High usage of software update over cellular?

[StaceyMJ86]

I’ve noticed in the past few weeks I’ve been seeing high usage of “Software Update” under Cellular -> System Services. I saw caught this happening on a trip over the the holidays abroad and it consumed all my RedTeaGO eSIM roaming data. However I don’t see anything to update under General -> Software Update. I also tested turning off Automatic Updates but it still downloaded software update over cellular. I’m also not on 5G.

Has anyone noticed this, is this a bug or something you can turn off? I’ve attached a screenshot.

I never paid attention to this, but mine is 14.4gb.

 

[snyp1193]

I guess it is not bug. Apple should have set some updates (which will keep happening) are important that they force you to download immediately no matter cellular or Wi-Fi, and some of these updates are different in each countries so once you travel you may suddenly download a lot of data.

That doesn’t sound right as many of us are seeing this even in our home country. I don’t think this is entirely the reason. If they were actual updates it should be documented like you see for major, minor, bug, and security hot fixes. It started as of iOS 16 so it’s more plausible it’s a bug.

 

[Crow_Servo]

I’ve noticed over the last month or so that only my iPhone and cellular iPad can do the iOS updates, since it acts like I’m not on WiFi and instead does the updates over cellular supposedly.

My non-cellular-enabled iPad can’t do the iOS update, even if I’ve done the network reset or rebooted it. Luckily my non-cellular iPad has cellular capability, so I’ll just have to give it a cell plan, but I don’t understand why none of my Apple devices want to recognize that they’re on WiFi when it comes to the update (or even the iCloud backups apparently).

Definitely seems like a bug to me.

 

[drugdoubles]

Hard to believe Apple makes a smooth iOS in general but don’t fix such an easy to fix but horrible user experience bug in at least half year.

 

[cwazydan]

I’ve noticed in the past few weeks I’ve been seeing high usage of “Software Update” under Cellular -> System Services. I saw caught this happening on a trip over the the holidays abroad and it consumed all my RedTeaGO eSIM roaming data. However I don’t see anything to update under General -> Software Update. I also tested turning off Automatic Updates but it still downloaded software update over cellular. I’m also not on 5G.

Has anyone noticed this, is this a bug or something you can turn off? I’ve attached a screenshot.

Same over here. We noticed the high data usage on my wife's phone, and eventually tracked it to the software updates. I chatted with apple support twice over the issue, and they basically told me *either* turn off software updates, or put it in low data mode. They stated that one of these solutions would work. We did both just in case. Didn't work. Her phone continues to fly through cell data because of software updates. And just recently I noticed mine had a big jump today of 250 Mb. The second support chat person said all my my issues have been documented and I have a case #. Needless to say I will continue to chat with them and raise my concerns. Hopefully with iOS 17 coming out they solve the problem? 🤞🏻

 

[contas]

Same over here. We noticed the high data usage on my wife's phone, and eventually tracked it to the software updates. I chatted with apple support twice over the issue, and they basically told me *either* turn off software updates, or put it in low data mode. They stated that one of these solutions would work. We did both just in case. Didn't work. Her phone continues to fly through cell data because of software updates. And just recently I noticed mine had a big jump today of 250 Mb. The second support chat person said all my my issues have been documented and I have a case #. Needless to say I will continue to chat with them and raise my concerns. Hopefully with iOS 17 coming out they solve the problem? 🤞🏻

I have had a few of the same conversations with Apple support. I almost laughed when one person I talked to asked if I could just increase my mobile data limit. My last call got escalated to the second-level support who basically told me there is nothing more to do except turn off my cellular data. I asked if the issue could be sent to their software team, and she told me that she would submit something from her side and I should submit feedback, here: https://www.apple.com/feedback/.

Surprisingly, it's been a few weeks with no "Software Updates" hitting my cellular data, but I plan to submit feedback each time it happens from now on.

 

[qazqwerty]

I am having the same issue. iPhone 14, Tele2 in Sweden. As mentioned here and in other threads I have disabled all automatic updates, mobile data for settings, turned off automatic updates for apple watch and chose the low data mode. None of this helped and I have been seeing software updates eating up my mobile data the past months.
One thing I read on some other forum was that if an update begins downloading on wifi and then you move out of wifi's range, the update will continue downloading despite automatic updates being off. I also find it strange that you can turn the mobile data off for many services but not for updates specifically.

I am curious about the possibility that the updates continue downloading when you leave wifi. The reason I think that it is unlikely is that there are not that many updates being released. I mean what are the chances that I always go out of wifi's range just when an update is being downloaded? On the other hand, from what some of you wrote, it sounds like those are likely not system updates but some other updates running in the background.

