Changing your cellular data settings on iPhone and Windows can help you manage your data usage, improve performance, and avoid unexpected charges. Both platforms offer customizable settings that allow you to tailor your connectivity experience to your needs.

Some people change them to avoid unnecessary charges and improve the battery life of their devices. Others want to save data while roaming.

Enable/Disable Cellular Data on iPhone

How to Change Cellular Data Settings in Windows and iPhone

To control cellular data on your iPhone, go to Settings > Cellular, then turn Cellular Data on/off. If you'd rather prevent certain apps from guzzling your cellular data, you can easily turn off cellular access for apps in that same menu.

Roaming and Data Options

Data Roaming

Data Roaming sometimes is available on your iPhone when you are roaming abroad outside your carrier network. You will disable roaming by navigating to settings > cellular > cellular data options > toggle data roaming off. This will ensure you stay away from unknown costs while abroad.

Minimize Cellular Use with Low Data Mode

Save cellular data with Low Data Mode. This limits background app activity as well as automatic downloads and updates when your iPhone is not connected to Wi-Fi. To do this, go to Settings > Cellular > Cellular Data Options, tap Data Mode, and select Low Data Mode.

Voice Roaming and Network Settings

Voice Roaming will be disabled. You can disable this feature to avoid another voice call charge if you are traveling out of your carrier's coverage area. If you are using 4G/LTE or 5G, you may disable 4G/LTE to save battery life or enable a network mode to allow better performance.

Cellular Data Optimization on 5G

There are quite a few ways to optimize both battery life and performance with Apple's iPhone 12 models and, later, with a 5G data plan.

Smart Data Mode automatically switches to LTE when 5G speeds aren't noticeably better, helping to save more battery. That can be enabled in Settings > Cellular > Cellular Data Options, select Voice & Data > 5G Auto.

Allow More Data on 5G: If video quality and FaceTime calls are poor on 5G, do the following: Tap Data Mode > Allow More Data on 5G to enable this feature.

5G Off: If you want to use LTE on your iPhone or just prefer LTE over 5G, you can turn off the latter via the Voice & Data > LTE settings.

Cellular Data Usage Monitoring in Windows 11

And to keep an eye on your cellular data usage on Windows 11, you can go to Settings > Cellular. This area allows you to see what every app, service, and system function is using. If you would like to reset the statistics for a clean slate, go to the bottom of the Cellular settings page and tap Reset Statistics.

Cellular Data Usage for Individual Apps and Services

You can also control which apps are allowed to consume cellular data. In order to access it you go to Settings > Cellular, scroll down to your list of apps, and from there you will be able to see how much data each app has used.

Disable the cellular data for any app if you do not want it to use cellular data anymore. Keep in mind that Wi-Fi Assist will automatically switch you back to cellular data if your Wi-Fi connection is weak.

Connecting to Cellular Data For the First Time in Windows 11

Locking Your SIM Card for Enhanced Security

If you are looking for more security over your cellular data, you can lock your SIM card with a PIN number. This will protect your SIM card against unauthorized use should your phone get lost or stolen. To enable this feature, tap on Settings > Cellular > SIM PIN.

Sharing Your Internet Connection through Personal Hotspot

To share the internet connection of an iPhone, you can use the Personal Hotspot feature. This allows you to allow other devices access to the internet with your cellular data. You'll find this feature by heading to Settings > Cellular > Personal Hotspot.