Netflix is with out a doubt a great way to keep yourself entertained on the go, but how do you control the app when it eats through your cellular data at a monstrous rate? The new update allows you to have better control on the quality of the playback, allowing better control of your mobile data consumption. Learn how after the jump.
Netflix is home to a plethora of amazing content and offers an amazing streaming experience, so when you are on the go you might be tempted to indulge yourself in a light binge. But what happens when you unconsciously eat through your monthly data plan in only a matter of hours? Netflix streams video, and video is – after all – the heavier kind of files.
Netflix has rolled out a significant update for Android [Play Store] and iPhone [App Store] which allows users to choose what quality settings they wish to use on the app.
By default, users will be on “Automatic” meaning your streaming experience will rely on the speed of your internet connection, meaning it can even go as high as HD or when you are experiencing low signals, to SD.
Ideally, it is best to keep the settings to Low. Although the trade off will be significant loss to quality, you will still be able to watch your shows on the go while keeping in mind the economic use of your data.
If you want to know how to take back control on the way your data is being handled while under the use of Netflix, follow the steps below. The steps are more or less the same and will work on Android / iOS devices alike.
To access these settings, you need to click on the Hamburger menu of your Netflix app and scroll down to “App Settings“.
When you are in the settings, you will see the following page open. Simply tap the toggle Cellular Data Usage from On to Off and you will now be able to customize your playback settings.
When you have done so, Netflix will automatically tell your their estimates of data consumption per hour on your setting of choice.
As you can see, If you are on a stringent data plan, Low would be the best option for you since you can watch 4 hours of media for just 1 GB of data, while High will let you watch 1 hour of media for 1 GB.
Additionally, if you wish to completely avoid the temptation of watching Netflix on the go, you can ideally choose the option of “Off: Watch on WiFi Only“.
This will make sure that even if your phone goes into the hand of anyone else, they won’t accidentally stream content without your knowledge unless connected to a WiFi access point. You can alternatively also lock Netflix profile with a PIN code.
As you can see, Netflix has really taken their users into consideration since these settings really invaluable to people who are on limited data plans but still want something entertaining to watch while on the move for longer periods.
While Netflix has recently made many subscribers upset by not allowing them the use of VPN to access geo-restricted content, I am sure that there are plenty more aces up their sleeve.
If you are a frequent user of Netflix on data, let us know in the comments section below about your thoughts on the new update.
The post Lower Netflix Video Streaming Quality To Reduce Data Usage appeared first on Windows Clan.
