How much data does Instagram use?

You can easily spend 600 MB/hour on average when using Instagram. But is that the case at all times? What if you only watch stories, Reels, or someone else’s Instagram Live? How much data does Instagram use then?

In this guide, we explore Instagram data usage based on the different activities you can do on the app. We also focus on finding ways to consume less data and save you a hefty roaming fee.

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Does Instagram use a lot of data?

Holafly’s independent data usage research shows that basic browsing on Instagram uses, on average, 69 MB every five minutes.

While this may not sound like a lot, Instagram’s other features are heavy data users. For example, watching live streams on Instagram can use as much as 1.5 GB of data per hour.Therefore, you need to monitor your data usage, especially when traveling. Operators like AT&T and Verizon charge $2.05 per MB of data usage, which can lead to a hefty roaming fee of over $280 for just 10 minutes of scrolling.

How much data does Instagram use per hour?

Each activity on Instagram has a different data usage rate. An hour of scrolling posts and stories, for example, consumes less than half the data of watching Lives and Reels. 

Here’s a breakdown of how much data Instagram uses per hour, per activity:

For other activities that don’t have hourly usage, like uploading content, Instagram uses around 2 to 8 MB, which might increase depending on the video and image quality. 

Note: You can use Holafly’s data calculator to get an idea of how much data you’ll need per month based on your favorite app’s usage.

How can I check how much data Instagram is using?

To keep an eye on how much you’re spending on Instagram, here’s how to check your data usage on iOS and Android devices.

• Android:
  • Go to “Settings,” 
  • Select “More connectivity options,” 
  • Go to “Data Usage.” 

Data usage information on Android devices

• iPhone: 
  • Go to “Settings,” 
  • Click “Cellular/Mobile Data,” 
  • Look for the Instagram data usage.

How to reduce Instagram data usage

Instagram’s data usage can be somewhat reduced. This may be necessary if you’re traveling on a limited data plan or even when using data roaming. 

Enable “Data Saver” mode on Instagram

Instagram, like TikTok, has an option to save data. You can enable it by doing the following:

• Go to your Instagram profile and press the three-line icon at the top right corner.
• Scroll down and click on “Data usage and media quality.”
• You can activate two options there:
  • Data saver: By activating this option, videos won’t load in advance, reducing Instagram’s data usage.
  • Upload at highest quality: This option should be off by default. But if it’s turned on, photos, videos, and stores will upload with the highest possible quality, consuming more data.

Deactivate the “Save original photos” feature

When you upload photos or videos, these can be automatically downloaded to your phone, causing Instagram to consume much more data. 

Here’s how you can deactivate this option to save more data:

• Go to your Instagram profile and press the three-line menu.
• Scroll down and click on “Archiving and downloading.”
• Turn off the “Save original photos” and “Save story to gallery” to save more data on your phone.

Note: The “Save story to archive” and “Save live to archive” options will not use much data, as they aren’t direct downloads to your phone.

Download Instagram Lite

If you’re an Android user, you can save even more data by downloading the Instagram Lite app.

Instagram Lite is designed to work on slower mobile networks and reduces the app’s data usage by about 50% to 34.5 MB per hour. Image and video quality are heavily affected, but considering data usage is cut in half, the app is worth it for travelers on a tight data budget.

Turn off background data usage

Turning off background data usage is another way to save data on Instagram. It will stop the app from running in the background and deactivate notifications and other features, like downloading content.

Here’s how you activate this option:

• Go to your mobile settings and find “More connectivity options.”
• Click on “Data usage” and choose “Instagram.”
• Once the app is open, turn off the “Background data” option.
• You’ll see a pop-up message with the features that will stop working until you activate this option again.

Use an eSIM to control data costs while traveling

Buying an unlimited data eSIM doesn’t exactly save data on Instagram, but it will save you money. 

This is a great option for uploading photos and pictures while abroad, and it’s even better if your work depends on using Instagram.

Holafly is your best ally, as it offers different unlimited data plans. You can choose a single-country or regional data plan, with pricing starting at $6.90/day. If you buy more days, these plans can cost as little as $1.55/day, and you get up to 1 GB of data sharing per day.

Traveling for work or on a long-term trip? Holafly Connect is a monthly subscription with data plans ranging from 10 GB to unlimited data plans, making these a great option for digital nomads, remote workers, and Instagram lovers.

With Holafly Connect, you get the following features for a fraction of the price:

• 24/7 customer support through different channels
• Up to 5G connectivity when available
• Up to unlimited data sharing
• Monthly renewal for as long as you need it

Forget how much data Instagram uses; say goodbye to hefty data roaming fees, and continue uploading your photos and videos non-stop.

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FAQs about Data usage on Instagram

What uses more data, TikTok or Instagram?

TikTok uses more data than Instagram. You can consume up to 948 MB per hour by just scrolling. If you want to upload videos, make a live video, and try filters on TikTok, you can easily use up to 2 GB of data in a single hour, 500 MB more than what Instagram can use.

Why does Instagram use higher internet data than Facebook?

Instagram uses a lot more data than Facebook as it mostly relies on high-quality images and video content, such as Stories and Reels. In contrast, Facebook relies more on posts that include a lower-quality image or video, which lowers the data usage to 780 MB per hour.

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Julio Osuna

English Content Writer

I first started my content creation journey as a freelancer in 2019, before connecting with Holafly in 2021. At Holafly, my travel and tech interests come together in one place as I craft high-quality articles about the eSIM and related markets. My content aims to help travelers stay connected, wherever they are.

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