• After 15+ years, we've made a big change: Android Forums is now Early Bird Club. Learn more here.

Android OS excessive Data

Donzy12

Newbie
Mar 12, 2016
13
0
First time poster, so go easy on me lol!
Seems a very common error with excessive Data usage on Android os, does anybody know the cause of it? Running 6.0.1. I've disabled quite a few apps I don't use, and also force stop most apps apart from the handful I use fb,imdb,instagram.

Many Thanks and hope somebody could shine some light on this issue.
 
If you haven't already done so, go to settings, data usage and scroll down a little until you see the data usage per app. This will tell you which apps are the data hogs. If play store is the hog, then it might be downloading updates while over the cell network. You can restrict that to only update over wifi.

I'm no expert, so I apologize if that is too basic. Just going from experience.
 
Upvote 0
Screenshot_20160314-134641.png
 
Upvote 0
Off the top of my head, I'm not 100% certain of the menu choices being identical, so follow as best as you can and let me know if anything I suggest isn't available to you.

A few things to check out: 1) wifi advanced settings, make sure Smart network switch is off as it does switch between data and wifi continually 2) disable download booster (under more networks) 3) ensure you are not utilizing mobile hotspot 4) in the play store settings, make sure auto-update does not have "auto-update apps at any time" selected 5) restrict background data (data usage option). Last resort would be to temporarily disable data if none of these are working out in your favor and reset your mobile data limit to a lower threshold so you'll be notified earlier if this issue ends up repeating itself (assuming you think you have it figured out at this point after all the trial and error).

Hope that helps some.
 
  • Like
Reactions: Nyadia1614
Upvote 0
That didn't work. Seems like I'll be approximately using 50mb per day as I was doing a lot of turning data off and on whilst at work, so 50x30=1500mb, my work colleague who is two weeks into his data was only 25mb. Have you also got a Samsung S7 Snake?

I'm gonna guess regardless of what the stats may say,a big part of the problem you have is using the Showbox app:
It's a warez site,meaning,it deals in illegal (pirated) content.
It's also known to be malicious to where it will install other malware on your phone,possibly sending your personal information to who knows where...........................
So,the next time you install apps that steal someone elses' property & distribute it,ask yourself this:
Do they have your best interests in mind?
 
Upvote 0
Done a factory reset and it's still doing it! This was about 20 mins of browsing and testing it,will give it another day, as I need to still switch bits and pieces off,but this is doing my nut
Ps my work colleague was also buying this phone so I'll see if he's getting the same problem
 
Upvote 0
A report in The Guardian, last month, reinforces that apps such as FaceBook are battery and memory hogs and show up under Android OS...

Uninstalling Facebook app saves up to 20% of Android battery life

Also...

"A new report is calling out the Android apps that use up the most battery, memory, and storage resources — even when running in the background."

"be advised that the Facebook and Spotify Music Android apps top the list of overall resource hogs"

Apps that auto start or run in the background

1. Facebook

2. BlackBerry Messenger

3. 8 Ball Pool

4. Instagram

5. Messenger

6. WeChat

7. Facebook Pages Manager

8. Oovoo Video Call Text & Voice

9. KakaoTalk Free Calls & Text

10. Vine


Apps that are initiated by the user

1. Spotify

2. Amazon Kindle

3. Line Free Calls & Messages

4. Samsung WatchOn Video

5. Snapchat

6. Netflix

7. SoundCloud Music & Audio

8. CleanMaster Speed Booster

9. Tumblr

10. Picsart Photo Studio

Source... Facebook and Spotify Music apps are the biggest hogs of your Android phone’s battery, memory, and data
 
  • Like
Reactions: Snakeyeskm
Upvote 0
I'm gonna guess regardless of what the stats may say,a big part of the problem you have is using the Showbox app:
It's a warez site,meaning,it deals in illegal (pirated) content.
It's also known to be malicious to where it will install other malware on your phone,possibly sending your personal information to who knows where...........................
So,the next time you install apps that steal someone elses' property & distribute it,ask yourself this:
Do they have your best interests in mind?

Yeh indeed....and in fact just might be receiving a legal nastygram from Hollywood attorneys if you're not careful.
http://androidforums.com/threads/is...ox-and-universal-studios.994111/#post-7207156
Copyright infringement can attract huge fines and significant jail time.
 
