Backups & restore points · Speed, progress and the first backup
How much internet data does a cloud backup use?
Short answer: The first cloud backup uploads roughly the size of your chosen folders, compressed; after that only changes are sent. Use Not on a personal hotspot and Limit upload speed to keep usage in check.
The first cloud backup uploads roughly the size of the folders you chose, after compression — that's the big one. After that, only new and changed pieces are uploaded, so routine backups use a small fraction of that.
To keep usage in check: - Turn on Not on a personal hotspot so backups wait for normal Wi-Fi. - Use Limit upload speed if your connection is shared. - Before an automatic cloud backup starts, Storage Studio runs one small upload test, reused for a few hours.