Instagram is one of the leading social media platforms around the world. Instagram's extensive reach, with over 1.74 billion users worldwide as of January 2025, underscores its significant role in global mobile data consumption [1]. The amount of mobile data Instagram consumes varies depending on how you use the app, including browsing photos, watching videos or reels, and sharing posts or stories. For those planning to travel abroad with a global eSIM, understanding Instagram’s data usage is essential to prevent unexpected charges and manage mobile data effectively. This post explains how Instagram uses data in different ways and offers practical tips to help you monitor and reduce your mobile internet usage while traveling internationally.

Does Instagram Use a Lot of Data?

Instagram’s data usage depends heavily on how you use the app. Simple browsing of photos consumes significantly less data than watching videos or reels. Video content such as reels, stories, and live streams require more bandwidth and therefore consume more data. If you mainly scroll through images and text posts, your data consumption will be relatively low. However, frequent video viewing or sharing high-quality videos will increase your mobile data usage quickly.

Instagram Data Usage Overview

Instagram’s data consumption varies by activity. Below is an approximate breakdown based on how people typically use the app:

Table 1: Estimated Overall Instagram Data Usage by Activity

Note: Video autoplay and high-resolution content increase data consumption. Instagram often preloads videos in your feed, which uses additional data. You can control this behavior by adjusting settings to limit video autoplay or lower video quality.

For more information, you can also check out our post on How Much Data Does Streaming Use.

Disclaimer: Data usage values are estimates and can vary depending on device, network conditions, app settings, and user behavior.

How to Check and Monitor Instagram Data Usage on Your Mobile Devices

Monitoring Instagram’s data consumption helps you stay within your data limits. Both iOS and Android devices provide built-in tools to track app data usage:

On iPhone Devices

Navigate to Settings > Cellular and scroll down to see data used by each app. Instagram’s data usage will be listed, allowing you to monitor how much cellular data it consumes over time. Reset statistics periodically to track usage per billing cycle.

On Android Devices

Go to Settings > Network & Internet > Data Usage > Mobile Data Usage (may vary by device). Here, find Instagram in the app list to view its mobile data consumption. Some devices offer more detailed breakdowns or data saver options.

Additionally, third-party apps can provide advanced data tracking and alert features if you want more control.

How to Reduce Instagram Data Usage

You can reduce the amount of mobile data Instagram uses by adjusting a few settings and making informed app choices:

• Enable Instagram’s Data Saver Mode (Android only): Enabling this mode in Instagram settings on Android helps decrease the amount of data used while browsing photos and videos on your device [2].

• Turn Off “Save Original Photos”: Prevent Instagram from saving original photos to your device, reducing data usage during uploads.

• Use Instagram Lite: A lightweight version of Instagram optimized for slower connections and lower data consumption.

• Disable Background Data Usage: Restrict Instagram’s access to mobile data in the background through your device’s settings to prevent unnecessary data drain.

• Turn Off Video Autoplay and Preloading: Instagram preloads videos by default for quicker playback. To save mobile data, you can disable video preloading on cellular networks. This may cause videos to load slower on mobile data but won’t affect Wi-Fi usage. Users can limit data consumption by adjusting these settings in the app [3].

• Lower Video Quality Settings: Reduce video resolution within Instagram’s settings when available to decrease data use.

• Be Mindful of Instagram Stories: Since Instagram Stories consume more data than regular posts, consider limiting your use of this feature or adjusting settings like video quality to help reduce data consumption.

• Use a Global eSIM like Roamless: Roamless offers real-time data tracking and management, helping you monitor and control Instagram’s data consumption effectively, especially when traveling abroad.

Disclaimer: Data savings and usage reductions may vary depending on device type, network conditions, app version, and individual usage habits.

Comparing Instagram’s Data Usage with Other Social Media Platforms

Instagram’s data consumption is moderate to high compared to other social media apps, mainly because of its focus on images and videos:

Table 2: Estimated Hourly Data Usage by Popular Social Media Platforms

For more information, you can also read our posts on How Much Data Does YouTube Use, How Much Data Does Google Maps Use, Does FaceTime Use Data, and How Much Data Does Spotify Use.

Disclaimer: Data usage figures are approximate and individual experiences may vary due to device capabilities, network quality, app versions, and personal usage habits.

Using Instagram with Roamless eSIM Abroad

For people traveling internationally who rely on Instagram, using a travel eSIM like Roamless offers several benefits:

• Data Tracking Feature: Real-time tracking of your mobile data consumption directly within the Roamless app, helping you control Instagram’s usage precisely.

• Simple and Convenient Plans: Simple and Convenient Plans: RoamlessFix offers fixed-duration data plans for many countries, cities, and regions, while RoamlessFlex provides pay-as-you-go options without expiration, giving you straightforward choices without hidden fees.

• Wide Coverage with Competitive Rates: Supports reliable connectivity in over 200 countries, offering local data rates that help you use Instagram abroad affordably.

• Hotspot and 5G Support: Provides hotspot sharing capabilities and access to up to 5G speeds where available, ensuring fast and flexible Instagram usage across multiple devices.

Roamless eSIM makes managing Instagram and overall mobile data abroad simpler, more affordable, and keeps you connected to the internet without interruptions worldwide.

For more information, you can also read our guide on How Much Data Do I Need for Travel Abroad.

Frequently Asked Questions

How much data does 1 hour Instagram use?

- Instagram consumes approximately 300 to 600 MB or 0.3 to 0.6 GB of data per hour, depending on your activity and content type.

How to check Instagram data consumption?
- Check your phone’s settings under cellular or mobile data usage to see Instagram’s data consumption. Both iPhone and Android offer this feature.

Does Instagram use data when offline?
- No, Instagram requires an internet connection to load new content, but cached content may be accessible offline.

How to turn on “data saver” mode in Instagram?
- On Android devices, open Instagram app settings, go to the “Account” section, then “Cellular Data Use,” and toggle on “Data Saver” to reduce data usage.

Does Instagram Lite use less data than Instagram?
- Yes, Instagram Lite is optimized to consume less data and perform better on slower connections.

Does Instagram use data in the background?
- Yes, Instagram may use data in the background for refreshing content and notifications. You can restrict background data usage through your device settings.

How much data does uploading videos or reels use?
- Uploading videos or reels typically consumes between 3 MB and 10 MB per upload, depending on video length and quality.

Does using Instagram Stories use more data than regular posts?
- Yes, Instagram Stories generally use more data because they often contain video and interactive elements.

How does video autoplay affect Instagram data usage?
- Video autoplay increases data consumption by automatically playing videos as you scroll. Disabling autoplay helps reduce data usage.

Which app uses the least data: Instagram, Facebook, or TikTok?
- Facebook generally uses less data than TikTok but more than Instagram. However, data consumption can vary based on individual usage patterns and content type.

Sources

[1] DataReportal. ''Instagram Users, Stats, Data & Trends for 2025''. Accessed July 2025. - https://datareportal.com/essential-instagram-stats

[2] Instagram Help Center. Android App Help, ''Use less data on Instagram''. Accessed July 2025. - https://help.instagram.com/379494505495970/?helpref=related_articles

[3] Instagram Help Center. iPhone App Help, ''Use less data on Instagram''. Accessed July 2025. - https://help.instagram.com/379494505495970/?cms_platform=iphone-app