Upvote 0
I was having the same problem for few days on my GS7. Android OS used around 300 MBs in 2 or 3 days, but only around 10 MBs while I was in WiFi. I was trying few stuffs. Then I found that the data hog is the location. I changes the accuracy mode to "GPS Only" instead of the default setting "GPS, Mobile Data and WiFi". I have been on this settings for a day, and its just 1 MB is used by the Android OS. I will update with my results after a few days :D:D:D
 
Upvote 0
I've been dealing with this issue also the last few months. Everywhere I look all you see are the same answers. I disabled everything. I restricted data usage. It still charged data to android os. Even on days where I was on WiFi all day still mobile data under android os. This is a brand new phone. So I looked at my old one and there as well was android os with large amounts of data. Not to the extent of my s7 but still way to high. I contacted Samsung. They had me place it in safe mode. I also had to restrict background data. That seemed to work. However why have a phone if that's how you have to use it. So I got to thinking. During my research the only common thing is that it is an android device with a Google account. This is not limited to Samsung, or other phone makers or to Verizon and att. This is everyone. So I reset my phone and created a new Google account. No apps transfered over. No files. Nothing. Two days in and Android os is at 688kb. Now I have yet to download any apps. Only the bloat ware it came with. However I've restricted nothing. Once every three days I will add an app. Starting with the most popular ones (Facebook etc). My thought there would be it has to be one of the major apps. I'll keep everyone posted when I see a spike. I'm not the most tech savvy but is there a possibility that this could be a virus that attaches to an app within your Google account? Looking at my tablet and galaxy s4 the usage is high on them as well. All three devices were synced together. However since neither now has a data plan they are only used in wifi mode. I'll keep everyone posted over the next few weeks as I see what changes occur as I add apps.
 
Upvote 0
Okay, here is what I found after months. It is a problem with Android M I guess. It recounts data which other apps use to calculate the data under Android OS. I just calculated the amount of data all the other apps use and even without adding data which Android OS consumed, it is roughly (plus or minus 2mb) equal to the total data usage. I cross checked with carrier data too. The amount shown under Android OS does not count towards the total data.

So you don't have to worry about high data usage in Android OS since its just a duplication. It is not using your data. At least it is the case for me. Try adding data used by other apps and check with the total data usage.
 
Upvote 0
So 3 days in now. I haven't been a huge data user since I've been on WiFi a good bit. However as you can see android os is also no longer my highest data user. Kgb, I am curious about your comment and will be looking into it more today. I know last month I overshot my data because there was also a high usage for
Google play syncing to my account. I'll keep you posted.
 

Attachments

  • Screenshot_20160505-072213.png
    Screenshot_20160505-072213.png
    476.7 KB · Views: 328
Upvote 0
First time poster, so go easy on me lol!
Seems a very common error with excessive Data usage on Android os, does anybody know the cause of it? Running 6.0.1. I've disabled quite a few apps I don't use, and also force stop most apps apart from the handful I use fb,imdb,instagram.

Many Thanks and hope somebody could shine some light on this issue.

I don't know what's up in your case but they- most people = say "purify" is an awesome thing to put on your phone..
I've never used battery doctors or task killers but I think "purify" - at the store and xda - is different Better faster more Everything than those other ones.

And 50% less data..

I don't know. I just thought it might help you.

I look forward to hearing what some of the mods say about it... some are giving purify a 2 thumbs up...
 
Last edited:
Upvote 0
So 3 days in now. I haven't been a huge data user since I've been on WiFi a good bit. However as you can see android os is also no longer my highest data user. Kgb, I am curious about your comment and will be looking into it more today. I know last month I overshot my data because there was also a high usage for
Google play syncing to my account. I'll keep you posted.

Please check it. I am sure that it is the case for me since I have been checking it everyday more than over a month. I just interested in knowing whether is it the case for everyone. If so, we conclude that there's a problem with Android M.
 
Upvote 0
I've been dealing with this issue also the last few months. Everywhere I look all you see are the same answers. I disabled everything. I restricted data usage. It still charged data to android os. Even on days where I was on WiFi all day still mobile data under android os. This is a brand new phone. So I looked at my old one and there as well was android os with large amounts of data. Not to the extent of my s7 but still way to high. I contacted Samsung. They had me place it in safe mode. I also had to restrict background data. That seemed to work. However why have a phone if that's how you have to use it. So I got to thinking. During my research the only common thing is that it is an android device with a Google account. This is not limited to Samsung, or other phone makers or to Verizon and att. This is everyone. So I reset my phone and created a new Google account. No apps transfered over. No files. Nothing. Two days in and Android os is at 688kb. Now I have yet to download any apps. Only the bloat ware it came with. However I've restricted nothing. Once every three days I will add an app. Starting with the most popular ones (Facebook etc). My thought there would be it has to be one of the major apps. I'll keep everyone posted when I see a spike. I'm not the most tech savvy but is there a possibility that this could be a virus that attaches to an app within your Google account? Looking at my tablet and galaxy s4 the usage is high on them as well. All three devices were synced together. However since neither now has a data plan they are only used in wifi mode. I'll keep everyone posted over the next few weeks as I see what changes occur as I add apps.

I'm thinking there is something to what you are saying as I set up a phone for me and my wife and since she was coming from an S2, Smartswitch/Kies would not work so none of her apps came over, we just started from scratch on her phone (as opposed to mine) - I have the high levels of android system and android OS battery usage and she does not, screen and facebook are always at the top of hers...
 
Upvote 0

BEST TECH IN 2023

We've been tracking upcoming products and ranking the best tech since 2007. Thanks for trusting our opinion: we get rewarded through affiliate links that earn us a commission and we invite you to learn more about us.

Smartphones