How Much Data Does YouTube Use?

YouTube uses approximately 135.2MB per hour (or about 0.10 GB) when streaming content with the app’s default settings. But if you toggle higher or lower picture quality in the app, you’ll see that number change significantly.

Analyzing your YouTube data usage metrics may seem unimportant, but these details, and the numbers for your more general data usage, will help you determine the best cell phone plan for you—and whether or not you’re paying for data you don’t need.

In this guide, we’ll break down everything you need to know about YouTube data usage, including how much data YouTube uses in its various settings, how to track the data on your YouTube account, and how to save data when watching your favorite content on your phone. 

YouTube Data Usage

The exact numbers for your YouTube data consumption depend on the settings selected in the app and how long you watch something. I wanted to find out how much data YouTube uses, so I decided to run some tests to see how much cellular data each setting uses.

Auto

Auto is the default setting in the YouTube app. It uses the best possible video quality without using too much data. Most of the time, this will be standard definition. The quality of your picture can vary depending on your service, but it aims to provide a solid viewing experience that lacks lag or buffering.

I decided to test out the Auto setting with a 15-minute video of the Grateful Dead playing “China Cat Sunflower / I Know You Rider,” which I turned horizontal so I could have the largest picture possible. When it was done, I checked my data usage: the app used 33.8MB, or about 0.03 GB. Assuming the rate stays about the same, that means YouTube’s Auto setting would use around 135.2MB, or 0.1352 GB, per hour.

If you want to set your YouTube video quality to Auto, here’s how:

1. Open the YouTube app.
2. Tap You in the bottom right corner.
3. Tap the gear icon in the upper right corner. 
4. Tap Video quality preferences.

5. Tap On mobile networks.

6. Tap Auto (recommended).

Higher picture quality

YouTube’s Higher picture quality setting means you’ll have the best possible video quality your cellular connection will allow. By toggling this setting on, you’re asking the app to use as much cellular data as it needs to give you the optimal viewing experience with higher resolutions, which can include ultra High Definition.

I queued the 15-minute Grateful Dead performance back up, turned my phone horizontal, and waited for the results. After the video’s conclusion, I went back to check my YouTube data usage and found that playing the video had used 47.8MB, or 0.0478GB. If we extend that measure over an hour, that means the Higher picture quality setting uses approximately 191.2MB, or 0.1912GB, per hour.

If you want to set your YouTube video quality to Higher picture quality, here’s how to make it happen:

1. Open the YouTube app.
2. Tap You in the bottom right corner.
3. Tap the gear icon in the upper right corner. 
4. Tap Video quality preferences.
5. Tap Higher picture quality.

Data saver

The Data saver setting, as the name suggests, means YouTube will conserve as much data as possible while streaming. You’ll have lower resolution than with the other settings, but you’ll also save a lot of monthly data. I wanted to test the setting to see how much.

I fired up the 15-minute video one more time, flipped the phone horizontally, and let it play to the end. The video used 25.4MB of data, or 0.0254GB. I’d expect that rate to stay the same for a full hour, meaning the Data saver setting uses approximately 101.6MB, or 0.1016GB, per hour.

If you want to set your YouTube video quality to Data saver, here’s how to do it:

1. Open the YouTube app.
2. Tap You in the bottom right corner.
3. Tap the gear icon in the upper right corner. 
4. Tap Video quality preferences.
5. Tap Data saver.

How To Check Your YouTube Data Usage

The best way to determine how much data YouTube uses for you is by checking your own stats. You can locate your YouTube data usage in a few basic steps. Here’s how.

On iPhone

1. Open Settings.
2. Tap Cellular.
3. Scroll down to YouTube. If you don’t see it there, tap Show All.

Keep in mind that the data listed there is for the arbitrary period you’ve set, not your monthly usage. If you want to reset that period and run a test, like I did, you can scroll down further, tap Reset Statistics, then check the data whenever you like.

On Android

1. Open Settings.
2. Tap Network & internet.
3. Tap Mobile network.
4. Tap App data usage.
5. Scroll to find the YouTube app.

How To Save Data While Using YouTube

If you want to use less data, there are two main steps you can take. The first is purchasing an unlimited data plan from AT&T, T-Mobile, or Verizon, which will make your concerns about data usage a thing of the past. The Verizon myPlan feature even lets you add on YouTube Premium for just $10/month. 

The second is cutting down on your data usage by turning on the Data saver setting and trying to limit your YouTube usage to Wi-Fi. After all, the best way to conserve data is by using it as little as possible. Unfortunately, downloading videos offline is only for YouTube Premium subscriber.

The Bottom Line

How much data YouTube will use depends on your particular habits, namely how long you watch the app and what settings you’ve turned on or off. Based on our YouTube data testing, we found that:

• The Auto setting will use approximately 135.2MB, or 0.1352 GB, per hour.  
• The Higher picture quality setting will use approximately 191.2MB, or 0.1912GB, per hour.
• The Data saver setting will use approximately 101.6MB, or 0.1016GB, per hour.

We recommend setting your YouTube app to Data saver mode and saving most of your YouTube streaming for Wi-Fi, which will help cut down on your monthly data usage.

Now that you know how much data YouTube uses and how to check your own data usage, it might be time to find a new phone plan that better meets your data needs. That's where Navi's free unbiased Plan Finder below can help.

Frequently Asked Questions

Does YouTube use a lot of data?

YouTube can use a lot of data if you use it frequently. Compared with other video streaming apps, though, like Netflix, its data usage is actually modest. Our testing found that Netflix’s default video setting uses approximately 0.6GB per hour while YouTube uses approximately 0.1GB.

How many gigs a month is watching YouTube?

Watching YouTube will use approximately 3.9GB if you watch an hour every day for 30 days with the app’s Auto setting turned on. 

How do I keep YouTube from going to Auto quality?

You can keep YouTube from going to the Auto quality setting by saving a different setting as your preference. You can do that by opening the YouTube app, tapping You in the bottom right corner, tapping the gear icon in the upper right corner, tapping Video quality preferences, then choosing the picture quality you prefer.