Pokémon Go is a mobile app that’s wildly popular with both adults and children. While this game is a lot of fun, it can use up a fair of amount of data from your cell phone plan. Depending on how much you play, it’s estimated that it can eat up between 2 and 8 megabytes of data per hour. In order to maximize your game playing and minimize data usage, try these four strategies.
1. Check for Wi-Fi
The first and easiest thing is check to make sure that you’re on Wi-Fi (if it’s available). When you’re playing at places that have access to Wi-Fi (your home, coffee shop, or friend's house) use it, so you don’t eat up your data plan. Before you use Wi-Fi for any reason, it’s a good idea to use security software/app on your mobile devices. Plus, adjust your settings so your mobile device doesn’t automatically connect to Wi-Fi. You want to manually connect so you know that you’re connecting to the business’s Wi-Fi.
2. Work with Local Businesses
Many local businesses are now catering to Pokémon Go users. You can even find out via Yelp if businesses are deemed "PokéStops," plus they might incentivize users to find rare Pokémon at their location. These businesses may also offer free Wi-Fi and a place to charge your phone.
3. Turn Off Other Apps
You might not always be able to find Wi-Fi, but you can take advantage of reducing data usage from other apps on your phone. This could be as simple as having your phone only do upgrades or downloads (podcasts and other large files) when you’re on Wi-Fi. You could also uninstall apps that you no longer use. Many apps, even if not regularly used, could still be using data from your plan. Also, be sure to turn off "push notifications" to avoid a huge drain on data.
4. Close the App When You’re Not Playing
It’s best to close the Pokémon Go app when you’re not playing the game – having it open could be draining your data even though you’re not actively playing it. A good strategy is to open the game when you’re in a new area, check for Pokémon, catch them, and then turn the game off.
Pokémon Go can certainly be a lot of fun, but if you have a limited data plan, be sure to take stock of your data usage. Many cell phone carriers have a feature that will automatically alert you (usually via text message) if you’re going over your allotted data usage. Turning this on could be helpful and could help prevent overages.