Streaming services like Netflix make it easy to binge movies and TV shows but you can keep track of the data you use and even limit it. Here’s what you need to know about Netflix’s data usage.

How Much Data Does Netflix Use?

The amount of data Netflix uses depends on the picture quality you use. Here are the values on the highest quality setting.

  • Standard-definition streams: Uses about 1 GB per hour.
  • High-definition streams: Uses around 3 GB per hour.
  • Ultra high-definition streams: Includes 4K video; uses approximately 7 GB per hour.

How to Control How Much Data Netflix Uses on the Web

If you’re worried about Netflix eating up your data, you can control the quality of the videos you stream. Here’s how to do it on the web version.

  • Sign in to your Netflix account and choose your profile.
  • Click your profile image in the upper-right corner, then select Account.
  • Under the Profile & Parental Settings heading, select the arrow next to the profile you want to adjust.
  • Click Change next to Playback Settings.
  • Select the option you want under Data usage per screen:
  • Auto: Uses the best quality based on your internet speed.Low: Limits data usage to 0.3 GB per hour.Medium: Uses up to 0.7 GB per hour.High: Uses 3 GB for HD and 7 GB for UHD.
  • Use the low or medium settings to save data. The high option uses the maximum amount, and the auto setting gives you no control over how much data you’re using.
  • Click Save to preserve your changes.
  • Changes you make may take up to eight hours to go into effect on all of your devices.

How to Control How Much Data Netflix Uses on Mobile

Your web settings affect all of your devices. But if you download videos from the Netflix app, you can save some data with some settings in the mobile app. One setting decreases the size of the files you save to cut down on data usage and speed up the downloads. Here’s what to do.

If you have multiple profiles on your account, you have to adjust the quality settings for each of them separately.

Sign in to your Netflix account and choose your profile.

Click your profile image in the upper-right corner, then select Account.

Under the Profile & Parental Settings heading, select the arrow next to the profile you want to adjust.

Click Change next to Playback Settings.

Select the option you want under Data usage per screen:

  • Auto: Uses the best quality based on your internet speed.Low: Limits data usage to 0.3 GB per hour.Medium: Uses up to 0.7 GB per hour.High: Uses 3 GB for HD and 7 GB for UHD.

Use the low or medium settings to save data. The high option uses the maximum amount, and the auto setting gives you no control over how much data you’re using.

Click Save to preserve your changes.

Changes you make may take up to eight hours to go into effect on all of your devices.

  • Open the Netflix app and sign in, if necessary.
  • Tap More at the bottom of the screen.
  • Tap App Settings.
  • Tap Video Quality.
  • You have two options on the next screen, but they aren’t very specific. Tap Standard to use less data when you download a movie or TV show.

Open the Netflix app and sign in, if necessary.

Tap More at the bottom of the screen.

Tap App Settings.

Tap Video Quality.

You have two options on the next screen, but they aren’t very specific. Tap Standard to use less data when you download a movie or TV show.

  • Why did Netflix change my video quality?
  • Your playback settings are set to automatically adjust the video quality based on your internet speed. If you prefer, you can control the video quality on Netflix manually.
  • Why is my video quality so low on Netflix?
  • Poor video quality on Netflix is usually caused by a poor internet connection. Check the video quality settings, then troubleshoot your slow internet connection.
  • What internet speed do I need for Netflix?
  • The recommended minimum speed for video streaming is 1.5 Mb/s, but you’ll need about 15 Mb/s to stream in 4K. Use a stream test to check if your connection is fast enough for Netflix.
  • How much data does Hulu use?
  • The amount of data Hulu uses depends on the video quality. Most HD content uses 1.35GB per hour. Live streams use about 3.6 GB per hour, and 4K content uses up to 7.2 GB per hour.

Your playback settings are set to automatically adjust the video quality based on your internet speed. If you prefer, you can control the video quality on Netflix manually.

Poor video quality on Netflix is usually caused by a poor internet connection. Check the video quality settings, then troubleshoot your slow internet connection.

The recommended minimum speed for video streaming is 1.5 Mb/s, but you’ll need about 15 Mb/s to stream in 4K. Use a stream test to check if your connection is fast enough for Netflix.

The amount of data Hulu uses depends on the video quality. Most HD content uses 1.35GB per hour. Live streams use about 3.6 GB per hour, and 4K content uses up to 7.2 GB per hour.

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