- Use the app to watch videos offline One way to save on your data bill is to use YouTube as an offline video player. This means that you can watch videos without having to worry about your data connection. Just open the YouTube app and select “Offline Mode” from the main menu. Once you’re in Offline Mode, you can watch videos by tapping on the video thumbnail and then selecting “Play Offline.”
- Use ad-supported content sparingly Another way to save on your data bill is by using ad-supported content instead of full-length videos. Ad-supported content is content that doesn’t require a subscription but does include some ads. To find ad-supported content on YouTube, go to the YouTube website and type in “Ad supported videos” into the search bar. You’ll then see a list of all the available ad-supported videos. Choose one that interests you and click on it to watch it without any ads.
- Disable background downloading of new videos If you don’t want your phone downloading new videos automatically, you can try disabling background downloading of new videos by going to Settings -> Applications -> YouTube -> Background Downloads -> Turn Off Background Downloads for Videos (or similar). This will stop your phone from downloading new video files when it has time for them to finish loading in the background, which will save battery life and help reduce your data bill!
The Obvious One: Lower the Video
Quality
So how do you avoid going over your data cap? Here are a few tips:
- Choose a lower quality video stream when possible. YouTube will still play back at HD quality, but it will use less data.
- Use the “Download” feature to save videos for offline viewing. This will reduce the amount of data used, but won’t reduce the video quality.
- Use YouTube’s “Data Saver” feature to automatically lower the video quality when using cellular data. ..
If you’re streaming video on your phone, make sure to choose a lower quality option to avoid wasting data on video quality you may not appreciate on a screen.
You can adjust the quality of the video by tapping on the three dots at the top right corner. The first option will be Quality.
When watching video, try to find a balance between visual crispness and the type of content you’re looking for. If it’s a talking-head video played in that tiny portrait mode window, you might as well knock it down all the way to the 144p setting, which barely uses any data at all.
The SD 480p setting on the typical smartphone looks great depending on how close the display is to your eye.
Download Your Videos Preemptively
YouTube allows you to download videos so that you can watch them on your mobile device while on WiFi or on data without using any of your cellular service.
YouTube has a new feature that is available for free to users in some regions, and it’s also available as a paid subscription. The paid subscription includes features like downloads and removes ads from YouTube. Depending on data costs, this might be cheaper than streaming on your mobile package and has the added benefit of also removing adverts from YouTube.
There are a number of YouTube Go applications available in select regions. This app is a super stripped-down version of YouTube that runs on low-end devices and uses less data, while being built around downloads at its core. You can have both apps installed on the same device without issue, so if you do have access to it in your region, it’s worth a try. ..
Restrict HD Streaming on Mobile
If you’re a YouTube user and want to watch your videos at their highest quality, you can toggle the “High Quality” setting on your profile. This will keep the app from streaming at HD quality while your device is not connected to a WiFi hotspot.
This means that you can relax and enjoy your clips without worrying about how they look or whether they’re playing smoothly.
It’s a good idea to turn off the Autoplay next video option in case you play a video and happen to leave your phone unattended for sometime.
Use an Android App Player to
Download YouTube Videos on PC
There is no official way to download YouTube videos on a PC, so if you’re on the go with a laptop, you may not be able to take advantage of this data strategy. However, there are a number of Android “app players” available for Windows that can be downloaded for free. usually if you can tolerate some light advertising.
YouTube is now available on a laptop through an app player. This workaround works with a YouTube Premium account and we’ve tested it using a laptop at work, school, or at public hotspots.
You Don’t Have to Feel The
Squeeze
With the advent of online video, many people have come to rely on it for information and entertainment. However, because of the data caps that have been put in place, many people are finding that they are not able to use all of their data allowance. There are a few things that you can do to make sure that you are able to use all of your data and still enjoy online video. ..