How to Lower Data Usage on Your Smartphone

Many wireless carriers give you a limited data plan for your phone or tablet, and some even have restrictions on the amount of LTE-speed data you can use. But watching each megabyte of data you use isn't enjoyable or realistic since nearly every smartphone app connects to the Internet. Instead, it's time to check out Opera Max.
This Android app helps you save data by compressing photos, videos and, most recently, music when you watch and stream them. The compression idea isn't new, but it is effective. Ready to check it out? Let's get started:
Note: The current music-streaming services supported are YouTube Music, Pandora, Slacker Radio, Gaana and Saavn.

Step 1: Install a copy of Opera Max on your Android 4.0+ device.

Step 2: After the tutorial, you'll want to open the slide-out menu and head to Settings. Here you'll be able to adjust how much to compress photos, videos and music when using mobile data and Wi-Fi. If there are no restrictions on the amount of Wi-Fi data you can use, then you may want to turn these down or off.

Step 3: Next, head back to the main screen of the app and tap Connect. You'll need to OK the app's request to set up a VPN, so it can send your data through Opera's compression services.

Use your apps as you normally would for a few minutes, or even a day, then reopen Opera Max. You'll be greeted with your total data savings, as well as a breakdown of the apps you've used and their individual data savings. You can view these results by month or see your all-time savings.