How to use data saver in Android Nougat?

Android Nougat data saver can help you save mobile data and reduce battery usage without compromising user experience.

This Android guide explains to you what is data saver in Android Nougat and how to use this new feature in Android Nougat.

What is data saver in Android Nougat?

In most regions, mobile data are still quite expensive.  Most carriers exploit customers on mobile data usage.

Many users have to consider to save mobile data.

In addition, using mobile data in background consumes considerable battery and may shorten battery life noticeably.

Prior to Android Nougat, Android has an option to restrict background data.

In Android Marshmallow, doze mode was also introduced to curb background activities.

Now, in Android Nougat 7.0/7.1, Google moved a step further and updated the background data restriction to a more robust data saver.

Essentially, data saver in Android Nougat is an updated and evolved version of “restrict background data“.

Android Nougat data saver helps you reduce mobile data usage. When the data saver in Android Nougat is activated:

• apps running in the background won’t be able to access mobile data, by default.
• the app that you’re currently using can access mobile data, but may do so less frequently.
• you can white-list apps which may have unrestricted mobile data access.

You will see the data saver icon (cross in a circle as shown earlier) in in the status bar.

Some Android vendors turn on data saver in Android Nougat update by default. For example, Samsung activates data saver in all Galaxy phones with Android Nougat.

Anyway, if you see this new icon after updating to Android Nougat, it means data saver is activated.

How to enable or disable data saver in Android Nougat?

You can enable or disable Android Nougat data saver by following these steps.

Step 1: Go to Settings — Data usage

Different Android vendors may organize phone setting in different ways.

In most Android Nougat phones, you can find data usage under connections in the Settings.

Step 2: Tap Data saver

In data usage page, as shown below, tap Data saver.

In this example, it shows data saver is currently off.

Step 3: Turn on or turn off data saver in Android Nougat

As shown in the screenshot above, you can tap the switch to turn on data saver.

There is a short description of this feature as well (in green box).

Once you enable the Android Nougat data saver, you will notice there are two apps that have unrestricted data access.

You can actually customize the apps and allow some of them to use mobile data without restrictions.

Read on.

How to set app exceptions for data saver in Android Nougat?

If you tap the Unrestricted data usage as shown above, you can find out the 2 apps that have unrestricted mobile data usage.

In stock Android, these two apps are Google Play services as shown below and Carrier services.

Android vendors may add a few apps of their own.

You can remove these two apps from the list so that no apps can bypass the data saver settings. But it is NOT recommended.

You can also enable a few other important apps to the list as shown below.

Normally, it is not necessary to add any apps because data saver in Android Nougat should not affect normal usage of any apps.

Do you know Android Nougat data saver now? Can you use data saver in Android Nougat?

If you have any questions or encounter any problems on data saver in Android Nougat, please let us know in the comment box below.

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For questions on Android Nougat (Android 7.0 and 7.1), please check Android Nougat guides page.

For questions on Android Marshmallow (Android 6.0), please check Android Marshmallow guide page.

For question on Android Lollipop (Android 5.0 and 5.1), please check Android Lollipop guide page.

For other Android questions or problems, please check Android 101 page.