How to Stop iCloud Photo Library From Using Your Cellular Data

by Harry Guinness on

iCloud Photo Library is one of those features that just works: take a photo or video on your iPhone, and in a few moments it’s available on all your Apple devices. It’s not, however, great if you have a low data cap.

In iOS 10 and earlier, iCloud Photo Library would only upload over Wi-Fi. But in iOS 11, Apple enabled uploading over cellular data. This is great if you’ve got a high data cap, but not so good if your cap is low and you shoot a lot of high-res photos and slow motion video. So here’s how to turn it off.

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Open Settings and select Photos > Mobile Data.

Toggle the Mobile Data switch off.

Now, iCloud Photos will stop eating into your cellular data cap. Photos and videos you shoot will only upload when you’re connected to Wi-Fi.

Harry Guinness writes occasionally when he’s not busy skiing, sailing, partying, lifting weights, or otherwise dodging responsibility. His main areas of interest are himself, gin, and crazy people with interesting stories to tell. When people won’t pay him to write ill-thought-out opinion pieces, he covers photography, technology, and culture. You can follow him on Twitter.