Android Oreo could secretly burn through users’ mobile data

Google is said to be aware of the issue and working on a fix

An unusual Android Oreo issue has been reported by early users of the software.

The new mobile operating system is said to have a problem that allows your smartphone to burn through your mobile data even when you’re connected to Wi-Fi.

It’s a worrying issue, especially for people on a limited data plan.

The problem was first spotted by Reddit user Unusual_Sauce, who this week said, “After updating to Oreo last night, I received a huge spike in data usage, all the while being connected to WiFi.

“I contacted support and was told that they are aware of the issue and are working on a fix. In the meantime I have turned off mobile data while at home, so only WiFi is being used.”

Another user, called St_maunsell, claims to have experienced the same issue, and Unusual_Sauce says support told him that other Oreo users have also reported it.

The Mobile Data Always Active option appears to be enabled by default, and you need to have activated Developer Options to turn it off.

As pointed out by Unusual_Sauce, while this addresses the issue, many users “might not know this was happening, as it hasn't in the past.”

To unlock Developer Options, open Settings, scroll down to About Phone and tap it seven times in quick succession.

On some phones, tapping it once will take you through to another menu. In this case, navigate to Build Number instead and tap that seven times.

If you’re on Android Oreo and want to see if you’ve been using more mobile data than usual, swipe down from the top of the screen to access Quick Settings and tap Mobile Data.

You can disable Mobile Data Always Active in the Developer Options section of the Settings menu.