How to Turn Off Data Roaming on iPhone and Android

To turn off data roaming, open your phone’s cellular settings and switch Data Roaming off for the SIM you want to protect. On a dual-SIM phone, check the selected line first. This stops that line’s roaming mobile data; it does not turn off the line or guarantee that calls and texts are free.

• iPhone: Settings → Cellular → Cellular Data Options → Data Roaming → Off. With two lines, select the number first.
• Samsung Galaxy: Settings → Connections → Mobile Networks → Data Roaming → Off.
• Google Pixel: Settings → Network & internet → SIMs → select the SIM → Roaming → Off.

Menu labels vary by software, region, and carrier. If you use a travel eSIM for internet, its roaming setting may need to stay on while your home line’s data roaming stays off. Follow that plan’s instructions rather than switching every line off.

What Is Data Roaming? (Quick Explanation for Travelers)

Data roaming lets a subscription use mobile internet through another carrier’s network outside its usual coverage. It can be domestic or international. Whether it costs extra depends on your plan, destination, and usage; some plans include roaming.

The phone setting controls roaming data for that subscription. It is different from your carrier account’s permission to roam, and from switching the entire SIM off. See our explanation of data roaming for more background.

How to Turn Off Data Roaming on iPhone

The steps are the same for a physical SIM and an eSIM. In US English, Apple uses Cellular; other regions may display Mobile Data.

Steps for iPhone (Single SIM or Single eSIM)

1. Open Settings.
2. Tap Cellular or Mobile Data.
3. Open Cellular Data Options.
4. Switch Data Roaming off.

Apple’s roaming instructions show this path. Check the switch’s off state rather than assuming a Wi-Fi connection means roaming is disabled.

The illustration shows Vietnamese iPhone menus: Di động means Cellular, Tùy chọn dữ liệu di động means Cellular Data Options, and Chuyển vùng dữ liệu means Data Roaming. Your version may look different.

Your line can still connect for eligible calls and SMS while its roaming data is off. When you are back on its home network, this setting does not normally disable regular mobile data.

If You Use Dual SIM or Dual eSIM

1. Open Settings → Cellular.
2. Select the number or plan labeled Home, or the line whose roaming data you want to stop.
3. Open Cellular Data Options if shown, then turn Data Roaming off. Some versions show the roaming switch directly in the line’s settings.
4. Return to Cellular → Cellular Data and select the plan you intend to use for mobile internet.

This illustration uses Vietnamese menus and example carrier names. Select your own home number rather than copying the pictured line.

If your travel plan requires roaming, leave it on for that travel line only. Review Allow Cellular Data Switching if offered; leave it off when you want to keep data on the selected plan. Availability and behavior depend on your carrier and setup. Apple’s Dual SIM guide explains that only one line supplies cellular data at a time and that switching has restrictions, including while using data roaming.

Keeping Home enabled can let you receive eligible texts to that number. It also leaves its calling and texting services available, with billing governed by the home carrier.

Troubleshooting Tips

• The setting is missing: check that the intended SIM is installed, enabled, and selected. Look inside its line settings rather than another number’s options.
• The setting is unavailable or grayed out: keep mobile data off if you are abroad and unsure of your plan. Check the carrier’s instructions over Wi-Fi before enabling data merely to reveal a menu.
• Internet stops on the travel eSIM: confirm that it is the selected data line and check whether its own instructions require Data Roaming on.
• You still see a foreign network name: this does not prove roaming data is being used. The line may remain registered for calls and texts.

A restart can help a stalled settings screen, but you do not need to delete an eSIM or reset the phone to switch roaming off.

How to Turn Off Data Roaming on Android

Android manufacturers use different menus. Use the path for your device and identify the correct subscription before changing its settings.

Samsung Galaxy Devices

1. Open Settings.
2. Tap Connections.
3. Choose Mobile Networks.
4. Switch Data Roaming off.

Samsung’s instructions note that the roaming switch can be grayed out when mobile data is off. Mobile data off already stops cellular internet. If you are abroad, check your plan before turning it on to access another setting.

With two SIMs, check Settings → Connections → SIM manager (called SIM card manager on some versions) and the selected mobile-data SIM. Samsung’s Dual SIM guide documents separate choices for calls, texts, and data. Roaming controls vary by model and carrier software; not every Galaxy displays an independent roaming switch for each line. If yours shows only one, use its device-specific instructions before assuming it protects Home while allowing Travel.

Other Android Devices (Pixel, stock Android)

On Google Pixel:

1. Open Settings → Network & internet.
2. Tap SIMs.
3. Select the SIM or its tab if more than one is installed.
4. Turn Roaming off.

Google’s mobile-network guide lists SIMs and the Roaming control. Check the preferred mobile-data SIM separately if you plan to use another line.

Older Android versions may use Mobile network. On other brands, search Settings for “roaming,” then check the matching SIM and your manufacturer’s instructions. Do not assume every Android phone follows Samsung’s Connections menu.

Notes for Android Users

• Check each available line: a change to one subscription does not establish how another is configured.
• Review automatic data switching: where offered, disable unwanted fallback to the home subscription. This is separate from the roaming toggle and varies by device.
• Understand the R icon: a roaming indicator or foreign network name can remain when roaming data is off, because network registration and data access are different.
• Verify after setup changes: recheck the intended data SIM and roaming settings after installing a travel plan or changing SIM preferences.

