How to tell your Android device you’re tethering from a portable hotspot and save data

Data caps are a real thing now and the concept of unlimited data is a thing of the past. While manufacturers have realised this and implemented settings that restrict downloads/streaming to WIFI, there still exists room for improvement.

Fortunately for Android users (at least ones on the newer versions) Google has added a setting where you can tell the device that the ‘WIFI’ connection you’re on is actually a portable hotspot, so it shouldn’t go crazy downloading Play Store updates or anything else that will consume copious amounts of data.

Goto Settings > Data usage > Options (the three dots on the top right) > Mobile hotspots. There you can check any WIFI connection and the phone will then be circumspect when pulling data through that connection.

I regularly tether from the LTE connection on my iPhone 5S and it is a relief knowing that my Nexus 5 suddenly won’t start downloading a 1 GB update to Asphalt 8 thinking its in a WIFI zone and thus saving me cellular data.

18 thoughts on “How to tell your Android device you’re tethering from a portable hotspot and save data”

That was really helpful… Otherwise I had to restrict background data all the time… Thanks

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thank you,, is very useful for me because I also android users. This article is quite complete so I had no trouble and can immediately try it.
thank you for sharing it

if my blackberry users are able to use this setting to be his for android?

I dont believe because that only for android. maybe..

oke, thank for the information.. i will be try

I was looking for a way to end his android me,, I found on your website. thank you

I dont understand, because i use blackberry,, tell me how i can use it?

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Wifi is not secure, I had my banking information stolen when i was in starbucks one day. Since then I’ve been using arcvpn to secure all my connections.

Good information about Hotspot and regarding data saving. I also found some more interesting facts on
7 downloads

This really informative post on Hotspot, now i can save my device from any such tethering and also I got some more interesting tips here at Am Digi Tech