How to Reduce Zoom data usage [Zoom Guide]

Like how Audio Chats seem to be a trend in 2021, Video Calls were a norm in 2020 and still continues to do so. Since everyone’s houses have turned into personal workspaces due to the pandemic the need for video calls/conferences has become a necessity and gave rise to a number of Video Calling/Conferencing apps and software. And if you are using Zoom for video calling, then this guide is for you. Here you will know how to reduce zoom data usage.

One of the most notable video calling/conferencing software’s that picked up rapidly was Zoom. Zoom launched way back in 2013 and became a household name in 2020. Zoom is being used for office, school, and other activities. With Zoom being accessible on PC, Android and iOS it has gained over 300 million monthly users.

With features such being to have more than 50 participants at a single time, screen sharing, and full HD Video support, Zoom tends to be using up a lot of internet bandwidth. And for those who have a cap on their internet connection, this can be a big pain to have exhausted all your data just for Zoom calls. Almost everyone with limited data has a question that how much data does zoom use? Stay with us you will get your answer here.

Take a look at how much data a particular zoom meeting could be used based on various settings. This data has been provided by Zoom itself.

Recommended bandwidth for Zoom meetings and webinar panelists:

  • For 1:1 video calling on Zoom:
    • For high-quality video: 600kbps (up/down)
    • For 720p HD video: 1.2Mbps (up/down)
    • For 1080p HD video: 3.8Mbps/3.0Mbps (up/down)
  • For group video calling on Zoom:
    • For high-quality video: 1.0 Mbps/600kbps (up/down)
    • For 720p HD video: 2.6Mbps/1.8Mbps (up/down)
    • For 1080p HD video: 3.8Mbps/3.0Mbps (up/down)
    • For gallery view receiving: 2.0Mbps (25 views), 4.0Mbps (49 views)
  • For screen sharing only (no video thumbnail): 50-75kbps
  • For screen sharing with video thumbnail: 50-150kbps
  • For audio VoIP: 60-80kbps
  • For Zoom Phone: 60-100kbps

Recommended bandwidth for webinar attendees:

  • For panelists video on:
    • ~600kbps (down) for high-quality video
    • ~1.2-1.8Mbps (down) for 720p HD video 
    • ~2-3Mbps (down) for 1080p HD video 
  • For screen sharing only (no video thumbnail): 50-75kbps (down)
  • For screen sharing with video thumbnail: 50-150kbps (down)
  • For audio VoIP: 60-80kbps (down)

With the data given, you can estimate the Zoom data usage as per the timing and requirements of your meetings. However, there are a few tips that we would like to share with you to help reduce data consumption by Zoom.

How to Reduce Data Usage on Zoom

You can use the same guide on both Android as well as your computer version of Zoom.

1. Turning your Video and Audio off while in a meeting

As we all know that Video consumes a lot of your internet bandwidth. The higher the quality, the higher the bandwidth. So, what do you do when in a zoom meeting? Well, you can turn off your video output when not in use. Yes, this simple tip will help conserve your data. The same can be said for audio as well. Turn both off if you are just a listener who has joined a meeting. Leaving it turned on when not in use is just going to make Zoom hog your data because you are allowing Zoom to transfer data for absolutely no reason whatsoever. And it also reduces your internet speed.

How To Turn Off Audio and Video in Zoom

Turning audio and video off while in a Zoom meeting is quite simple:

  • At the bottom left of your screen, you’ll see your video and microphone buttons.
  • Clicking them once each will turn your camera and microphone off.
how to reduce zoom data usage

2. Reduce Zoom Video Quality

As we said before, higher quality video will result in higher data consumption. Of course, everybody wants to look their best in the highest of the highest resolutions on Zoom. But it comes at the cost of more data. Usually, Zoom will automatically adjust your video quality based on how your internet connection is and your camera’s quality as well. So, it’s always a concern for users with limited data. And in this case, you can change your default Zoom Video settings.

How to turn off HD Video on Zoom

  • On the Zoom home screen, click on settings that is represented with a gear icon.
how to reduce zoom data usage
  • Now Select the Video tab that’s on the left. You’ll see a live preview from your camera feed. Below the feed, you’ll see the HD option. Untick it to turn off high-quality video capturing. Also, turn off optimize video quality with de-noise in Advanced Settings.
how to reduce zoom data usage

3. Screenshare when necessary

Screensharing might be fun as you get to share whatever is on your desktop to other zoom participants. However, this results in more data being consumed as Zoom has to capture and broadcast it to participants in the meeting. Screenshare only and only when it is required.

Suppose you’d want to work on a document file say a PowerPoint, Spreadsheet or even a simple Doc file, make use of online services such as Google Docs, Google Sheets and Google Slides. These services allow you to share files easily by giving them permissions to access and view these files.

By following all these steps, you will notice some improvements in Zoom’s data consumption. It won’t be a lot of improvement, but something’s better than nothing after all.

Tip: In case if you want to track the Zoom’s live data usage on your PC, you can use this guide. It will help you track your data usage when you want so that you can take required action.

Conclusion

These simple tips are quite helpful to reduce data consumption on Zoom. But if you are a teacher or someone who hosts webinars and meetings all the time, it would be best to have upgraded to better network with affordable plans. This will not only prevent you from reducing your output but you’ll also have internet to spare for the rest of the day/month. But if it’s not an option in your area, then the given tips are best for you.

So that’s all on how to reduce data usage on Zoom. Let us know if you found this guide helpful.

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Joshua D'souza

Enjoy games, 90's hip-hop, and tech. Loves exploring the infinite world of laptops and food. Every ready to provide assistance in anything that rocks his boat. Will gladly enjoy capturing memories through various lenses. Worked previously at PiunikaWeb as an author and researcher.

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