WhatsApp has become one of the most popular messaging apps, allowing users to easily connect with friends and family. One of the key features of WhatsApp is voice and video calling, which allows you to have conversations face-to-face.
However, WhatsApp calls can use up a lot of data, especially if you don’t have an unlimited data plan. The good news is there are some steps you can take to reduce the amount of data WhatsApp calls use, helping you avoid extra data charges.
Adjust Call Quality
One of the easiest ways to use less data for WhatsApp calls is to lower the call quality. WhatsApp allows you to choose between high, medium, and low quality for calls. High quality uses the most data as it has the best video resolution and audio quality. Medium and low use progressively less data.
To change the call quality in WhatsApp:
- Open WhatsApp and go to Settings
- Tap on Storage and Data
- Select Call Settings
- Choose the call quality you want – Low, Medium or High
Setting the call quality to Medium or Low will greatly reduce data usage. Low quality calls use about 0.5MB per minute, Medium uses 1MB per minute, and High uses 1.5MB per minute. So you can make a significant saving by reducing the quality slightly.
The only downside is that video and audio quality will be reduced. But in many cases, Medium quality is still perfectly usable. Give it a try and see if the lower quality is acceptable to you.
Change Video to Voice Call
Another way to save data is to switch WhatsApp video calls to voice calls. Video calls consume much more data as they have to transmit video in addition to audio. Here is a comparison of data usage:
| Call Type | Data Usage Per Minute |
|---|---|
| WhatsApp Voice Call | 0.5 MB |
| WhatsApp Video Call | 1.5 MB (High quality) |
As you can see, voice calls use 3x less data than video calls! So when possible, stick to making voice calls rather than video calls to save on your data usage.
To switch a WhatsApp call from video to voice:
- Start a video call with a contact
- Tap the camera icon at the top right
- Select “Voice Call” to switch to a voice call
It’s easy to quickly toggle between video and voice. Get in the habit of using voice calls when you don’t necessarily need the video.
Use WhatsApp Calling Over Wi-Fi
One of the best ways to reduce your mobile data usage for WhatsApp calls is to only make calls when connected to Wi-Fi. As Wi-Fi doesn’t use your cellular data allowance, you can make as many WhatsApp calls as you want over Wi-Fi without racking up data charges.
Here are some tips to ensure you are using WhatsApp calls over Wi-Fi whenever possible:
- When at home, connect to your Wi-Fi network before making any calls
- If you have access to public Wi-Fi when out and about, connect to it before making calls
- Disable mobile data when connected to Wi-Fi to force WhatsApp to use Wi-Fi calling
- Enable Wi-Fi calling in WhatsApp settings for better call quality
You may want to disable WhatsApp auto-downloading media over mobile data in settings. This prevents large videos or images being downloaded automatically and consuming your data.
Using WhatsApp calls exclusively over Wi-Fi is the best option if you have a limited data plan. You may need to coordinate timing with friends and family so you know they will be in a Wi-Fi zone too.
Use WhatsApp Web for Calls
You can also consider using WhatsApp Web for voice and video calls to save mobile data. WhatsApp Web allows you to access your WhatsApp account through the web browser on your computer.
To get started with WhatsApp Web:
- Open web.whatsapp.com in your browser
- Open WhatsApp on your phone and tap Menu > WhatsApp Web
- Scan the QR code on the web with your phone to link them
Once connected, you can make and receive WhatsApp calls on your computer while connected to Wi-Fi. The call still uses your phone, but the audio and video are routed through the computer so it doesn’t use your mobile data.
WhatsApp Web is great for making longer calls when you’re at home or work and connected to a Wi-Fi network. Just bear in mind that your phone will still need to be turned on and connected.
Limit Long Calls
If you regularly have long WhatsApp voice or video calls, these can rack up significant mobile data usage. Try to limit the length of calls where possible, or use WhatsApp Web to avoid mobile data charges.
You may want to agree on a time limit with friends and family for WhatsApp calls over mobile data, e.g. no more than 15 minutes. Or schedule longer catch-up calls when you know you’ll both be on Wi-Fi.
Monitoring your usage in WhatsApp settings can help identify if you’re going overboard with long calls. You may also be able to set data limits and alerts with your mobile carrier.
Use WhatsApp Data Saver
The WhatsApp Data Saver setting can help reduce data usage when placing calls. When enabled it will use less data by lowering video resolution and audio quality.
To turn on Data Saver:
- Open WhatsApp Settings
- Go to Storage and Data > Data Usage
- Enable Low Data Usage
Note that this essentially just enables low quality settings whenever you place a call. You can achieve the same thing manually yourself by always selecting low call quality. But the Data Saver option enables it automatically in the background.
Conclusion
Using less mobile data for WhatsApp calls primarily comes down to being smart about when you place calls and the settings you use. Here are some final tips to minimize your data usage:
- Use Wi-Fi for calls whenever possible
- Stick to voice calls instead of video calls
- Change quality to low or enable Data Saver
- Limit long duration calls over mobile data
- Use WhatsApp Web on your computer
With the right techniques, you can keep your WhatsApp calling data usage to a minimum. Be conscious of when you are calling over mobile data versus Wi-Fi and adjust call settings and duration accordingly.