iPhone users are wondering whether or not when using FaceTime if indeed it uses your cellular data or cellular call minutes. FaceTime is a video calling app made by Apple supported on all iPhone devices. Yes, it does use data, but the good news is it does not use your cellular minutes when making a FaceTime call. As a matter of fact, FaceTime is considered to be free as long as you are connected to a WiFi you can make and receive video calls to other iPhone users not having to worry about the fees that will be charged on your cellular plan. You will also have the option to disable data usage for FaceTime on your iPhone especially if you have a limited data on your cellular plan.
Before explaining further regarding the use of FaceTime while on Data, there are a few points to keep in mind:
- If you are connected to a WiFi Connection, FaceTime will default to using it. If not, FaceTime will automatically switched to using your cellular data when trying to do or make a FaceTime call. The automatic switch will not happen if you disable cellular data usage for FaceTime.
- 400;”>FaceTime uses Data only when you are not connected to a WiFI, and does not use your cellular call minutes.
- You will always have the option to disable or enable the use of cellular data for making and receiving FaceTime video calls.
- If your only doing a shorter FaceTime calls to an iPhone user, it will not use up much of your data plan.
Apple users have a lot of questions in mind about FaceTime usage such as how much cellular data does FaceTime use and how to make sure the FaceTime does not use data when disabled. The answers to these questions will be further discussed below.
HERE ARE THE ANSWERS TO QUESTIONS REGARDING FACETIME ON CELLULAR DATA
How much cellular data does FaceTime really use?
As mentioned when not connected to WiFi, making a FaceTime call can use your cellular data but only to a minimum. In fact, games and social media takes more of your cellular data than FaceTime does. A typical FaceTime call usually uses about 3MB of your cellular data per minute or 180MB of cellular data per hour.
But if you are planning to make a FaceTime call for a longer period of time, it is recommended to connect to a WiFi Connection. The longer the FaceTime call is using your cellular data, the higher the usage is.
If you’re on a limited cellular data plan, you can keep track of FaceTime Data usage per FaceTime call to be aware of how much of your data you’ve already used up preventing overuse and incurring additional charges.
To check your cellular data usage for each FaceTime call for each individual with iPhone, follow these steps:
- Open FaceTime App on your iPhone Device to view FaceTime Video History.
- Next, tap the “i” icon next to the contact that you made the FaceTime call.
- If cellular data was used during the FaceTime call, you will easily see the data usage right next to the call’s timestamp on the contact.
If you want to check your overall FaceTimeData usage, follow the steps below:
- Go to Settings on your iPhone
- Tap on Cellular
On the current period section, you can easily see the total cellular data used up. You will also see the cellular section, how much cellular data each app had used
- Then scroll down from the list of options to find FaceTime tab, tap on it.
- Just beneath FaceTime name, you can easily see its data usage.
Ideally, your iPhone does not resets the data usage automatically. This means that you have to manually reset it to be able to accurately track its usage for each month along with your data plan everytime it resets each month.
You can manually reset your cellular data usage by:
- Opening Settings on your iPhone
- Tap on Cellular
- Scroll all the way down below, and tap on Reset Statistics.
These does not only resets FaceTime data usage but all Cellular data used in all apps on your iPhone as well.
How to make sure FaceTime does not use cellular data
It does not necessarily mean that when you don’t use your cellular Data, you won’t be able to make FaceTime call. Yes can still make and receive a FaceTime call but this time with the over WiFi Connection.
Turning off the use of cellular data for FaceTime is useful at times when the data on your plan is limited. It prevents FaceTime to automatically use cellular data, especially if you are not aware you are no longer connected to Wifi.
Turn off Cellular Data use for FaceTime by:
- Go to Settings from the Home Screen
- Tap on Cellular
- Then tap on FaceTime
- Toggle OFF the switch. It should then turn to White from Green.