I am currently testing an app that I use for smart home automations that sets my status as "at home" or "away" based on my iPhones connection to wifi. In the app there is a setting to delay the away status. The help text says that some phones disconnect from wifi when their screen is off etc. I don't think that this is the case for iphones but I had to set that delay to 15 minutes to avoid my iphone being set as "away" randomly during the day and night. With that delay set to 3, 5, 10 minutes, I would get many false "away" statuses. I have no idea why the app would not see my iphone as being connected to wifi but this is what it says and it happens many time throughout the day and night.

I am wondering if the potential continued downloading of an update when leaving wifi together with iphone disconnecting from wifi at random times might lead to this issue. I mean you assume that your phone is connected to wifi the whole time but it is hard to tell if it really is or not when the screen is locked. I can log this better through Home Assistant to get some statistics. It might also be related to the fact that I have a mesh network and that iphone jumps between the nodes as I move around the house. I never noticed dropping the wifi connection when I use the phone but maybe it still happens when the phone is locked.

What do you think?

 

[helgrind]

I am not sure if the problem has been solved on the iOS 17, but for those on iOS 16 I might have found a solution. It has been 2 or 3 months that I don't have high "Software Updates" usage numbers (counting gigabytes of use). I might be wrong but, after some months of investigation, I noticed that the problem is on the app updates. I don't know why, but I believe that the iOS was doing app updates through my cellular data despite my phone being connected to the wifi and the App Store download over cellular being switched off.

The solution I have found was to disable the "App Updates" option in the App Store settings. The only inconvenience is that the apps won't be automatically updated anymore but at least you won't have your cellular data being drained.

I have also other settings that might have contributed to the problem solution, but they alone haven't been effective for me before. They are:
- Enabling data saving mode in the Cellular Data settings
- Switching off the App Store use of cellular data

 

[qazqwerty]

I am not sure if the problem has been solved on the iOS 17, but for those on iOS 16 I might have found a solution. It has been 2 or 3 months that I don't have high "Software Updates" usage numbers (counting gigabytes of use). I might be wrong but, after some months of investigation, I noticed that the problem is on the app updates. I don't know why, but I believe that the iOS was doing app updates through my cellular data despite my phone being connected to the wifi and the App Store download over cellular being switched off.

The solution I have found was to disable the "App Updates" option in the App Store settings. The only inconvenience is that the apps won't be automatically updated anymore but at least you won't have your cellular data being drained.

I have also other settings that might have contributed to the problem solution, but they alone haven't been effective for me before. They are:
- Enabling data saving mode in the Cellular Data settings
- Switching off the App Store use of cellular data

I am on iOS 17.1.2 and have had the mobile data for app store off and automatic updates off for app downloads, app updates and in-app content for months and I still see mobile data use unfortunately. So either this is user specific or this contributes to mobile data use when you leave wifi while those updates are being downloaded. It makes sense in some way that the issue is related to app updates because those happen basically daily if you have many apps installed.

 

[trailwaver02]

I’m on the newly released 17.2 and nothing has changed the moment I disconnect from my wifi network my cellular data gets eaten up by software updates, I had to pay my carrier more to have sufficient data. yesterday actually, I decided to use cellular data because my wifi was too slow & no lie, after 3 minutes it ate up 1.30gb of my data plan (1/3 of my plan) I also did everything I could & got in contact with Apple support & it’s funny because he told me the same thing as someone else above “increase your mobile data limit” I’m so close to switching to android if this doesn’t get resolved & it’s sad seeing this is the only reason I’d do it

 

[CC91UK]

This happened to me twice a couple of months ago - I hadn't experienced it before then. My data usage monitoring app sent me a warning that I had used a lot of data, and it was something like 200MB of software updates in the space of a few minutes even though software updates via data are turned off. A few days ago I remembered to turn data off altogether before updating to 16.7.3!

Last time it happened I took these screenshots...

 

[Eithanius]

I think I've had this bug since iOS 15 days... Every time when there's a software update, I get prompted whether I would want to use mobile data for updates, I would select "Do Not Use Mobile Data"... but end up I'm still losing precious quotas... Nowadays I had to turn on Airplane mode when I'm on WiFi at home to prevent quota runaways...

