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iOS 9 data drain: Here's how to fix it

Posted at 11:11 AM, Oct 05, 2015
and last updated 2015-10-05 14:11:53-04

Have you upgraded to Apple's new iOS 9? iPhone and iPad owners report a number of glitches.

But one new feature is getting the most complaints.

Excessive Data Use

Some iPhone owners claim they're already going over on their data plans as a result of the update.

It concerns a feature called "Wi-Fi Assist" that switches you to your data network if your Wi-Fi signal is weak -- and it could cost you big time at bill time.

"It's kind of irritating because you only get a certain amount of gigs per month for data," iPhone owner Ally Bavaro said when we caught up with her at lunchtime.

Something similar happened this past summer to Nick Sachs: His teenage son learned that some phones already suffer "phantom data use," flipping over to the cellular network when the Wi-Fi drops out.

"He used 12 gig of data in 15 days," Sachs said.

How To Turn It Off

Now it will happen whenever Wi-Fi gets weak on iOS 9.

Downtown worker Greg Lammeier wants the new feature gone.

"Oh, I don't want that," he said.

But Lammeier was thrilled to learn he can switch it off.

We helped him do it, and you can too, if you:

  1. Go to Settings
  2. Click on Cellular Data.
  3. Scroll down to Wi-Fi Assist (it's all the way down).
  4. Just turn it off.

That way, you'll stay on Wi-Fi even when the signal is weak -- and you won't run up data overages.

Some Android phones do this, but for the most part, it is an opt-in feature on Android, where you have to say that you want assistance.

So turn it off if you don't want it, so you don't waste your money.

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