How much data does Pokémon go use

Pokémon Go is a fun game to play and can give you some exercise given that you need to go outside and play while moving around for you to be able to play it effectively. This makes the game consume mobile data and battery as well. Whereas you can increase your battery capacity by using a power bank, you can’t manage data using the same way.

The game requires a player to walk outside and catch a Pokémon. It may not consume a lot of data like Instagram, Snapchat, and Facebook but since you’re playing it outside, you’ll be out of Wi-Fi range and forced to use Mobile or limited data which gets depleted. The game is highly addictive which might increase your hours of playing leading to more data consumption. So, how much data does okémon Go use?

Pokémon Go uses between 3MB to 20MB of data of actively playing per hour according to several online reviews and user forums. This is based on several factors. 

 Factors that determine the amount of data used

It’s good to check Pokémon Go’s data usage yourself on the phone since these numbers vary due to several factors. These factors include how long you play the game, your location, downloading of maps, whether Pokémon is running in the background, your phone type, the carrier you use among others.

How to check your data usage

On an android device, you can check your usage by opening the Settings app and then select Data Usage. From the page, scroll and tap on Pokémon Go and look at its data consumption based on your preferred period. For iOS users, go to Settings and select ‘Cellular/Mobile Data’ which will list for you all the app’s on your phone including Pokémon Go since its installation. You can then reset these stats by tapping on ‘Reset stats’. These are the only sure ways of determining how much data you use when playing Pokémon Go on your phone. The good news is that regardless of the amount of data the game consumes, it won’t be a lot.

Contrary to popular opinion the app doesn’t use a lot of data based on the above figures despite using maps and GPS to track your movements while playing. This is because the maps are already downloaded from Google Maps and the GPS doesn’t use any data but only affects your battery life. If you turn on the AR aspect, the game does not consume any data because this feature only uses your camera, and not downloads are made.

However, if you’re worried about the data consumption levels, then you can put some measures in place to reduce the usage.

How to minimize Pokémon Go data consumption

Keep Wi-Fi on 

Despite you being away from your house’s wireless connection, keep your Wi-Fi on at all times while walking outside. This is because there are a lot of open Wi-Fi hotspots in the city. If you’re stationary for a while, then you can hop into a coffee shop or the mall and make use of the free Wi-Fi. This will go a long way in saving your mobile data.

Only open the game when you need to

If you aren’t playing Pokémon Go, then it’s good to close it. You can open the app when you find yourself in a new area and check for Pokémon. Once you catch it, close the app. You can also download the local maps using Wi-Fi before stepping out.

Restrict the background data access

Pokémon Go like most apps runs in the background when not in use. This allows it to perform actions such as updating the app automatically when an update is available. You can restrict these processes by turning off the background data access. You can go to ‘Settings’ on Android, select ‘Apps’, and scroll down on the list to Pokémon Go. Tap to select it and toggle off the ‘Turn off background data usage’ option. On iOS devices, go to Settings and then select ‘General’. From the General page, navigate to ‘Background App Refresh’ and you should be able to turn off its background data access.

FAQs

Does Pokémon Go use a lot of battery?

Pokémon Go seems to have huge battery usage. This is because it uses GPS and is played outside which needs an increase in screen brightness. It also runs on maps from Google Maps to correctly indicate your position and an AR feature that works with your camera when switched on.

Can I play Pokémon Go without walking?

It’s possible by manually changing your device’s location using a GPS spoofing app. This will make the app believe that you’re walking.

Conclusion

Pokémon Go is a fun game and has gained wild usage in the past years before the Coronavirus pandemic. It’s an ideal game for healthy exercising while having fun.