How much data does YouTube use?

YouTube uses about 300 MB an hour at 360p and up to 2.5 GB an hour at 1080p.

Woman watching a video on her phone in a cosy cafe, watercolour
Contents8 sections
Setting1 hour2 hours a day for a week
360p300 MB4.2 GB
480p500 MB7 GB
720p1.2 GB16.8 GB
1080p2.5 GB35 GB

Source: Smarty

YouTube data per hour
360p: 300 MB an hour360p300 MB480p: 500 MB an hour480p500 MB720p: 1.2 GB an hour720p1.2 GB1080p: 2.5 GB an hour1080p2.5 GB
How long 10 GB lasts on YouTube
360p: 33 hours of use360p33 hours480p: 20 hours of use480p20 hours720p: 8.3 hours of use720p8.3 hours1080p: 4 hours of use1080p4 hours

How to use less data on YouTube

What each YouTube quality setting means

The number is the lines in each frame, so 1080p is sharper than 480p. On a phone screen, 360p and 480p look fine. The difference shows on a tablet or a TV.

On mobile data abroad, pick 360p or 480p: an hour costs 300 MB or 500 MB. Keep 720p and 1080p for hotel Wi-Fi, where 1.2 GB or 2.5 GB an hour costs nothing from your plan.

How long 1 GB and 10 GB last on YouTube

One gigabyte gives you 3 hours 20 minutes at 360p and 2 hours at 480p. At 720p it lasts 50 minutes, and at 1080p only 24 minutes.

A 10 GB travel plan holds 33 hours of video at 360p or 20 hours at 480p. At 1080p the same plan is gone after 4 hours.

Young man watching a video on his phone on a train by the window, watercolour

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

An hour of YouTube a day for a week uses 2.1 GB at 360p and 3.5 GB at 480p. Watch the same hour at 720p and the week costs 8.4 GB. At 1080p it costs 17.5 GB.

Over two weeks, that daily hour adds up to 7 GB at 480p, enough to fill most 10 GB plans once you add maps and messaging. Set the app to 480p or lower before you fly.

How to change YouTube video quality on iPhone and Android

Open YouTube, tap your profile picture and go to Settings, then Video quality preferences. Under On mobile networks, choose Data saver. YouTube then plays videos at a lower quality whenever you are off Wi-Fi.

To change one video, tap it, tap the gear icon, then Quality, and choose 360p or 480p. The app goes back to your default setting on the next video.

Watch YouTube offline to save data

Downloads use no mobile data when you play them. On Wi-Fi, tap Download under a video and choose a quality. Find your videos later under You, then Downloads.

Downloads need YouTube Premium in most countries. Without Premium, save long videos for the hotel Wi-Fi and keep mobile data for short clips. Check that a download has finished before you leave the Wi-Fi.

FAQ

How much data does YouTube use at 1080p?
About 2.5 GB an hour. One gigabyte lasts 24 minutes at 1080p.
Does YouTube use a lot of data abroad?
Yes. At 720p an hour uses 1.2 GB, so a 10 GB plan lasts about 8 hours of video. Set mobile quality to 480p or lower.
What YouTube quality should I use on mobile data?
360p or 480p. They use 300 MB and 500 MB an hour and look fine on a phone.
How long does 1 GB last on YouTube?
About 2 hours at 480p, 3 hours 20 minutes at 360p and 24 minutes at 1080p.
Can I watch YouTube offline while travelling?
Yes, with YouTube Premium. Download videos on Wi-Fi and play them without using mobile data.
Is 480p good enough on a phone?
Yes. On a phone screen 480p looks sharp enough for most videos, and it uses 500 MB an hour against 2.5 GB at 1080p.

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 480p for 2 weeks: 14 GB plus 10% extra.