Skip to Content

iOS 13 Will Let You Download Large Apps Over Cellular

by

Apple on stage highlighted several new iOS 13 features that went unmentioned during the keynote event, including a quick mention of a new option that will let you download "large apps" over cellular.

Apple says that in iOS 13, you can choose to download apps and games over your cellular connection, which means you'll be able to download larger (or any) app you wish using LTE.

appestoredownloadsize
Apple last week upped the over-the-air download limit for apps from 150MB to 200MB. In the Settings app of iOS 13, there's a new "App Downloads" option that lets you choose whether to Always Allow downloads of any size, ask if downloads are over 200MB, or always ask first before downloading over cellular.

The file size limit has always been in place to prevent iOS users from accidentally downloading large apps over cellular and eating up their data allowance, but such restrictions are no longer be necessary for some users thanks to the proliferation of unlimited data plans.

Related Forum: iOS 13

Top Rated Comments

88 months ago
Finally!

Now we need a feature to enable downloads of iOS updates and iCloud backup over cellular!
Score: 17 Votes (Like | Disagree)
88 months ago
I have a ludicrous 90gb per month allowance and barely hit 20gb so give me all the reasons to up my usage, I dare you!
Score: 4 Votes (Like | Disagree)
88 months ago
Does the limit encourage developers to code prudently, though? We don’t need bloat for bloat’s sake.
Code compresses really effectively. Apps normally increase in size because of the assets - images, videos, sounds, etc.
[doublepost=1559620113][/doublepost]I remember reading about the original limit being a requirement for AT&T. They were the only provider for a few years and didn’t want to get overwhelmed with downloads. I guess Apple gave in on this since back then downloading over WiFi would be faster and a better experience for the user. Times have changed and the cellular connection is probably faster than a lot of wifi networks. I thought they would have dropped this back when they opened up to other providers. Glad it has happened!
Score: 3 Votes (Like | Disagree)
JosephAW Avatar
88 months ago
I'm more interested in downloading other files into iOS. I have to use 3rd party apps to download zip, dmg, pkg and other files.
Score: 2 Votes (Like | Disagree)
88 months ago
I have a ludicrous 90gb per month allowance and barely hit 20gb so give me all the reasons to up my usage, I dare you!
The Pirate's Bay is beta testing on iOS and they need people to use their iPhones as nodes? /s

I have to say Apple just knocked it out of the park today on a ton of fronts.
Score: 1 Votes (Like | Disagree)

Popular Stories

Multicolored Low Cost A18 Pro MacBook Feature

Apple Accidentally Leaks 'MacBook Neo'

Tuesday March 3, 2026 7:00 am PST by
Apple appears to have prematurely revealed the name of its rumored lower-cost MacBook model, which is expected to be announced this Wednesday. A regulatory document for a "MacBook Neo" (Model A3404) has appeared on Apple's website. Unfortunately, there are no further details or images available yet. While the PDF file does not contain the "MacBook Neo" name, it briefly appeared in a link...
MacBook Neo Feature Pastel 1

Apple Announces $599 'MacBook Neo' With A18 Pro Chip

Wednesday March 4, 2026 6:15 am PST by
Apple today announced the "MacBook Neo," an all-new kind of low-cost Mac featuring the A18 Pro chip for $599. The MacBook Neo is the first Mac to be powered by an iPhone chip; the A18 Pro debuted in 2024's iPhone 16 Pro models. Apple says it is up to 50% faster for everyday tasks than the bestselling PC with the latest shipping Intel Core Ultra 5, up to 3x faster for on-device AI workloads,...
imac video apple feature

Apple Unveils Two New Products

Monday March 2, 2026 7:49 am PST by
Apple today introduced two new devices, including the iPhone 17e and an updated iPad Air. iPhone 17e features the same overall design as the iPhone 16e, but it gains Apple's A19 chip, MagSafe for magnetic wireless charging and magnetic accessories, Apple's second-generation C1X modem for faster 5G, and a doubled 256GB of base storage. In the U.S., the iPhone 17e starts at $599, just like the ...