I just checked mine and it has used 205mb. I've last reseted statistics on March 27th, but I believe this rise happened in the last 3 days. I thought updating to iOS 16.4, disabling settings use of cellular data and disabling automatic updates would fix it but it did not. I have now disabled background updates over cellular data to see if this would have any effect. I have also reported the bug in the feedback app as instructed by @snyp1193
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High usage of software update over cellular?
- Thread starter snyp1193
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This has been happening to me for a while as well in New Zealand on 2degrees network. iPhone X, 16.4.1
Last night accidently left mobile data on and Software Updates took 485 MB.
I've turned off everything I can find as per everyone else.
For me the only new data point is this happened with iphone NOT plugged in to charger. I do have an apple watch and wondered if it might be due to that taking updates, but sounds like that wasn't the issue.
The downloading happened at night since I monitor mobile data use very carefully now.
Software updates through Settings->General->Software Update definitely isn't 'seeing' updates with mobile data off, so have to assume it's a bug. Making the phone pretty much useless except for messages and telephone since I have to keep mobile data off all the time now unless I'm careful.
Edited to add that I don't think the phone has ever been enrolled in any beta, though many years ago my iphone 6 had used the trick of the AppleTV developer profile to prevent iOS updates over wifi, and my X is the direct transfer from the older 6.
I'm hoping this data leakage isn't some weird AppleTV ghost software updating itself.
![system services use.png]( "system services use.png")
Last night accidently left mobile data on and Software Updates took 485 MB.
I've turned off everything I can find as per everyone else.
For me the only new data point is this happened with iphone NOT plugged in to charger. I do have an apple watch and wondered if it might be due to that taking updates, but sounds like that wasn't the issue.
The downloading happened at night since I monitor mobile data use very carefully now.
Software updates through Settings->General->Software Update definitely isn't 'seeing' updates with mobile data off, so have to assume it's a bug. Making the phone pretty much useless except for messages and telephone since I have to keep mobile data off all the time now unless I'm careful.
Edited to add that I don't think the phone has ever been enrolled in any beta, though many years ago my iphone 6 had used the trick of the AppleTV developer profile to prevent iOS updates over wifi, and my X is the direct transfer from the older 6.
I'm hoping this data leakage isn't some weird AppleTV ghost software updating itself.
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It’s been nearly two months since I had any major usage of Software Update. I don’t know if the problem was resolved in the past few updates or I just haven’t gone out of wifi as much. I’m heading to Japan in a week and will see if the problem occurs.
I am also having this exact issue. And I am from Singapore. The software updates happens once every 2 days. Apple is not being very helpful. I have thus far off automatic updates, reset the network, use low data mode. May I ask what exactly worked for you guys?
Now I am worried if my phone has been infected by a virus or malware seeing as Apple did not seem to receive this issue on their system
Now I am worried if my phone has been infected by a virus or malware seeing as Apple did not seem to receive this issue on their system
I wouldn’t worry about malware, it’s extremely unlikely that it would show up under the software updates tally.
Apple not being helpful with individual customer bug reports is just business as usual…
Thank you for that reassurance. Just with all the scams of late it got me worried.
Apple informed me it was an issue with my carrier and stated that the data counter on the iPhone was inaccurate. And hence I may be spending data elsewhere but it is categorized under software updates. I find that hard to believe.
I got the same response as well and when I contacted the carrier they said they have no idea what they’re talking about. Carriers don’t push software update of that size. Plus if it’s happening across multiple carriers then the culprit is Apple.
I still keep mobile data off most of the day, but use the phone as a tethered hotstop for an iMac and use it during a 'free data hour' from the mobile data provider.
I'd thought the Software Updates data issue had gotten a little better but it was continuing sporadically, some days it seemed OK (I monitor Software Updates after each 'free data hour' period). Last week on 6 May Software Updates used 95 MB chunk during this hour, then on 12 May I tried something different.
I turned on mobile data to check whatsapp.
After checking noted System Updates had taken 8 MB.
Turned off mobile.
Around 11pm I connected using wifi from my phone to someone else's iphone, with hotspot set on their iphone. (they have an unlimited data plan).
Noted my iphone X got warm and noted from looking at the usage from the other, hotspotting iphone that about 240 MB had done (over wifi to my iphone from the other phone mobile hotspot). I obviously can't prove this was the same System Updates but I'm sure it would have been.
To me this implies that most people who have this issue probably don't even see it since most people have wifi at home and any updating happens at times when they're at home, so never see it.
I suspect if there was a wifi data fine-grained data usage display as there is for mobile that they'd see it.
[Updated due to remembering the initial 8MB]
Yesterday I reimaged 16.4.1 and restored my data from a backup, then applied the rapid security fix, while in a wifi environtment and all apps redownloaded etc over wifi.
Will see if this has solved anything.