You can turn mobile data off as a temporary way to stop cellular internet while you check the settings over Wi-Fi. That also prevents the travel SIM from supplying internet until you enable the intended data connection again.

What Still Works After You Turn Off Data Roaming?

Turning data roaming off does not make the phone Wi-Fi-only. These controls have different effects:

On working Wi-Fi: maps, email, WhatsApp, video calls, and other internet apps can work. Wi-Fi access is not always free; a hotel, aircraft, or hotspot may charge for it. Connecting to Wi-Fi does not itself disable cellular data.

Without an internet connection: downloaded maps, saved tickets, photos, and other offline features remain usable. GPS location can work without roaming data, but online map searches and live traffic need internet. Google’s offline-map guidance explains download coverage and unavailable features, such as offline transit or walking directions.

Calls and texts: carrier service and your plan decide availability and fees. Wi-Fi Calling also needs carrier support and registration; the Wi-Fi icon alone is not enough. For missing login texts, see our eSIM and Wi-Fi Calling verification-code guide.

Do You Need to Turn Off Data Roaming If You Use an eSIM?

It depends on the plan, not whether the SIM is physical or digital. A home-carrier eSIM can incur roaming charges under the same plan rules as a physical SIM. A travel eSIM may need roaming enabled to use its partner networks.

For BitJoy, follow the instructions for the plan you bought. Our Help Center generally instructs users to enable Data Roaming, while noting that some regional plans do not require it. Turning roaming off on a plan that needs it can stop your travel internet.

A useful two-line setup, where supported, is:

1. Home: Data Roaming off. Keep the line enabled only if you want its eligible calls or texts and understand the billing terms.
2. Travel: selected as the mobile-data line, with its roaming setting configured as instructed by the provider.
3. Switching: review automatic data fallback where offered, so your chosen data plan remains intentional.

Check destination coverage, activation/validity rules, data allowance, and included services in the plan listing. Installing a travel eSIM does not automatically disable your home subscription. Our eSIM versus carrier roaming comparison explains the separate options.

Back home: select your home line for cellular data and enable it if you turned it off. Disable the travel line when you no longer need it; deleting its profile is not necessary just to stop using it. Restore roaming only if your home plan and coverage require it.

What Happens If You Forget to Turn Off Data Roaming?

Background app refresh, photo syncing, updates, or navigation can use roaming data before you notice. The charge depends on the carrier’s included allowance, pass, and rates. There is no universal price per megabyte or guaranteed bill size.

If you already used roaming:

1. Turn Data Roaming off for the affected line. If you cannot find the setting, turn mobile data off while you check over Wi-Fi.
2. Confirm which SIM supplied data and which destination you are in.
3. Review your carrier app or account for the plan, pass, usage, and charges. Phone usage counters can help identify activity, but are not the bill; carrier reporting can lag.
4. Contact the carrier if the usage or charge is unclear. Ask what triggered it and whether any adjustment is available.

Turning the switch off stops future roaming data on that line; it does not reverse earlier usage. An arrival message can announce rates or a pass without proving that you have already been charged.

Calls or texts can still trigger a charge while data roaming is off. For example, Verizon’s TravelPass FAQ says its session can begin when you make or answer a call, send a text, or use data. Check your own carrier’s rules instead of treating the data toggle as a complete billing block. If you want to deactivate all international roaming, ask what account restrictions are available and what they do to incoming calls and SMS.

Before your next trip: check roaming terms, label Home and Travel, configure the intended data line, download useful offline content, and set usage alerts where offered. Review Wi-Fi Calling setup and billing before relying on it abroad. These checks make your settings deliberate; they do not guarantee zero charges.

Frequently Asked Questions

How do I turn off data roaming on an iPhone?

Open Settings → Cellular → Cellular Data Options and turn Data Roaming off. If you have two lines, select the intended number first, then open its data options or roaming switch. Mobile Data is another regional name for Cellular.

How do I turn off data roaming on an Android device?

On Samsung, use Settings → Connections → Mobile Networks → Data Roaming. On Pixel, use Settings → Network & internet → SIMs → select the SIM → Roaming. Other Android menus vary; search for roaming and check the selected subscription.

What is data roaming?

It is mobile internet provided through another carrier’s network outside your subscription’s usual coverage. It may be included in the plan or billed separately. The Data Roaming setting does not control every roaming call or text.

Do you need to turn off data roaming if you use an eSIM?

Check its plan instructions. Turning home-line data roaming off can prevent home roaming data use, while a travel eSIM may need it on. BitJoy’s setup guidance notes regional exceptions, so follow your specific plan rather than applying one setting to every eSIM.

What can I still use if data roaming is off?

Working Wi-Fi supports internet apps; downloaded content and supported offline maps remain available without internet. Eligible cellular calls and SMS may still work and may cost extra. Another properly configured SIM can supply data even when your home line’s data roaming is off.

What happens if you forget to turn off data roaming?

Your phone may use roaming data, including background activity. Turn it off on the affected line, then check the carrier’s usage and billing. Disabling it does not cancel earlier charges or necessarily prevent calling/texting charges.