How to Turn Off Low Data Mode on iPhone and Android (2026)

Key Takeaways
On iPhone, Low Data Mode lives under Settings > Cellular > Cellular Data Options, with a separate switch for 5G under Data Mode.
Wi-Fi networks have their own Low Data Mode switch on iPhone; turning it off for cellular does not change it for Wi-Fi.
On Android, the equivalent is Data Saver under Settings > Network & internet, or Settings > Connections > Data usage on Samsung phones.
Switching it off brings back background refresh, automatic downloads, and full-quality streaming, so expect data usage to rise.

Photos arrive blurry, FaceTime looks pixelated, and the App Store stalls updates on a connection that is otherwise fine. That is Low Data Mode doing its job a little too well. Here is how to switch it off on iPhone, for both cellular and Wi-Fi, and how to turn off Data Saver on Android.

iPhone Settings screen showing Cellular Data Options with the Low Data Mode toggle switched off — Settings > Cellular > Cellular Data Options, with Low Data Mode switched off.

Turn Off Low Data Mode for Cellular Data on iPhone

On iPhones running iOS 26, the path is short once you know where Apple hides it. The menu names differ slightly by region: Cellular may appear as Mobile Data or Mobile Service, and Cellular Data Options as Mobile Data Options.

Step 1: Open the Settings app.
Step 2: Tap Cellular (or Mobile Data, depending on your region).
Step 3: Tap Cellular Data Options.
Step 4: If your iPhone uses 4G or LTE, switch Low Data Mode to the off position. The toggle turns grey when it is disabled.
Step 5: If your iPhone uses 5G, tap Data Mode instead and choose Standard or Allow More Data on 5G. Selecting anything other than Low Data Mode turns it off.

Note: With two lines on one iPhone, each SIM or eSIM has its own setting. Go to Settings > Cellular, tap the line you use for data, then open Cellular Data Options. If you recently changed plans, it is also worth checking that your eSIM is activated correctly on your iPhone, since a half-provisioned line can mimic the same sluggish symptoms.

A shortcut exists too: pull down inside the Settings app to reveal the search bar, type Low Data Mode, and tap the result to jump straight to the switch. If Gmail is the app misbehaving after your change, the problem may be sync rather than data; see how to fix Gmail not updating or syncing on iPhone.

Turn Off Low Data Mode for a Wi-Fi Network on iPhone

This one catches almost everyone. Your iPhone remembers a Low Data Mode choice per Wi-Fi network, so disabling it for cellular leaves any Wi-Fi networks you restricted still restricted. Hotel hotspots and metered connections are the usual suspects.

Step 1: Open Settings and tap Wi-Fi.
Step 2: Tap the (i) info button next to the network you are connected to. You must be connected to change it.
Step 3: Scroll down and switch Low Data Mode off.

iPhone Wi-Fi network details screen with the Low Data Mode toggle switched off — Each Wi-Fi network keeps its own Low Data Mode setting under Settings > Wi-Fi.

Turn Off Data Saver on Stock Android Phones

Android calls the same idea Data Saver. When it is on, apps are blocked from using data in the background, which is why notifications and syncs arrive late. On Pixel and other near-stock Android 16 phones:

Step 1: Open Settings.
Step 2: Tap Network & internet.
Step 3: Tap Data Saver. On some builds it sits one level deeper under Data usage.
Step 4: Switch the Data Saver toggle off.

Prefer a middle ground? Leave Data Saver on and exempt the apps that matter: in the Data Saver menu, tap Unrestricted data and allow your messaging and email apps. Android Police’s Data Saver guide walks through the same menu with screenshots if your build looks different.

Android Settings screen showing Network and internet with the Data Saver toggle switched off — Settings > Network & internet > Data Saver: Android’s version of the same switch.

Turn Off Data Saver on Samsung Galaxy Phones

Samsung uses its own menu names under One UI. The steps are otherwise identical in spirit:

Step 1: Open Settings and tap Connections.
Step 2: Tap Data usage, then Data saver.
Step 3: Switch Turn on now off.

For per-app exceptions on a Galaxy phone, tap Allowed to use data while Data saver is on in the same menu and toggle your essential apps.

Back to Full Speed: What Changes Now

With the switch off, background app refresh resumes, automatic downloads run again, and streaming apps return to full quality. Watch your data usage for the first billing cycle, especially on a capped plan. If downloads still misbehave after this, the issue is usually elsewhere: WhatsApp images or files not downloading has its own set of fixes worth trying.

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Lokesh Sharma

Lokesh Sharma covers mobile apps, AI tools, and online services for TechIlu. He writes the kind of guides he wishes existed: short on hype, clear on what to actually do.