How much data does FaceTime use per hour?

About 30 MB for FaceTime Audio, 200 MB for a standard video call and 330 MB for HD video on 5G.

Does FaceTime use a lot of data?

No. An hour of FaceTime video uses about 200 MB, less than half an hour of YouTube at 480p.

Does FaceTime use mobile data on Wi-Fi?

No. A FaceTime call on Wi-Fi uses no mobile data.

Does FaceTime Audio use less data than video?

Yes. FaceTime Audio uses about 30 MB an hour against 200 MB for video.

Does FaceTime work on Android?

Yes, as a guest. An Android user can join through a FaceTime link in a browser but cannot start a call.

Is 1 GB enough for FaceTime on holiday?

Yes, for light use. 1 GB covers about 5 hours of video calls or 33 hours of audio calls.

How much data does FaceTime use?

FaceTime uses about 30 MB an hour at Audio-only and up to 330 MB an hour at Video (HD on 5G).

Woman video calling her family on her phone in a sunny town square, watercolour

Contents8 sections

Setting	1 hour	2 hours a day for a week
Audio-only	30 MB	420 MB
Video (standard)	200 MB	2.8 GB
Video (HD on 5G)	330 MB	4.6 GB

Source: Firsty

FaceTime data per hour

How long 10 GB lasts on FaceTime

How to use less data on FaceTime

Switch to FaceTime Audio when video is not needed.
Use Wi-Fi for long or group video calls.
Turn off video effects and screen sharing on mobile data.

FaceTime data use: audio, video and HD

FaceTime Audio uses about 30 MB an hour. A standard video call takes about 200 MB an hour, and HD video, which iPhones use on a fast 5G connection, about 330 MB.

FaceTime is light compared with streaming. An hour of video calling uses less than half of an hour of YouTube at 480p, so a daily call home fits in most travel plans.

How long 1 GB and 10 GB last on FaceTime

One gigabyte covers about 33 hours of FaceTime Audio, 5 hours of standard video or 3 hours of HD video.

A 10 GB plan holds about 50 hours of standard video calls, which is more than a daily half-hour call for three months.

Father on a video call on his phone on a hotel balcony, watercolour

FaceTime data for a one-week and a two-week trip

A half-hour video call home every day uses about 700 MB a week, or 1.4 GB over two weeks. In HD the same calls come to about 1.2 GB a week.

Switch the same daily call to FaceTime Audio and two weeks cost about 210 MB.

Control FaceTime data on iPhone

Open Settings, tap Mobile Service (Cellular on some iPhones) and scroll to FaceTime. Turn it off if you want FaceTime to work only on Wi-Fi. The same screen shows how much data each app has used.

During a call, tap the camera button to switch to audio. Android phones have no FaceTime app, but an iPhone user can send a FaceTime link that opens in a browser on Android.

Use FaceTime on Wi-Fi while travelling

FaceTime needs an internet connection. Long video calls on hotel or cafe Wi-Fi cost nothing from your eSIM plan.

On mobile data, turn off video effects and SharePlay, which add data on top of the call itself.

FAQ

How much data does FaceTime use per hour?: About 30 MB for FaceTime Audio, 200 MB for a standard video call and 330 MB for HD video on 5G.
Does FaceTime use a lot of data?: No. An hour of FaceTime video uses about 200 MB, less than half an hour of YouTube at 480p.
Does FaceTime use mobile data on Wi-Fi?: No. A FaceTime call on Wi-Fi uses no mobile data.
Does FaceTime Audio use less data than video?: Yes. FaceTime Audio uses about 30 MB an hour against 200 MB for video.
Does FaceTime work on Android?: Yes, as a guest. An Android user can join through a FaceTime link in a browser but cannot start a call.
Is 1 GB enough for FaceTime on holiday?: Yes, for light use. 1 GB covers about 5 hours of video calls or 33 hours of audio calls.

Work out your whole trip

Add up maps, music, video and calls for every day of your trip with the travel data calculator.

Plan size for 2 hours a day at Video (standard) for 2 weeks: 5.6 GB plus 10% extra.