Add Data to Your Verizon Phone: Buy a Data Boost Now

To add data to your Verizon phone mid-cycle, the fastest way is to buy a Data Boost through My Verizon. The Account Owner or Account Manager can purchase a Data Boost in the My Verizon app or online when the plan includes limited data, adding extra high-speed data to avoid reduced speeds.

How to add data to your Verizon phone

Follow these steps in the My Verizon app or website:

Sign in as the Account Owner or Account Manager.
Navigate to the data management section for the line you want to boost.
Select the option to buy a Data Boost and confirm the purchase.

The additional high-speed data is applied immediately to that line.

Check your current data plan first

Before buying a Data Boost, verify your current plan and usage in My Verizon. This helps you determine how much extra data you actually need. Note that older shared-data plans, such as Shared Data Plan - 5GB, Shared Data Plan - 10GB, S, M, L, XL, XXL, and MORE Everything, can no longer be added to new accounts. If you are on one of these legacy plans, checking data usage and balance first is essential to avoid purchasing a boost that may not work with your account.

Data Boost limits by Verizon plan

The amount of data a Data Boost adds depends on your specific plan:

Unlimited Ultimate, Unlimited Ultimate 1.0, Unlimited Plus, and most previously available unlimited mobile phone plans: A 5 GB Data Boost restores Mobile Hotspot 4G LTE / 5G speed for that line.
Unlimited Welcome: Data Boosts are not available unless you first buy the $10/month 100 GB Mobile Hotspot perk; after that, you can add a data boost to that perk if needed.
Shared Data Plan, 5GB, Shared Data Plan, 10GB, and The new Verizon Plan shared-data plans (S, M, L): A Data Boost adds 1 GB of 4G LTE / 5G data for general device use, including Mobile Hotspot.
More Unlimited and Essential, Plus, Pro, Premium mobile hotspot devices: A Data Boost adds 5 GB of 4G LTE / 5G / 5G Ultra Wideband data.
Prepaid monthly phone plans: You can buy more high-speed data for general device use, including Mobile Hotspot, but the amount varies.

When to upgrade your plan instead

If you consistently run out of data each month, a permanent plan change may be more cost-effective than buying Data Boosts repeatedly. Consider upgrading to a Verizon unlimited plan that better matches your usage. For business accounts, Verizon documents the menu path Plan Card > Upgrade to change a plan.

Monitor your data usage going forward

To avoid future overages, track your data consumption using these methods:

My Verizon alerts: Set up data usage alerts in the My Verizon app to receive notifications when you approach your limit.
iPhone settings: Go to Settings > Cellular to view cellular usage. To see usage by app, scroll to the app list and tap Show All. To reset statistics, go to Settings > Cellular > Reset Statistics. For system services, go to Settings > Cellular > System Services (note: cellular data cannot be turned off for individual system services). If your iPhone uses Dual SIM, you can see how much data was used with the selected cellular data number. On iPhone, to turn cellular data on or off, go to Settings > Cellular > Cellular Data. To turn cellular data off for a specific app or service, go to Settings > Cellular and switch that app or service off in the list.
Android settings: Check your phone's data usage section under Settings to identify data-hungry apps and control background data.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I add data to my Verizon phone mid-month?

Yes, you can buy a Data Boost at any time during your billing cycle. The additional high-speed data is applied immediately and lasts until the end of your current billing cycle.