Screen Time Statistics 2026
This page collects figures on how long people spend on screens: adults' daily phone, app and media time, the hours going to social, video and AI apps, TV and streaming, teens' and young children's screen time, and the limits, rules and wellbeing measures that families and schools use. Most data describe the United States and were collected in 2024 to 2026; global figures come from Sensor Tower, DataReportal, WHO Europe and UNESCO. Each figure links to the survey, diary study or measurement panel that produced it.
By the KeenVerdict research desk · Updated November 6, 2026 · 54 figures from 18 sources
The short answer
Mobile users worldwide spend about 3.6 hours a day in apps, according to Sensor Tower's 2026 State of Mobile, and half of US teens (50.4%) report four or more hours of daily screen time outside schoolwork in CDC survey data. On the TV, streaming took 49.6% of all US viewing in August 2026 in Nielsen's Gauge, while Common Sense Media puts children under 9 at about 2.5 hours of screen time a day.
Key figures
- 3.6 hoursMobile users worldwide spent about 3.6 hours a day in apps in 2025, a total of 5.3 trillion hours across iOS and Google Play, according to Sensor Tower.Sensor Tower
- 50.4%50.4% of US teens ages 12 to 17 reported 4 or more hours of daily screen time, excluding schoolwork, in CDC data collected from July 2021 to December 2023.CDC National Center for Health Statistics
- 97%97% of US teens ages 13 to 17 said they use the internet daily in Pew's fall 2025 survey of 1,458 teens, and about four in ten said they are online almost constantly.Pew Research Center
- 49.6%Streaming accounted for 49.6% of all US TV viewing in August 2026 and cable for 18.9%, according to Nielsen's The Gauge.Nielsen
- 18 hours 36 minutes a weekOnline adults worldwide spent an average of 18 hours and 36 minutes a week on social networks plus video platforms such as YouTube and TikTok in 2025, well over 2.5 hours a day, according to DataReportal's analysis of GWI data.DataReportal
- 2.5 hoursChildren age 8 and under in the US averaged about 2.5 hours of screen time a day in 2024, about the same as in 2020, according to Common Sense Media.Common Sense Media
- 11%11% of adolescents in Europe, Central Asia and Canada showed signs of problematic social media use in 2022, according to WHO Europe's HBSC study.WHO Regional Office for Europe
- 40%79 education systems, 40% of those tracked, banned smartphone use in schools by the end of 2024, according to UNESCO's GEM Report.UNESCO
Our reading of the data
Screens take a large and steady share of the day. Sensor Tower counted 5.3 trillion hours spent in mobile apps in 2025, about 3.6 hours a day per mobile user, and Deloitte's US survey puts total media and entertainment time at about six hours a day. The BLS American Time Use Survey shows TV is still the largest single leisure activity at 2.6 hours a day, while leisure gaming and computer use rose from 25 to 37 minutes a day between 2015 and 2025.
Inside that time, social and video feeds dominate. DataReportal's analysis of GWI data finds online adults spend 18 hours and 36 minutes a week on social and video platforms, and women aged 16 to 24 more than 3 hours and 40 minutes a day. On the TV set, Nielsen's Gauge had streaming at 49.6% of US viewing in August 2026, with YouTube alone at 15.8%, ahead of every broadcast network group.
Young people report the most time. The CDC found 50.4% of US teens with four or more hours of daily screen time outside schoolwork, rising to 55.0% among 15 to 17 year olds, and Pew's 2025 survey found 97% of teens online daily and 36% almost constantly on at least one major platform. For children 8 and under, Common Sense Media measured about 2.5 hours a day, with gaming up 65% and short-form video up from one minute to 14 minutes a day since 2020.
Limits are common but uneven. Pew found 47% of parents limit their teen's phone time and 39% of teens have cut back on social media, while 42% of parents of younger children think they could manage screen time better. Outside the home, UNESCO counts 79 education systems, 40% of those tracked, with school smartphone bans by the end of 2024, and WHO Europe recorded problematic social media use among adolescents rising from 7% in 2018 to 11% in 2022.
How much time adults spend on screens
- 1.
Mobile users worldwide spent about 3.6 hours a day in apps in 2025, a total of 5.3 trillion hours across iOS and Google Play, according to Sensor Tower.
