This disclosure provides systems, methods, and apparatus, including computer programs encoded on computer-readable media, for a user equipment (UE) to select a data connection based on which applications are active in a foreground process of an application processor. The UE may activate a dedicated data subscription (DDS) based on a list of active applications. In some aspects, the UE may programmatically initiate a DDS switch based on which applications are active. The UE may determine which data connection to activate as the DDS based on the application configuration information and which applications are active. Application configuration information may indicate preferences regarding different data connections to use for each application. The application configuration information may indicate a preferred radio access technology (RAT), a preferred communication network, a preferred subscription, or any combination thereof.