switching from wifi to data automatically

By Troy B, 11 January, 2016

Forum
iOS and iPadOS

Hello All,

I have only had an IPhone since late November, it's a 5s, and up to now I've only been using it on my wifi connection here at home.

I just bought a pay as you go plan from T-Mobile this past Friday and I've just noticed that it looks like data's being used even when I'm on wifi. I want to use just my wifi at home and have it switch to the data connection automatically when I get too far away from my wifi connection but how do I do that?

Options

Comments

By Jessica Brown on Monday, January 11, 2016 - 19:59

Hi. You need to turn data off when you are at home and on when you go out. I have also found that leaving it on will sometimes make data be used even when there is wifi just like you. You could try turning on wifi assist but that to could leave you with unwanted data use. The only reliable way to make sure your phone does not use data when you don't want it to is to turn it off when you don't want it being used.

By Troy B on Monday, January 11, 2016 - 21:08

So if I go to settings and turn off cellular is that all I need to do to turn off data? And then I'd turn that back on when I leave the house and need the data connection?

By Jessica Brown on Monday, January 11, 2016 - 21:40

Yes. That's how you do it.

By Roxann Pollard on Tuesday, January 12, 2016 - 11:04

Hey Jessica, I thought the iPhone autoswitched from WiFi to Data useage depending upon whether or not I am inside my WiFi network signal. This is not correct?

By Diane on Tuesday, January 12, 2016 - 15:39

If you turn off Wi-Fi Assist, the phone will not switch to data usage when your Wi-Fi connection is poor.

By Peter Verhoeven on Tuesday, January 12, 2016 - 19:05

Also if you use Wi-Fi the iPhone use cellular for data. For example Siri, Push messages, iTunes Accounts etc. are using data via cellular.
The only way your iPhone does not use data via cellular is turning it off.

By charles on Tuesday, January 12, 2016 - 19:16

Troy: Turning the cellular data off in the settings menu is all you have to do. Before you leave the house, turn it bac on. Also, you can see how much cellular data you have used by swiping to the right in the cellular data settings, as well as being able to see what app is using how much data. You can turn those off and on as well.