Disney+ offers an extensive library of beloved Disney franchises, including animated classics, Star Wars, Marvel Cinematic Universe, National Geographic, original content, and much more!
One minute you’re screaming songs from Encanto, the next you’re screaming in terror about how much data you’ve used and if you’re in for a nasty surprise on your next phone or internet bill.
You might be wondering how much data Disney+ uses and what you can do to manage your data usage effectively.
Whether you’re worried about exceeding your data limit or want to save on your monthly bill, we’ve got you covered!
How Much Data Does Disney+ Use?
On average, Disney+ uses approximately 3 GB of data per hour for standard definition (SD) streaming, 7 GB per hour for high definition (HD) streaming, and up to 25 GB per hour for ultra-high definition (UHD) streaming.
The amount of data used by Disney+ depends on several factors, including the quality of the video being streamed and the device it’s being viewed on, so the above is just an estimate.
It’s important to keep in mind that these numbers can vary and you may use more or less data depending on your individual viewing habits. For example, watching a 30 minute TV episode will use significantly less than data than a 2.5 hour movie.
How Do I Reduce Data Usage On Disney Plus?
Disney+ automatically detects your system’s capabilities and will attempt to deliver the highest quality streaming experience available. This means that by default Disney+ will be using the most amount of data possible to give you the highest quality streaming possible.
If you want to prevent Disney+ from eating all your data, there are multiple things that you can do reduce or even eliminate your data usage.
Reduce Data Usage On Disney+ Mobile App
1. Click your profile image
2. Click “app settings”
3. Click “mobile data usage”
4. Switch to “save data”
This setting uses the least amount of data possible at approximately 0.6 GB per hour. This is the best option if you’re trying to save data when streaming Disney+.
The other option is to force the Disney+ app only use Wi-Fi. You can turn this option on in the Disney+ app settings:
- Stream over WiFi only: This setting enables streaming at the highest quality your system and internet connection will allow while connected to a WiFi network. You will use approximately 2.5 GB of data per hour.
Reduce Data Usage On Smart TV or TV Connected Device (Firestick, Roku, Apple TV)
There are three options for streaming data when using Disney+ from a smart TV or a connected device such as a Firestick, Roku, Apple TV and more.
You can choose from the following options:
- Automatic: This is the default setting and enables the highest quality experience that your system and internet connection will allow. You will use approximately 7.7 GB of data per hour.
- Moderate:This setting is a good balance between saving data and still streaming in HD quality. It uses approximately 2 GB of data per hour.
- Save data: This setting uses the least amount of data at approximately 0.7 GB per hour.
If you don’t have a data cap on your home Wi-Fi network, using the automatic mode will always be the best experience possible.
To save the most amount of data which is especially important if you do have data caps, ensure you select ‘Save Data’ from the Disney+ app settings.