Reddit is a popular social media network for finding answers to all kinds of topics. You can also use the app to learn more about the different programs and tools you use, along with discovering people that have similar interests to you.
You can use Reddit on both your smartphone and computer, along with your tablet. But unfortunately, some iPhone users have reported significant issues with the Reddit app consuming data and their battery life on their devices.
In this guide, we’ll investigate some of the potential reasons why you may encounter this problem. And to help mitigate the issue, you’ll also find a selection of possible solutions you can try and implement.
Why Is the Reddit App Taking Up So Much of My Data and Battery?
First, let’s look at some of the reasons why Reddit could consume so much of your data and battery on iOS – even when you aren’t actively using the app. There are a couple of niche reasons why this could be the case, as you’ll see in the sub-sections listed below.
Media Running in the Background
One thing that could potentially explain the Reddit iOS app consuming data and battery life is media running in the background. Besides looking at text responses, Reddit allows users to view GIFs, videos, and photos.
Sometimes, you may encounter issues where media continues playing in the app while you aren’t using it. Normally, this is easily solved by closing the Reddit app when you’ve finished browsing.
Live Activities
Many iOS apps utilize the Live Activities feature, which helps you see when your deliveries are on their way and get information in many other situations. Reddit also uses the Live Activities tool, and this could potentially result in your battery draining faster than you otherwise would have wanted to.
If you don’t use Reddit Live Activities for anything, it might be worth switching this feature off.
Potential Solutions
Now that you know some of the reasons why Reddit’s iOS app could consume data and battery life on your smartphone, let’s look at how you can try and solve this problem.
Close the Reddit App
In some cases, the extensive use of battery life could be due to the Reddit app running in the background. With that in mind, the easiest place to begin is by closing the app when you’ve stopped using it.
Generally speaking, this is something that you should do with all apps on your iPhone in general. Closing things down will make it much easier to declutter your mind, and it could also help you focus better than would otherwise be the case.
To close the Reddit app, swipe up from the bottom of your home screen (if your iPhone doesn’t have a home button). Then, swipe up again on the Reddit app to close it. If your iPhone has a home button, double-tap the button and swipe up on the Reddit app.
Turn Off Background App Refresh
Background App Refresh can consume a lot of battery life without you realizing it, and switching it off can help to stop the Reddit app from taking up too much in this respect.
You can turn off Background App Refresh specifically for Reddit by following these instructions:
Go to Settings > General > Background App Refresh.
Look for the Reddit app.
Toggle the feature off.
Alternatively, you can turn off Background App Refresh for all apps by clicking on the tab at the top and selecting Off.
Another way to turn off Background App Refresh for Reddit is to go to Settings > Reddit > Background App Refresh > Off. If you’ve already stopped using the feature for all apps, this section will be grayed out.
Turn Off Live Activities
If you don’t use Live Activities for Reddit, turning off the feature is a good idea. Open the Settings app and scroll down to Reddit on the main screen. Then, under Allow Reddit to Access, toggle Live Activities off.
Change Your Cellular Data Settings
If Reddit continues running in the background, it could consume a significant amount of cellular data on your iPhone. This is naturally a huge problem if you don’t have an unlimited data plan, but even if you do, it’s still not nice to have an app consume so much when you’re not actively using it.
You can always check out our guide on how to adjust cellular data for individual apps. However, it’s also possible to turn off your cellular data by going to Settings > Cellular > Off. For data roaming, go to Settings > Cellular > Cellular Data Options > toggle Data Roaming off.
Delete the Reddit App
If the Reddit app is still consuming your data, you can always try deleting and reinstalling the app again. Press and hold on to the app before confirming that you want to remove it from your device. Then, go to the App Store and redownload it.
Should you continue experiencing problems, it might be a better idea to just use Reddit on your desktop browser instead – even if that’s not the most convenient choice.
Use Low Power Mode
If you choose to keep the app on your iPhone, it’s important to remember that you might have to endure a trade-off in device performance – even though that isn’t your fault. Should that be something you’re willing to deal with, you can always try using Low Power Mode on your iPhone.
To do this, swipe down from the top right-hand corner to reveal the Control Center. Then, click on the Low Power Mode icon. The main battery symbol on your iPhone should turn yellow.
Use These Tips to Stop Reddit Taking Up Too Much of Your Battery and Data
The Reddit app consuming too much data and battery life can become quite annoying, especially when you probably perform a number of other functions on your iPhone. Why this happens is difficult to explain and identify, but there could be a few possible reasons.
You can try a broad selection of fixes to stop the Reddit app from consuming too much of your data and battery life. Hopefully, these tips will have helped – and if anything else worked for you, please feel free to let us know in the comments section.
Danny has been a professional writer since graduating from university in 2016, but he’s been writing online for over a decade. He has been intrigued by Apple products ever since getting an iPod Shuffle in 2008 and particularly enjoys writing about iPhones and iPads. Danny prides himself on making complex topics easy to understand. In his spare time, he’s a keen photographer.
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