Sensor Tower, 2026 State of Mobile (Jan 2026)
Source quote
Consumers spent 5.3 trillion hours across iOS and Google Play apps (+3.8% YoY), or roughly 3.6 hours per day per mobile user.
- 2.
Time spent in mobile apps in the US rose 4% in 2025 compared with 2024, Sensor Tower reported.
Sensor Tower, 2026 State of Mobile (Jan 2026)
Source quote
Time spent in the US rose a modest 4% YoY, rebounding slightly after signs of digital fatigue emerged in 2024.
- 3.
US consumers in Deloitte's 2025 survey averaged about six hours a day of media and entertainment time.
Deloitte, 2025 Digital Media Trends (Mar 2025)
Source quote
Our survey of US consumers reveals that media and entertainment companies—including advertisers—are competing for an average of six hours of daily media and entertainment time per person (figure 1).
- 4.
The typical online adult worldwide spends about 33.5 hours a week on all kinds of online media, including streaming TV, according to DataReportal's analysis of GWI survey data for 2025.
DataReportal, Digital 2026: Global Overview Report (Oct 2025)
Source quote
And to put these figures into broader perspective, our analysis of the latest GWI data indicates that the typical online adult now spends roughly 33½ hours per week consuming all types of online media (including streaming TV), which suggests that social and video feeds now account for more than half of our connected activities.
- 5.
91% of US adults owned a smartphone in 2026, up from 35% in Pew's first measurement in 2011.
Pew Research Center, Mobile Fact Sheet: Americans' Use of Mobile Devices in 2026 (2026)
Source quote
About nine-in-ten (91%) own a smartphone, up from just 35% in the Center’s first survey of smartphone ownership conducted in 2011.
- 6.
Americans said they check their phones 186 times a day on average in Reviews.org's Q4 2025 poll of about 1,000 US adults, down from 205 a year earlier.
Reviews.org, 2026 Cell Phone Usage Stats: Americans Check Phones 186 Times Daily (Jan 2026)
Source quote
Americans check their phones 186 times per day
- 7.
46% of US adults in the same Reviews.org poll called themselves addicted to their phones, and 76% said they feel uneasy leaving the phone at home.
Reviews.org, 2026 Cell Phone Usage Stats: Americans Check Phones 186 Times Daily (Jan 2026)
Source quote
With so much usage, it makes sense that 76% of us feel uneasy leaving our phone at home, and 53% of respondents said they’ve never gone longer than 24 hours without their phone—and why 46% of Americans consider themselves addicted to their phones.
- 8.
Americans age 15 and over spent 37 minutes a day playing games or using a computer for leisure in 2025, up from 25 minutes in 2015, according to the BLS American Time Use Survey.
U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, American Time Use Survey: 2025 Results (Jun 2026)
Source quote
Individuals spent more time playing games or using a computer on an average day in 2025 than they did in 2015 (37 minutes compared with 25 minutes).
Time on social, video and AI apps
- 9.
Online adults worldwide spent an average of 18 hours and 36 minutes a week on social networks plus video platforms such as YouTube and TikTok in 2025, well over 2.5 hours a day, according to DataReportal's analysis of GWI data.
DataReportal, Digital 2026: Global Overview Report (Oct 2025)
Source quote
Moreover, if we add video-centric platforms like YouTube and TikTok into this mix, daily average consumption jumps to well over 2½ hours per day , resulting in a weekly average of 18 hours and 36 minutes per user.
- 10.
Women aged 16 to 24 spent an average of 25 hours and 45 minutes a week on social and video feeds, more than 3 hours and 40 minutes a day, the highest of any group in the same GWI data.
DataReportal, Digital 2026: Global Overview Report (Oct 2025)
Source quote
GWI’s data indicates that women aged 16 to 24 spend an average of 25 hours and 45 minutes per week scrolling social and video feeds, which equates to an average of more than 3 hours and 40 minutes each day.
- 11.
The typical TikTok user spent 1 hour and 37 minutes a day in the Android app in 2025, about 14% longer than the typical YouTube Android user, according to Similarweb data published by DataReportal.
DataReportal, Digital 2026: Global Overview Report (Oct 2025)
Source quote
Indeed, Similarweb’s App Intelligence data shows that the typical TikTok user spends 1 hour and 37 minutes per day using the platform’s Android app, which is roughly 14 percent longer than the typical YouTube user spends using the YouTube Android app.
- 12.
