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How to Stop iOS Mail From Using Cellular Data

Prevent your iOS device from checking for new mail in the background

By Heinz Tschabitscher Heinz Tschabitscher Writer University of Vienna A former freelance contributor who has reviewed hundreds of email programs and services since 1997. lifewire's editorial guidelines Updated on May 31, 2021 Tweet Share Email Tweet Share Email Email Yahoo! Mail Gmail

What to Know

Go to Settings > Cellular. Next to Mail, toggle the switch to the Off position (gray).To stop Mail from updating when the app isn't in use, go to Settings > Mail > Accounts > Fetch New Data > [account] > Manual. The iOS Mail app frequently checks for new emails via Wi-Fi and cellular connections. Because frequent mailbox polling uses your monthly cellular data allotment, iOS includes an option to use only Wi-Fi when checking for new messages. Using iOS 11 or later, learn how to stop iOS Mail from using cellular data, as well as how to prevent Mail from checking for updates in the background.

How to Stop iOS Mail From Using Cellular Data

To turn off cellular data usage for iOS Mail, open the Settings app on your iPhone or iPad and select Cellular. Then, scroll down and tap the toggle switch next to Mail until it is in the Off position. With cellular data turned off for the Mail app, you can still read mail already on the phone and compose messages to be delivered as soon as you are connected to a Wi-Fi network. To temporarily suspend iOS Mail—and all other apps—from using cellular data, put the iPhone in Airplane Mode.

Prevent iOS Mail From Checking Mail in the Background

To prevent Mail from checking for new email in the background, turn off push email for all accounts. You can disable automatic checks on a schedule in the iPhone email account settings. Disabling push on an email account also disables pushing calendar events and contact changes associated with the email account. Follow these steps to configure iOS Mail to avoid checking for new messages in the background or to receive messages automatically through push email from the server as they arrive: Open the Settings app. Go to Mail > Accounts > Fetch New Data. (On older versions of iOS, go to Passwords & Accounts > Fetch New Data.) Choose the account to modify. Select Manual. This setting makes it so Mail only fetches or refreshes when the app is in use. Choose Fetch if you'd like Mail to continue checking for new mail in the background.

Modify the iOS Mail Polling Frequency

Another way to conserve data is to configure the iOS Mail app not to check mail automatically. Then, use the app only when you need it and when it is connected with a cellular plan or Wi-Fi.

Other Settings That Affect Email Data Usage

When set to Push, iOS continuously checks the server for new information and then delivers that information to the iOS device in near real-time. Because Push causes the Mail app to update as often as possible, it isn't a good choice if you are concerned about data usage. When set to Fetch, iOS has options to check the email server in five ways: Automatically: The iPhone fetches new email messages in the background when on Wi-Fi.Manually: Email refreshes only when you open the Mail app.HourlyEvery 30 minutesEvery 15 minutes Each of these settings restricts the Mail app's access to the email server in one way or another. Select the option that works best for you. Was this page helpful? Thanks for letting us know! Get the Latest Tech News Delivered Every Day Subscribe Tell us why! Other Not enough details Hard to understand Submit More from Lifewire Make iPhone Mail Check for New Mail Less Often or Never How to Stop iOS Mail From Downloading Remote Images How to Pick Folders to Push in iPhone Mail How to Delete an Email Account on an iPhone How to Fix It When Facebook Messenger Won’t Load Messages The 18 Best Tips to Get More iPad Battery Life (Updated for iPadOS 15.5) How to Send iPhone Mail From a Different Account How to Open the iPad's Settings How to Use AOL Mail Through an Email Client macOS Mail: How to Keep Emails on the Server How to Get Alerts for New Replies in a Thread with iOS Mail How to Sync Yahoo Calendar With iPhone Calendar How to Use iPhone Low Power Mode How to Send a New Email With iPhone Mail App How to Make Your Cellphone Battery Last Longer 20 Ways to Improve Battery Life on Your iPod Touch Newsletter Sign Up Newsletter Sign Up Newsletter Sign Up Newsletter Sign Up Newsletter Sign Up By clicking “Accept All Cookies”, you agree to the storing of cookies on your device to enhance site navigation, analyze site usage, and assist in our marketing efforts. Cookies Settings Accept All Cookies