 

[Joe99]

Same issue here.
* all iOS software updates turned off (Settings → General → Software Updates)
* all App Store updates turned off (Settings → App Store → App Downloads, App Updates, in-app content, under Mobile Data Automatic Updates = all turned off)
* Low Data Mode enabled for Mobile/Cell Data (Settings → Mobile → Mobile Data Options → Low Data Mode = on)
* WiFi assist = off
* icloud sync via mobile = off
and still 900mb were used on mobile data this month for software updates.

Edit: Because of what I read here by other posters, I have now turned off mobile data for Settings. I will see if that solved it in the next couple of days.

Edit2: it keeps using data. Another couple of 100mb gone in one go today within half an hour. See 2nd attachment.

Everyone who’s got that problem and is willing to spend 2 minutes, please fill in the Apple product feedback form:

Feedback - iPhone

Apple wants to hear from you. Send us your comments and feedback about iPhone.

www.apple.com

The more the better the chances it’ll be addressed… maybe.


- Did I miss anything?

iOS latest: 17.3

I wonder if (just wild guesses):
- Apple Maps, Maps updates (offline maps updates?) (mapped wrongly as Software Updates)
- Apple Music, playing downloaded albums in the car (downloaded as Dolby Atmos often, maybe AM is requesting stereo files?)
- Safari, Safari Extensions (AdBlock plus)

It appears that every time I leave the WIFI ~150-200 Mb are consumed under “Software Updates”. Also visible in my carriers usage data reporting.

 

[Joe99]

I just turned on mobile data and software update increased from 1.07GB to 1.22 now.

Latest iOS version.
Carrier is 2degrees in New Zealand.

Please all. Keep using Feedback Apple and report. Hopefully it’ll get some attention.

 

[Joe99]

Not sure if anyone is still reading.
Are you all using Apple Maps in navigation mode? I noticed it was when I launched Apple Maps navigation to a destination that it pulled data logged under Software Update. That’s no proof of course but I’ll switch to Google Maps now and deleted the Apple Maps just to see if I’m on the right track.

 

[Joe99]

Since a week, Software Updates stays in the low 10th MB not hundreds of MB.
This is since I stopped using Apple Maps - Navigation mode.
It would be interesting if someone in this group could confirm that.

 

[dome93]

Hello,

I have the same problem. I read a lot of forums to find a solution. So far I haven't found the solution. I saw your post and disabled the use of Apple Maps mobile internet for a few days. Unfortunately, this solution did not help me. 150 - 200 Mb of mobile internet is still used per day due to Software Updates.

Here is my experience with the problem so far:

1: Software Update consumes 150 - 200 Mb of mobile data every day. This measurement takes place in about 5 - 10 minutes, at a random time. Sometimes in the morning, sometimes during the day, sometimes in the evening.

2: If, for example, Software Updates used up 176 Mb of mobile internet data in the morning, the problem will no longer occur that day.

3: There is rarely a day when the problem does not occur. I think that's when Software Update takes care of it over Wi-Fi.

4: I have an Apple Watch Series 6 Wi-Fi edition smartwatch. If I notice that Software Update has started using the mobile internet (5 - 10 minutes every day, as I described earlier) and in the meantime I turn off the Apple Watch on my arm, then Software Update stops using mobile data. If I turn the smart watch back on, Software Update starts consuming the 150 - 200 Mb of mobile data from the beginning. I have already tried several times that I only turned on the Apple Watch again when I got home and there is a Wi-Fi network. Then the Apple Watch doing the Software updates on the Wi-Fi network and does not use my mobile internet.

Overall, I consider the Apple Watch to be at fault for consuming 150 - 200 Mb of mobile internet per day. I've already tried resetting my Apple Watch by deleting the iCloud backup. So I had to set up the smartwatch again as if I had just bought it at the store like a new one. This solution didn't help my problem either. Apple support can't help me either. So I was forced to expand my monthly data allowance of 3 Gb to 8 Gb at my mobile provider. I hope my writing will be useful for someone. If anyone has any ideas on what else I should try, I'd love to hear your advice.

 

[Joe99]

I’m sad to hear that.
For me the problem was solved when I stopped using (in fact uninstalling) Apple Maps. (I’m pretty sure I tested turning off mobile data for Apple Maps only and that didn’t help.)

I’m now half a month in the current billing period - that’s when I reset the mobile statistics - and Software Update data usage is at 4.67 MB only.

Bummer. I was hoping this might be solving the issue for others as well.

I never saw the issue before. Only when I switched from G maps to Apple Maps in December, that’s when I reinstalled the Apple Maps app as I had it uninstalled for years. I’m now using G Maps only, I’d prefer using Apple Maps though.

I recommend reporting it via Apple Feedback regularly?

