"Documents & Sync" - 80% of my iPhone Cellular usage!?

[JohnOCFII]

Over the past year, my cellular usage has been rising unexpectedly. When I investigate, I find most of it in the area of "System Services --> Documents & Sync." This month, when I've turned off almost everything that uses Cellular service, it is 80% of my cellular usage! Is there any way to determine what makes up that category of usage?

Currently running iOS 14.2 on iPhone 12 mini, previously on iPhone 8, but has been on all released iOS versions in the last year (I've not run Beta iOS in this time).

It is hard to control that which you cannot monitor...

For additional info, I've turned off the following:

- Most apps are turned off in the Cellular menu (and those that are on show their usage clearly)
- Wi-Fi Assist is off
- iCloud Drive is off
- iCloud Backup is Wi-Fi only
- iCloud Keychain is ON (could this be generating that much data?)
- Personal Hotspot is off
- Handoff is off
- Background App Refresh is set to Wi-Fi
- Automatic Downloads are OFF for cellular
- App Store video auto-play is set to Wi-Fi only
- Mail IS allowed over cellular, but set to Fetch every 30 minutes. I have two mail accounts (Office 365 and Gmail)
- In Music - Cellular Data is OFF
- In TV - Cellular Data is OFF
- In Photos - iCloud Photos is ON, but Cellular Data is OFF
- In Books - Cellular Data is OFF
- In Podcasts - Cellular Data is OFF
- In iTunes U - Cellular Data is OFF

Those are all the settings I could see.

Love to hear ideas on what could be causing so much cellular data to be consumed by the "Documents & Sync" category.

Thanks,

John

 

[JohnOCFII]

Two ideas from other searching:

1) There might be an issue with Messages continually syncing attachments. I'd read this long ago, but it seemed far-fetched. Yesterday I went through the effort to delete EVERY attachment to every Message I had. I haven't left the house yet, but we'll see what happens. Apparently this worked for one other person.

2) The other option is to turn off / sign-out of iCloud from the phone and do a hard reset and restore. This is a brand-new iPhone 12, and I did phone-to-phone transfer, so I'd think this isn't required, but I'll keep that as my second thing to try if option 1 doesn't work.

 

[JohnOCFII]

Sigh -- I don't think it was the Messages attachments. I was out and about for about 2 hours today, and my Documents & Settings went up about 200 MB. And I didn't touch my phone at all during those times, but it was on and on cellular. ;(

Tomorrow I'll try the iCloud Nuclear option...

 

[Apple_Robert]

Do you have a data plan that is capped? If not, I wouldn’t worry about it. However, the documents folder is also tied to iCloud and it sounds like you have some app(s) that are accessing iCloud.

 

[JohnOCFII]

Do you have a data plan that is capped?

Yes, I have a usage-based plan. And even "unlimited" plans often drop to lower speeds after a certain amount of data has been transmitted. Looking back at my usage, this started to be an issue (for me) about a year ago. It is true that I do have some apps accessing iCloud. The frustrating thing is it seems like a black box. If I haven't changed anything or even used the apps that are configured to store to iCloud, why would I see 100+ MB of traffic in a couple of hours?

I just wish that I could look in the list of apps, and see usage that matches what I see going into that black box of Documents & Sync. If I saw it, I could address it.

Thanks,

John

 

[JohnOCFII]

After Option 1) above didn't slow data usage with 'Documents & Sync' I decided to try Option 2). I've just completed that process, and while I'm at home and on WiFi, so it'll be a while to see results, I found this message interesting after I completed the hard reset and logged back into iCloud:

 

[JohnOCFII]

I've give it a few more days, but after about 90 minutes in my car today, Documents & Settings was only at 644KB (I reset my cellular stats last night). Certainly a far cry from the 100MB/hour type traffic I was seen before the hard reset when logged out from iCloud.

 

[JohnOCFII]

Here's a feature (Low Data Mode) that was new in iOS 13 that I was not aware of (and did not have enabled). This might help too!

Use Low Data Mode on your iPhone and iPad - Apple Support

With iOS 13 and later, you can turn on Low Data Mode to restrict background network use and save mobile data and Wi-Fi usage.

support.apple.com

 

[Apple_Robert]

After Option 1) above didn't slow data usage with 'Documents & Sync' I decided to try Option 2). I've just completed that process, and while I'm at home and on WiFi, so it'll be a while to see results, I found this message interesting after I completed the hard reset and logged back into iCloud:

I get that message as well sometimes after doing a restore or setting up as new. I know for a fact all my information was correct. It must be a OS bug. I have read some about other people getting the same message.

