Are you wondering if Zoom is consuming more data? This sort of thing has enough justification as planning for monthly data packs becomes essential. But there is no straightforward answer to this question.
Why? So, how much data does Zoom use per minute?
It depends on the quality of the Zoom call. Whether you go with audio only or share your screen while calling also comes into consideration.
Based on the Zoom Bandwidth requirements, 1:1 video calling (1080p) requires 22-28 MB per minute.
We know you want to explore more. Only then will you be able to choose the right plan for you? In the rest of the blog, we will answer your questions.
Key Takeaways:
- Zoom data usage depends on the quality of the call and whether audio or screen sharing is used.
- 1:1 video calling (1080p) requires 22-28 MB per minute, while group video calls consume more data.
- Data Usage in Hours
- Zoom data usage increases based on the quality and type of call.
- For 1:1 720p video calling, Zoom consumes 1.10-1.20 GB of data per hour.
- Screen sharing consumes 20-23 MB, and screen sharing with a thumbnail consumes 65-70 MB.
How Much Data Does Zoom Use per Minute?
Let’s say you go with 1:1 video calling, and the quality of the video is 1080p.
Now, the amount of data Zoom needs to operate in these circumstances will be indifferent to 1:1 video calling with a quality of 720p. And it makes sense, doesn’t it?
Here’s a breakdown of Zoom data usage per minute;
One to One Video Calling
| Activity | Amount of Data Needed per Minutes |
| 1:1 Video Calling (480p) | 8-10 MB |
| 1:1 Video Calling (720P HD Video) | 18-20 MB |
| 1:1 Video Calling (1080P HD Video) | 27-29 MB |
Group Video Calling
| Activity | Amount of Data Needed per Minutes |
| Group Video Calling (480p) | 13-14 MB |
| Group Video Calling (720P HD Video) | 23-24 MB |
| Group Video Calling (1080P HD Video) | 40-42 MB |
As you can see, Zoom group calls consume more data than one-to-one calls. Now, if you have to take part in conference calls more often, you need to choose a data plan based on that.
The difference occurs because connecting to several networks requires more megabits than connecting to a single individual over the line.
However, as most people use Zoom to take part in a group call, this is supposed to consume more data.
How Much Data Does Zoom Use per Hour?
In most cases, especially when serious conversations occur, Zoom meetings last hours. So, knowing Zoom data usage per hour makes sense, doesn’t it?
Similar to Zoom data consumption per minute, the amount of data also increases this time around based on the quality and type of call.
One to One Video Calling
| Activity | Amount of Data Needed per Hour |
| 1:1 Video Calling (480p) | 540-560 MB |
| 1:1 Video Calling (720P HD Video) | 1.10-1.20 GB |
| 1:1 Video Calling (1080P HD Video) | 1.60-1.80 GB |
Group Video Calling
| Activity | Amount of Data Needed per Minutes |
| Group Video Calling (480p) | 810-850 MB |
| Group Video Calling (720P HD Video) | 1.35-1.40 GB |
| Group Video Calling (1080P HD Video) | 2.475-2.500 GB |
You can see the clear difference in how data consumption varies based on the quality of calls.
Audio-Only VoIP and Screen Sharing
Compared to video calling, audio-only VoIP and screen sharing consume less data.
For example, for 1:1 720p video calling, Zoom consumes 1.10-1.20 GB of data per hour. On the flip side, screen sharing only consumes around 23 MB of data per hour.
| Activity | Amount of Data Needed per Hour |
| Audio-only | 27–35 MB |
| Screen sharing | 20–23 MB |
| Screen sharing w/ thumbnail | 65–70 MB |
How to Reduce Zoom Data Usage?
If you think Zoom is consuming a lot of data, there are ways that you can put a limitation bar.
This means you can control the amount of data consumption. But it is also true that this might affect the quality of calling. Then again, when it’s completely your preference.
Optimize the Video Quality
As mentioned, you can definitely adjust the video quality. To do so, turn off the ‘Enable HD’ option in your video settings.
Click on the ‘Video Settings’ menu on your Zoom app and then unmark the ‘Enable HD’ and ‘Touch up my appearance’ functions.
Lower the Video Resolution
Zoom users can also change the video resolution to reduce the amount of data Zoom consumes. If this doesn’t make too much of a difference for you, you can go with 720p video calling instead of 1080p video calling.
Go With Audio-Only Mode
Video calling in Zoom consumes more data than audio calling. So, if audio calling would do for you, go with it.
This way, you can save a good amount of data consumed per hour. There are times when your facial appearance is not necessary. Make the most out of the time and use the app wisely.
Limit Background Applications
If you don’t limit the background application, it will end up consuming a lot of data while calling on Zoom.
All you have to do is close other applications that are taking higher bandwidth to operate. It often happens that streaming services or large downloads can affect your connection quality and increase data consumption.
Does Zoom Use a Lot of Data?
The answer to this question is very subjective. Zoom is one of the most popular video streaming and online meeting platforms.
The immense popularity simply denotes how beneficial the app is for millions of users around the world.
Now, if you compare Zoom with Google Meet, you will find that the second one consumes more data in most cases.
From that sense, we can come to the conclusion that Zoom doesn’t consume a higher level of data. In other words, Zoom is more data efficient than any similar platform.
Is 2GB Enough for a Zoom Meeting?
If you plan for 1:1 video calling for an hour with 1080p quality, 2 GB of data will do. Even going with a video calling session for 1 hour with average quality is possible.
But if you exceed the period and make it a 2-hour or more meeting session, you may fall short of data.
Also, if you have no real issue with 420p quality video calling, 2 GB of data is bare enough for a handy meeting session in Zoom.