My theory is that it’s related to Apple Maps offline maps updates and that they are triggered by the Software Update task, hence they count data under Software Updates and don’t adhere to the Mobile Data switch for Apple Maps and maybe also not adhere to the Low Data usage toggle. Wild guess only of course.

 

[ManuCH]

Hello,

I have the same problem. I read a lot of forums to find a solution. So far I haven't found the solution. I saw your post and disabled the use of Apple Maps mobile internet for a few days. Unfortunately, this solution did not help me. 150 - 200 Mb of mobile internet is still used per day due to Software Updates.

Here is my experience with the problem so far:

1: Software Update consumes 150 - 200 Mb of mobile data every day. This measurement takes place in about 5 - 10 minutes, at a random time. Sometimes in the morning, sometimes during the day, sometimes in the evening.

2: If, for example, Software Updates used up 176 Mb of mobile internet data in the morning, the problem will no longer occur that day.

3: There is rarely a day when the problem does not occur. I think that's when Software Update takes care of it over Wi-Fi.

4: I have an Apple Watch Series 6 Wi-Fi edition smartwatch. If I notice that Software Update has started using the mobile internet (5 - 10 minutes every day, as I described earlier) and in the meantime I turn off the Apple Watch on my arm, then Software Update stops using mobile data. If I turn the smart watch back on, Software Update starts consuming the 150 - 200 Mb of mobile data from the beginning. I have already tried several times that I only turned on the Apple Watch again when I got home and there is a Wi-Fi network. Then the Apple Watch doing the Software updates on the Wi-Fi network and does not use my mobile internet.

Overall, I consider the Apple Watch to be at fault for consuming 150 - 200 Mb of mobile internet per day. I've already tried resetting my Apple Watch by deleting the iCloud backup. So I had to set up the smartwatch again as if I had just bought it at the store like a new one. This solution didn't help my problem either. Apple support can't help me either. So I was forced to expand my monthly data allowance of 3 Gb to 8 Gb at my mobile provider. I hope my writing will be useful for someone. If anyone has any ideas on what else I should try, I'd love to hear your advice.

Do you have "automatic updates" turned on the App Store settings of the Watch app (on the phone)? Could it be the watch just randomly updates its apps, using the iPhone's cellular data for that?

 

[dome93]

Do you have "automatic updates" turned on the App Store settings of the Watch app (on the phone)? Could it be the watch just randomly updates its apps, using the iPhone's cellular data for that?

I thought I checked all the settings thoroughly. I remember not having tried this before. This morning I turned off the app update you recommended. The software update has not used mobile data so far today. I'm optimistic, I hope that this solved the problem. Thanks for the help

 

[CC91UK]

I thought this issue had stopped for me, but so far this billing month (last 15 days) I've had 265MB of data usage for software updates. Auto downloads are still off for apps and software updates, and low data mode is still on.

 

[dome93]

Do you have "automatic updates" turned on the App Store settings of the Watch app (on the phone)? Could it be the watch just randomly updates its apps, using the iPhone's cellular data for that?

I tried the setting you recommended. I thought we had found the final solution because the problem did not appear yesterday and before yesterday. Unfortunately, software updates used up 160 Mb of mobile internet again today. I don't know what to do

 

[DespairingApple]

Joined forum just to chime in from Dubai.

Exactly the same issue as everyone else, only using VERY expensive Etisalat pay-as-you go data. My pro max 14 is EATING data, despite having everything turned off, low-data mode, apple maps removed etc

In February I used 1.36GB mobile data purely on system updates at roughly $40 cost, while connected to wifi 24-7.

I've actually started taking the sim out my iphone and putting it in my old Moto G Android.

Both Apple and Etisalat have said to come off the pay-as-you-go plan and onto an unlimited monthly plan as their 'solution'

I am on the verge of moving back to Android permanently, at least when I'm in Dubai as spending $40-50/mo on software updates is ridiculous.

Needless to say the Android doesn't use data unless I have no wifi and never uses mobile data for updates. OK it crashes a lot, but I'm starting not to care.

Apple, it seems to me, is just an expensive product aimed at people on unlimited data. Anyone else is an outlier and probably not their ideal customer.

 

[SPrudil]

My software updates data seems to have mostly stopped as of this year luckily. Older phone X so software has topped out at 16.7.6 so far.

Still quite a bit of data for other things annoyingly, like Security Services 21 MB today, Mapping services etc, but Software Updates seems to do maybe 5 MB on many days but not the huge use of last year.

I still use Apple Maps weekly