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All about iPhone 12 5G Settings

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iPhone 12 Pro Max 5G

Apple’s iPhone 12 and 12 Pro are the first iPhones to be released with 5G connectivity, and there are several new settings related to 5G that you should be aware of. Read on to see how 5G affects your data and battery life and how you can use it to your advantage.

Setting up a new ‌iPhone 12‌ or 12 Pro activates Auto 5G mode by default that only turns on 5G data when it won’t significantly reduce battery life. You can turn this off so that your iPhone uses 5G all the time, and there are also data modes to choose from. This how to shows you where the new settings are and explains what they mean.

Turn on 5G All the Time or Activate 4G

Getting to your specific cellular settings might look a bit different depending on your carrier, but these are the general steps on accessing your Voice and Data settings.

  1. Open up Settings.
  2. Tap on “Cellular.”
  3. Tap on your cellular plan or Cellular Data Options.
  4. Tap on Voice & Data.

You can choose any of the three options from the Voice and Data Menu: 5G On, 5G Auto, and LTE. 5G Auto (the default setting), uses 5G only when 5G is needed and won’t significantly reduce battery life. It only switches when the need for 5G outweighs battery life.

This appears to be Apple’s Data Saver Mode that’s meant to swap the ‌iPhone‌’s connection to LTE when 5G speeds aren’t necessary. 5G Auto on iPhone 12 uses LTE when super fast speeds aren’t necessary, like when the iPhone is updating in the background or is in idle mode. In instances where speed does matter, when the need for speed outweighs battery drain, such as downloading a movie or music, the ‌iPhone 12‌ models will automatically switch to use the more powerful 5G signal.

In 5G On mode, the iPhone 12 ensures that 5G is activated all the time when a 5G network is available causing it to use more data and battery drain. LTE mode disables 5G all together and lets you use an LTE connection instead of a 5G connection letting you save battery life as LTE is a mature signal and we have made several technological advancement towards making LTE chips that reduces strain on battery life.

Data Mode

In iPhone 12, there are several data modes that you can adjust. By default, ‌iPhone 12‌ models are set on “Allow More Data on 5G,” which offers up higher-quality video and enables FaceTime HD when connected to 5G cellular networks.

People with unlimited data will want to leave this enabled, but if you’re aiming to preserve data, you can change the settings to “Standard,” which allows automatic updates and background tasks on cellular but limits video and ‌FaceTime‌ quality.

There’s also a Low Data Mode that helps reduce cellular data usage by pausing automatic updates and background tasks when connected to a cellular network. Here’s how to get to your data settings:

  1. Open up Settings.
  2. Tap on “Cellular.”
  3. Tap on your cellular plan or Cellular Data Options.
  4. Tap on Data Mode.

5G is still a relatively new technology that carriers worldwide are rolling out. There are still plenty of countries that do not offer this technology. Only several places around the world have widespread Sub-6GHz 5G networks that should give 5G connectivity that’s a bit faster than LTE in most areas. Also take note that only iPhone 12 sold in the U.S. have the mmWave 5G capability. You may contact your network provider in regards to 5G network availability.

5G Connectivity Symbols

When you’re connected to a 5G network, you’ll see a few different symbols, all of which confirm that you’re on a 5G network. Different carriers have different symbols so please check with your network provider. 5G+ is when your iPhone is connected to the faster mmWave 5G network, and the 5G UW symbol shows up when you have a higher-speed mmWave connection.

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