 

[JohnOCFII]

I get that message as well sometimes after doing a restore or setting up as new. I know for a fact all my information was correct. It must be a OS bug. I have read some about other people getting the same message.

Interesting. After seeing that message, I expected my Messages on the phone to be blank, or to take a few minutes to re-sync, but didn't see any unusual behavior.

 

[JohnOCFII]

I left the house this morning with Documents and Settings about about 22 MB. Got home after about 2 hours not in range of associated WiFi and Documents & Settings was up to 107 MB.

 

[Tech-Savvy]

I recently had my iPhone replaced and had to forensically backup everything from my old iPhone to iCloud on wifi of course. However, today I got hit with the 50% days usage warning. Low and Behold “documents & sync” are the culprit! 4.9GB!!! Let’s just round it up and say 5GB. Anyways this is nutty. It just so happens to match the size of my Whatsapp media backup. Do you have whatsapp? There is a disclaimer in whatsapp that even says to turn off iCloud cellular usage ( not very convenient ) under whatsapp settings -> chat -> backup. I’ll assume you have a new phone too and it’s putting you through the data ringer but will settle down. It would be great if we could pinpoint as you say the apps that are consuming documents and sync. I also use car play now which I haven’t in the past since my old car didn’t support car play and I wonder if that has anything to do with it. But there are DeFinitely some apps eating away at the documents and sync which could be a gray area like when you by food and the ingredients say flavours

 

[TrueBlou]

Try, Settings > General > Reset > Reset Network Settings.

Then after reboot, connect to wifi again, go back and re-check all of your settings are as they should be, WiFi only, low data mode, personal hotspot, WiFi assist and so on. And see how it goes once all of that is completed.

 

[yellowblue128]

After Option 1) above didn't slow data usage with 'Documents & Sync' I decided to try Option 2). I've just completed that process, and while I'm at home and on WiFi, so it'll be a while to see results, I found this message interesting after I completed the hard reset and logged back into iCloud:

I'm seeing this exact same problem. Same data usage patterns, same odd error message, same frustration. Is it worth reporting to Apple? Or do I just have to deal with it for now?

 

[JohnOCFII]

I recently had my iPhone replaced and had to forensically backup everything from my old iPhone to iCloud on wifi of course. However, today I got hit with the 50% days usage warning. Low and Behold “documents & sync” are the culprit! 4.9GB!!! Let’s just round it up and say 5GB. Anyways this is nutty. It just so happens to match the size of my Whatsapp media backup. Do you have whatsapp? There is a disclaimer in whatsapp that even says to turn off iCloud cellular usage ( not very convenient ) under whatsapp settings -> chat -> backup. I’ll assume you have a new phone too and it’s putting you through the data ringer but will settle down. It would be great if we could pinpoint as you say the apps that are consuming documents and sync. I also use car play now which I haven’t in the past since my old car didn’t support car play and I wonder if that has anything to do with it. But there are DeFinitely some apps eating away at the documents and sync which could be a gray area like when you by food and the ingredients say flavours

I was hoping things had settled down, but apparently not. After not leaving the house for 4 days (easy to do in the times of COVID) I went outside for an hour long walk yesterday. I was using Overcast to listen to a downloaded podcast, and I was using Twitterific to read Twitter, but I got home and while Twitter usage showed about 40MB of increased usage (expected) Documents & Settings had gone up another 100 MB.

Again - the data usage wouldn't bother me so much if I had a clue as to what was using the data!

 

[JohnOCFII]

Try, Settings > General > Reset > Reset Network Settings.

Then after reboot, connect to wifi again, go back and re-check all of your settings are as they should be, WiFi only, low data mode, personal hotspot, WiFi assist and so on. And see how it goes once all of that is completed.

Thanks for the tip. I've just completed this process and took a screen shot. I'll give it a couple of days and see what happens.

I appreciate your advice!

 

[JohnOCFII]

I'm seeing this exact same problem. Same data usage patterns, same odd error message, same frustration. Is it worth reporting to Apple? Or do I just have to deal with it for now?

We'll see if this latest tip to reset networking helps. I know my wife doesn't have the same issue, so it must be some combination of things that causes this problem. If this last tip doesn't do it, I'll probably contact Apple, but that can be such a long, drawn out process, with no guarantee of success either. But I am nearing the end of my patience.

 

[TrueBlou]

Thanks for the tip. I've just completed this process and took a screen shot. I'll give it a couple of days and see what happens.

I appreciate your advice!

Here’s hoping it makes a difference, it usually sorts out all of those kinds of issues.
Emphasis on the usually

 

[JohnOCFII]

It has been a week since I've reset networking. I've been out of the house 4 times for a total of about 7 hours away from WiFi. In that time, Documents & Settings has only increased 34 MB! That is a huge decrease in the typical Documents & Settings usage I've seen over the last 5 months or so! I'll continue to keep a close eye on things, but that latest reset of networking seems to have really helped. Thanks for the tip, @TrueBlou!

