Netflix data usage - an assessment

If you want to use Netflix on the go, you should always keep an eye on the data consumption of the streaming service. We have estimated for you how much data volume a episode or movie has on Netflix.

Data consumption with Netflix: depending on the quality

The higher the resolution of the streamed content, the higher the data consumption of Netflix:

• If you watch films and series in low quality, the data consumption is around 300 MByte per hour. So you can stream a good three hours per GB.
• With medium streaming quality, Netflix consumes around 700 MByte per hour, which corresponds to just over one hour per GByte.
• With high resolution, consumption also shoots up: around 3 GB of data flows through your line every hour of HD streaming.
• With UHD content, there are even significantly more, about 7 GB per hour. Therefore, you have to activate unlimited streaming separately for this resolution.
• If you are concerned about your data volume, you should also deactivate the auto-play function via the settings. This will prevent the next episode from playing automatically.

Adjust consumption of data

You can control the data consumption of Netflix in your account settings and thus protect your mobile data volume. While you used to be able to decide whether you want to watch videos in low, medium or high quality, Netflix now only allows you to choose between low or high data consumption.

1. To do this, open the Netflix app on your smartphone.
2. At the top left, tap on the icon with the three horizontal bars and select the "App settings".
3. There, tap on "Mobile data consumption".
4. Here you have the choice between "save data", which corresponds to the medium quality (500 MByte / h), and "maximum data consumption", which enables you to stream in the highest quality. If you want to conserve your data volume, you can also select "WLAN only". Then you can only stream if you are connected to a WiFi network.
5. Tip: If you don't have to worry about your data volume, select the "Automatic" entry. Then Netflix always chooses the best quality that runs most smoothly with your current internet connection.

If you find Netflix too slow, we'll help you on the next page.