I'd thought the Software Updates data issue had gotten a little better but it was continuing sporadically, some days it seemed OK (I monitor Software Updates after each 'free data hour' period). Last week on 6 May Software Updates used 95 MB chunk during this hour, then on 12 May I tried something different.
I turned on mobile data to check whatsapp.
After checking noted System Updates had taken 8 MB.
Turned off mobile.
Around 11pm I connected using wifi from my phone to someone else's iphone, with hotspot set on their iphone. (they have an unlimited data plan).
Noted my iphone X got warm and noted from looking at the usage from the other, hotspotting iphone that about 240 MB had done (over wifi to my iphone from the other phone mobile hotspot). I obviously can't prove this was the same System Updates but I'm sure it would have been.
To me this implies that most people who have this issue probably don't even see it since most people have wifi at home and any updating happens at times when they're at home, so never see it.
I suspect if there was a wifi data fine-grained data usage display as there is for mobile that they'd see it.
[Updated due to remembering the initial 8MB]
Yesterday I reimaged 16.4.1 and restored my data from a backup, then applied the rapid security fix, while in a wifi environtment and all apps redownloaded etc over wifi.
Will see if this has solved anything.
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This is not fun… since I returned to Canada from abroad my System Services usage is out of control!
I've blown through so much data. Why can't we turn off the downloading of Software Updates in Cellular anymore?? Its used 3.0 GB! And Push Notifications and DNS Services, why so high too? Canada is not known for cheap data plans. This is hurting the pocketbook.
I've blown through so much data. Why can't we turn off the downloading of Software Updates in Cellular anymore?? Its used 3.0 GB! And Push Notifications and DNS Services, why so high too? Canada is not known for cheap data plans. This is hurting the pocketbook.
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+1 for me… I just blew through 3.0 GB for Software Updates, 247 MB for Push Notifications and 161 MB for DNS Services… I'm on Shaw Mobile (for now) and since I've returned to Canada and suspiciously after the Rogers take over I've had to purchase 2x$10 1GB top-ups.
This happened again to me last night also here in NZ. I'd left mobile data switched on for a couple of days to see if this issue had been fixed. It consumed 4.4 GB for Software Updates and drained the battery from 100% to 55%. Looks like it's not fixed.
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Mine went through a good period of maybe 1-2 week of no additional software downloads and suddenly within 3 days, 1G of software downloads.
I'm still having this issue after disabling everything possible. It's absurd that this stupid problem hasn't been fixed with so many updates. This month, the "Software Update" section consumed all my data in half of my billing period. Its ridiculous! I almost never leave a wifi covered area. My mobile data is always switched off. I can assure you all that those 2.1Gb were consumed in two or three times I left a wifi covered area for 2h.
![IMG_5420.jpeg]( "IMG_5420.jpeg")
I haven't had the GBs of data that some people have reported here, but just in the last 1-2 weeks my iPhone 11 Pro has been receiving cellular data a lot more frequently than it ever did before. I realized this because I have older speakers at my desk that are not shielded for modern cell phones, and they crackle every time my phone transfers cellular data. This is used to happen maybe a couple times per week and didn't bother me. Now it happens every 15 minutes, even though I'm on WiFi and within 4 feet of my access point. This may have started just after I installed iOS 16.5. I'm on Cricket in the USA FWIW. The total "System Services" downloads is around 20 MB per day even when I never leave WiFi.
Just this experience recently, travel then burn all 500mb data in minutes, setting shows all are system data.
Seem like Apple has setup some important updates to let your phone downloads these as long as you connect to internet by anyway and you cannot turn this off, and these updates are different in each countries then your travel phone card would be done in minutes once you arrive a new country.
This only use 200mb of mobile data of so many days in my own country. I suggest you find a Wi-Fi and let Apple downloads whatever for system once after you travel to another country. Then plug in your travel data card or active your esim.
Yikes that’s really bad! I hope this gets patched at least by iOS 17.
I’ve found a few posts on Apple Discussions about this since iOS 16 came out:
System Services using all my data after i… - Apple Community
high consumption of mobile data - Apple Community
Increase of data usage since update to io… - Apple Community
System Services Software Updates Cell Dat… - Apple Community
How to Stop iOS Software Updates Using Ce… - Apple Community
Why is Software Updates on my iPhone usin… - Apple Community
It’s definitely a bug and I suspect not enough people monitor their data usage and are vocal about it for Apple to take it seriously.
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Yikes that’s really bad! I hope this gets patched at least by iOS 17.
I’ve found a few posts on Apple Discussions about this since iOS 16 came out:
System Services using all my data after i… - Apple Community
discussions.apple.com
high consumption of mobile data - Apple Community
Increase of data usage since update to io… - Apple Community
System Services Software Updates Cell Dat… - Apple Community
How to Stop iOS Software Updates Using Ce… - Apple Community
Why is Software Updates on my iPhone usin… - Apple Community
It’s definitely a bug and I suspect not enough people monitor their data usage and are vocal about it for Apple to take it seriously.
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.