How much data does Netflix streaming use?

In the year 2022, you’d think that data caps are already gone. But obviously, it’s not. That’s why it’s best to know how much data you’re consuming, especially if you’re on a prepaid subscription.

Being one of the biggest streaming platforms in the world, today we’ll see how much data watching Netflix use. This will give you an idea of how much data you need to acquire before leaving the house and stream your favorite shows while you’re on your commute to work or school.

Those who have data-capped home WiFi monthly plans will also get an idea of how much of their monthly allocation is being consumed by Netflix.

So, without further ado, here’s how much data Netflix consumes on mobile and PC. We’ll also show you the different data settings that you can play with to conserve data. Let’s begin.

How much data does Netflix consume?

Netflix’s data consumption varies from the quality you’ve chosen. There are different usage settings for each platform: mobile or web — all of which have varying data consumption. The numbers below are the data used per hour of streaming for each device.

Usage Setting	Data used per hour
Low	Basic Video Quality: up to 300MB
Medium	Standard Video Quality: up to 700MB
High	Standard Definition: up to 1GB High Definition: up to 3GB Ultra High Definition (4K): up to 7GB
Save Data (Mobile app only)	up to ~167MB/hour
Maximum Data (Mobile app only)	up to 3GB/hour
Auto	Automatically adjusts settings to the best quality your internet speed can handle.

Related

How to adjust data usage settings on Netflix

Here’s a guide on how you can control your Netflix usage settings, whether you want to save data or want to best video quality every time. Here’s how you can access those settings on the mobile app or watching via a web browser.

via Mobile App

Step 1: Open the Netflix app and tap the “More” button or your profile on the top left.

Step 2: Tap “App Settings”.

Step 3: Tap “Cellular Data Usage”.

Step 4: “Automatic” is set by default. Turn that off and choose your preferred option: WiFi only, Save Data, or Maximum Data.

via Web Browser

Step 1: Click your profile icon on the top left and go to “Manage Profile”.

Step 2: Go to “Profile & Parental Controls” and choose your profile.

Step 3: Click “Playback Settings”.

Step 4: Choose your data usage: Auto, Low, Medium, or High.

What is the best usage settings for Netflix?

If you have an unreliable internet connection, it’s best to choose “Auto”. As the name suggests, it automatically picks the best possible quality based on your internet connection, hence eliminating the irritating buffering.

But even if you have a fast fiber internet connection, it’s still best to go with “Auto” since it will still switch to the highest settings due to your reliable connection but dial back in rare occasions where it goes bad.

In case you’re using a prepaid data promo for Netflix that has very limited data allocation for streaming, it’s best to enable the “Low” or “Medium” setting on the web or “Save Data” on the mobile app, so you can stream longer.

How to watch Netflix in 4K Ultra HD

First, you should have the Netflix Family plan or any plan that supports 4K streaming. Plus, of course, a 4K 60Hz TV or higher, and lastly, a fast and reliable internet connection with at least 15MBps speeds. You can also set the usage settings to High, so it’s always on 4K.

These are the things you should know about your Netflix data usage and how to manage them. Have any questions? Let us know in the comments and we’ll help you out.