and restaurants. You can also set high resolution while using WiFi. 

Buy the eSIM Unlimited Data Plan

eSIM is an excellent connectivity means for international travelers. If you are a high-data user, like an influencer who needs data every time to share and capture videos and pictures of every travel moment, the eSIM unlimited data plan will help you a lot here to access a fast internet connection. Whether you are traveling to the USA, UK, or different regions of Europe, Yaalo eSIM plans will help you access roaming-free connectivity. With an unlimited data plan, you can use data to scroll through social media and online audio or video streaming. 

Conclusion 

Instagram is the 3rd most popular app globally, with 2 billion active users monthly. Compared to the other social media apps, it is considered the most data-hungry app. But we can’t accurately measure how much data it consumes. Instagram data consumption varies from person to person. If you spend most of your day time watching reels, videos, live streaming and uploading, definitely, it is the most data-consuming app on your device. To reduce the extra usage, you can monitor consumption from your device settings. In this article, I have mentioned the steps that can help you to reduce data usage. 

FAQs

Does Instagram use more apps than other apps?

Yes, Instagram uses more data when it comes to scrolling the reels. Thus, it takes a significant amount of data compared to Facebook and Spotify. However, TikTok uses data similar to Instagram. 

Will reducing Instagram quality affect my uploads? 

Yes, it minimizes your post or video quality. But the content still looks visible and clear.