Twitter, also known by its new name X, is one of the most popular social media platforms in the world. How much data Twitter uses depends on what you do on the platform. Simple text browsing uses very little data, while scrolling through the timeline, autoplaying short clips, and watching HD videos can increase data consumption quickly. On average, Twitter uses about 50 MB to over 1 GB per hour depending on your activity. If you plan to use Twitter while traveling abroad, using a global eSIM like Roamless can help you monitor and manage your mobile data more effectively.

How Much Data Does Twitter Use?

Twitter’s data usage generally ranges between 1 MB and 15 MB per minute and 50 MB to 1 GB per hour. Simple text browsing uses very little data, while viewing images, scrolling through the timeline, or watching HD videos can increase your data usage significantly. The table below shows estimated Twitter data usage per minute and per hour:

Table 1: Estimated Overall Twitter Data Usage by Activity

Note: Video autoplay and high-resolution media significantly increase data usage. Twitter also preloads some images and short videos in your timeline to improve loading speed, which can raise data consumption.

Disclaimer: Data usage values are estimates and may differ based on your device, network conditions, app version, and personal usage habits. For the most accurate information, check Twitter’s mobile data usage in your device settings.

How to Check Twitter Data Usage on Your Device

Knowing how much data Twitter uses on your smartphone can help you monitor your mobile data consumption more effectively, especially when traveling or using the app frequently throughout the day. Both iPhone and Android devices allow you to check how much mobile data Twitter has used.

For iPhone Devices:

1. Open Settings.

2. Tap Cellular or Mobile Data.

3. Scroll down to the list of apps.

4. Find X (Twitter) to see how much mobile data it has used.

For Android Devices:

1. Open Settings.

2. Tap Network & Internet or Connections, depending on your device.

3. Select Data Usage.

4. Tap Mobile Data Usage or App Data Usage.

5. Choose X (Twitter) to view its data consumption over a selected time period.

Disclaimer: Menu names may vary depending on your device model and operating system version. Please verify the steps using your device manufacturer’s latest guidance.

Additional Note: X also provides personalization and data controls that allow you to manage how your information is used across the platform, which can influence how content loads on your device [1].

How to Reduce Twitter Data Usage

You can reduce Twitter’s mobile data usage by adjusting a few settings on your smartphone:

• Use Data Saver: X’s Data Saver mode reduces data usage by lowering image quality and disabling video autoplay. On iPhone, you can enable it from the navigation menu under Settings and privacy → Accessibility, display, and languages → Data usage, then toggle on Data saver [2]. On Android, go to Settings and privacy → General → Data usage and turn on Data saver [3].

• Turn Off Video Autoplay: Videos that play automatically consume significantly more data. Disable autoplay or set it to play only on Wi-Fi to prevent videos from loading without your consent.

• Disable HD Photo and Video Uploads: Uploading high-quality photos or videos requires more bandwidth. Turning off HD uploads reduces the amount of data used when posting media on Twitter.

• Limit Background Data Usage: Restricting Twitter’s background data prevents the app from preloading media or refreshing your timeline when you’re not actively using it.

• Use a Global eSIM: A global eSIM like Roamless offers a real-time data tracking feature in the app, helping you manage Twitter’s data usage more effectively, especially while traveling internationally.

Comparing Twitter’s Data Usage with Other Social Media Platforms

Twitter uses less mobile data than most major social media platforms, mainly because it generally focuses on text posts, images, and short video clips rather than long-form or high-definition video content. Apps that prioritize heavy video consumption, such as TikTok or Instagram, tend to require significantly more data per hour. The table below shows estimated hourly data usage for several popular platforms:

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 Facebook Use, How Much Data Does Instagram Use, How Much Data Does Snapchat Use, and How Much Data Does TikTok Use.

Note: These values are approximations and can vary depending on how much video content you watch, how often autoplay is enabled, and the quality of media you view.

Using Twitter with Roamless eSIM Abroad

Using Twitter while traveling can increase your mobile data consumption, especially when scrolling through your timeline, loading images, or watching autoplay and HD videos. A global eSIM like Roamless can help you manage your data more effectively while abroad:

• Wide global coverage: Roamless provides mobile data service in over 200 destinations, so you can continue using Twitter during your travels.

• High-speed mobile connectivity: Roamless supports mobile data speeds up to 5G, which allows Twitter timelines, images, and videos to load more efficiently.

• Unlimited Hotspot Support: Roamless includes unlimited hotspot sharing, enabling you to access Twitter across different devices when needed.

• Multiple device compatibility: Roamless works on both iOS and Android devices and does not require replacing a physical SIM card while traveling.

• In-app data tracking feature: Roamless offers a real-time data tracking feature in the app, giving you a clearer view of how much data Twitter uses when you are abroad.

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

Frequently Asked Questions

Does Twitter use a lot of data?

Twitter does not use as much data as other video-focused social media platforms. Text browsing uses about 50–60 MB of data per hour, while viewing images or watching short videos can increase usage up to 1 GB per hour.

How much data does Twitter use per hour?

Twitter typically uses between 50 MB and 1 GB per hour, depending on whether you view mostly text, mixed media, or HD videos.

Does Twitter use data in the background?

Yes. Twitter may refresh your timeline or preload certain media in the background unless background data is restricted in your device settings.

How can I reduce Twitter’s data usage?

You can lower data usage by turning on ‘’Data Saver’’ mode, disabling video autoplay, reducing upload quality, and limiting background data.

Which social media app consumes the most data: Twitter, Facebook, or Instagram?

Instagram usually consumes the most data because it relies heavily on video content, followed by Facebook. Twitter uses the least data among the three.

Sources:

[1] X Help Center. ''Personalization and data settings''. Accessed December, 2025. - https://help.x.com/en/personalization-data-settings

[2] X Help Center. ''How to use X for iOS''. Accessed December, 2025. - https://help.x.com/en/using-x/x-ios-app

[3] X Help Center. ''How to use X for Android''. Accessed December, 2025. - https://help.x.com/en/using-x/x-for-android