 

[JohnOCFII]

Looking back at some old photos, I realize I've been chasing this issue for at least a year. I'll stay be watching closely, but I've now had two weeks of gloriously low Documents & Settings data usage. Under 100 MB for sure. Here's an image from 2019. Over a gig in a month!

I'm hoping this thread can help folks in the future.

 

[JohnOCFII]

Well. Problem isn't gone. Today in a 26 minute, 19 mile drive, My Documents & Sync usage went from 90 MB to 324 MB.

I had Overcast playing a (downloaded) podcast during the drive. It was connected to AirPlay. I just wish I had a clue as to WHAT is driving that usage!

 

[swimmrguy]

Well. Problem isn't gone. Today in a 26 minute, 19 mile drive, My Documents & Sync usage went from 90 MB to 324 MB.

I had Overcast playing a (downloaded) podcast during the drive. It was connected to AirPlay. I just wish I had a clue as to WHAT is driving that usage!

I have been following this thread with interest as I have been having the exact same problem.

I too tried all the things you have tried: turned off almost everything on Cellular data, background refresh, etc. I did the Network Settings reset. I signed out of iCloud, factory reset my phone, set it up as a new phone and was very selective on what apps I reinstalled. And I then signed back into iCloud.But I still saw the “Documents and Sync” data usage whenver I turned on Cellular data. I also saw huge data usage on my phone when on Wifi too (which I could track with my router but it doesn’t say what apps where doing it.)

I also looked at my Keychain (as suggested in this thread: https://forums.macrumors.com/thread...tly-high-cpu-load-on-iphone-and-ipad.2127349/) but my keychain files were very small.

This particular post (https://forums.macrumors.com/thread...load-on-iphone-and-ipad.2127349/post-26328528) in that thread led me to try signing out of iCloud all together. So initially, I completely signed out of iCloud and left it off for a day. Data usage (both on cell and wifi) looked way more reasonable. Then I signed into iCloud, using a different AppleID. I am only three days into it but Documents and Sync is almost nothing and the overall wifi usage by my phone is still staying at more reasonable levels.

I am keeping my fingers crossed that this is the fix to my issue, though it contributes little to what the actual problem is. I will post updates as I have a few more days of this set up.

 

[JohnOCFII]

I am keeping my fingers crossed that this is the fix to my issue, though it contributes little to what the actual problem is. I will post updates as I have a few more days of this set up.

Thanks for taking the time to post. While I don't wish this issue on anyone, I'm glad to know I'm not alone.

 

[JohnOCFII]

I also looked at my Keychain (as suggested in this thread: https://forums.macrumors.com/thread...tly-high-cpu-load-on-iphone-and-ipad.2127349/) but my keychain files were very small.

This particular post (https://forums.macrumors.com/thread...load-on-iphone-and-ipad.2127349/post-26328528) in that thread led me to try signing out of iCloud all together. So initially, I completely signed out of iCloud and left it off for a day. Data usage (both on cell and wifi) looked way more reasonable. Then I signed into iCloud, using a different AppleID. I am only three days into it but Documents and Sync is almost nothing and the overall wifi usage by my phone is still staying at more reasonable levels.

I am keeping my fingers crossed that this is the fix to my issue, though it contributes little to what the actual problem is. I will post updates as I have a few more days of this set up.

Some great info! Thanks for posting.

I had seen those posts about a year ago, but read them over again, and re-checked my phone. I'd say I'm in agreement with the Photos, etc., recommendations.

The Keychain item was interesting, and reminded me that I realized mid-week that somewhere in the previous month, I somehow no longer could use Apple Pay, and didn't have a credit card in Wallet on my phone. So I re-added a credit card this week.

Last year, I hadn't done the CloudKit reset -- but I just tried that now -- thinking it might be related to the Wallet issue. We shall see.

Thanks again for the input!

 

[JohnOCFII]

Well the CloudKit reset didn't seem to do much. I was out of the house for 90 minutes yesterday, and Documents & Sync slurped through another 411 MB of cellular data! Frustrating.

Would doing a complete "Erase All Contents and Settings" and trying to set the phone up from scratch help? When I moved to this iPhone 12 mini from an iPhone 8, I did a fairly standard backup of the 8 migration to the 12 mini.

While that'd be a hassle, I'd do it if it would clear up this issue. Of course, I'd be logging back in to the same iCloud account, so I worry that all this is related to iCloud syncing, or other Apple "behind the scenes" syncing, and nothing would really improve...