Ever absent-mindedly streamed Netflix on your mobile device and quickly ate through all your data? Netflix wants to make sure this doesn't happen again.

The streaming service on Thursday officially introduced a new tool we first heard about in March designed "to help you better control how much data you use when streaming on cellular networks." The default setting will let you stream about three hours of TV shows and movies per gigabyte of data, or about 600 Kilobits per second.

"Our testing found that, on cellular networks, this setting balances good video quality with lower data usage to help avoid exceeding data caps and incurring overage fees," Netflix's Director of Product Innovation, Eddy Wu, said in a statement.

If you happen to have a mobile data plan with a higher cap, or you aren't all that concerned about overages, you can adjust the setting to stream at higher bitrates.

To set your cellular data usage, be sure to update the Netflix app on your iOS or Android device to the most recent version, select "App Settings" from the menu, and pick "Cellular Data Usage." There, you can switch off the automatic default setting, if you choose, and select a higher or lower option that works with your mobile data plan.

"Our goal is to give you more control and greater choice in managing your data usage whether you're on an unlimited mobile plan or one that's more restrictive," Wu wrote. He added that bitrates could change over time as Netflix evolves and improves, and actual data usage will vary based on your device and network. Of course, this setting only affects data usage on cellular networks; streaming over Wi-Fi is not affected.