The Wi - Fi Assist feature article added back in Io 9 and available on iPhones and cellular phone - equipped iPads backfills a low - quality Wi - Fi internet , supplements one that you have a weak connection to , or covers outage gaps when your broadband service goes down . But , reader want to know , will it increase your roving invoice ?

A few years ago , the answer ( at least for U.S. residents ) was : belike . In 2022 , however , it ’s far less likely to be an issue .

First , Wi - Fi aid only supplements on - gadget bandwidth use of goods and services . If you ’re using your iPhone or iPad as a Personal Hotspot , you ’re already tapping the cellular internet subject to terminus ad quem and pricing set in your cellular plan .

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secondly , Apple does n’t back all apps and service with Wi - Fi Assist . The company note that Wi - Fi Assist help “ with most apps like Safari , Apple Music , Mail , Maps , and more . ” That ’s a number shadowy , but it does n’t mention video streaming , one of the heaviest bandwidth usage .

The Wi - Fi Assist setting is at the bottom of the Cellular background page . You may have to scroll down a long way if you have a lot of apps on your phone .

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iPhone Wi-Fi assist

So you ’re potential to consume more bandwidth only if you ’re routinely using a Wi - Fi internet with hapless performance and only face a consequence of it if that use bump your monthly aggregate over a threshold or detonating gadget .

you may check your current usance of Wi - Fi Assist , which is change by reversal on by default , by run toSettings > Cellularand swiping all the way to the bottom . My most recent economic consumption was 916KB — that ’s just under one MB — while I used nearly 2 GB directly on my phone . Tap the switch if you require to disable it .

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