Instagram users averaged 1 hour and 13 minutes a day in the Android app and Facebook users 67 minutes, per the same Similarweb data.
DataReportal, Digital 2026: Global Overview Report (Oct 2025)
Source quote
Instagram ranks third, with users spending an average of 1 hour and 13 minutes per day using the platform’s Android app, while fourth-ranked Facebook is the last of the top platforms to capture an average of more than one hour per day (67 minutes).
- 13.
24% of US adults said they use TikTok daily in Pew's 2025 survey.
Pew Research Center, Americans' Social Media Use 2025 (Nov 2025)
Source quote
About a quarter (24%) say they are daily users of TikTok.
- 14.
Gen Z respondents in Deloitte's 2025 US survey spent 54% more time than the average consumer on social platforms and user-generated video, about 50 minutes more a day.
Deloitte, 2025 Digital Media Trends (Mar 2025)
Source quote
Gen Zs lead the trend: These respondents spend 54% more time—or about 50 minutes more—than the average consumer per day on social platforms and watching UGC; and 26% less time—or about 44 minutes less per day—than the average person watching TV and movies.
- 15.
People spent 48 billion hours in generative AI apps in 2025, about 3.6 times the 2024 total, according to Sensor Tower.
Sensor Tower, 2026 State of Mobile (Jan 2026)
Source quote
Time spent in Generative AI apps reached 48 billion hours in 2025, roughly 3.6x the total in 2024 and nearly 10x the level seen in 2023.
TV and streaming time
- 16.
Watching TV took 2.6 hours a day for Americans age 15 and over in 2025, half of their 5.2 hours of daily leisure time, according to the BLS.
U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, American Time Use Survey: 2025 Results (Jun 2026)
Source quote
Watching TV was the leisure and sports activity that occupied the most time (2.6 hours per day), accounting for half of all leisure time, on average (5.2 hours).
- 17.
Streaming accounted for 49.6% of all US TV viewing in August 2026 and cable for 18.9%, according to Nielsen's The Gauge.
Nielsen, TV Viewing Cools Off in Nielsen's August Gauge Reports as Sports Take a Breather and School Resumes (Oct 2026)
Source quote
However, while time spent with each Gauge category declined between July and August, cable and streaming still managed to gain share, capturing 18.9% and 49.6% of television, respectively.
- 18.
YouTube captured a platform record 15.8% of all US TV viewing in August 2026, the largest share of any media distributor.
Nielsen, TV Viewing Cools Off in Nielsen's August Gauge Reports as Sports Take a Breather and School Resumes (Oct 2026)
Source quote
YouTube bucked the monthly downturn to capture a platform-record 15.8% of TV as monthly viewing climbed 6%, keeping the streamer in the lead in Nielsen’s Media Distributor Gauge.
- 19.
Broadcast TV fell to 17.5% of US TV viewing in August 2026, Nielsen reported.
Nielsen, TV Viewing Cools Off in Nielsen's August Gauge Reports as Sports Take a Breather and School Resumes (Oct 2026)
Source quote
Broadcast ultimately lost 2.0 share points to finish with 17.5% of TV.
- 20.
Total US TV usage dropped 4.4% from July to August 2026 as the World Cup ended and children went back to school.
Nielsen, TV Viewing Cools Off in Nielsen's August Gauge Reports as Sports Take a Breather and School Resumes (Oct 2026)
Source quote
The quiet window between the World Cup’s July conclusion and the start of football season, coupled with the annual back-to-school viewing decline among kids and teens, contributed to a 4.4% decrease in total TV usage.
- 21.
49% of US consumers in Deloitte's 2025 survey had a cable or satellite TV subscription, down from 63% three years earlier.
Deloitte, 2025 Digital Media Trends (Mar 2025)
Source quote
We found that 49% of consumers surveyed currently have a cable or satellite TV subscription, down from 63% three years ago.
Teen screen time
- 22.
50.4% of US teens ages 12 to 17 reported 4 or more hours of daily screen time, excluding schoolwork, in CDC data collected from July 2021 to December 2023.
CDC National Center for Health Statistics, Daily Screen Time Among Teenagers: United States, July 2021–December 2023 (NCHS Data Brief No. 513) (Oct 2024)
Source quote
During July 2021 through December 2023, one-half of teenagers ages 12–17 had 4 hours or more of daily screen time (50.4%).
- 23.
55.0% of US teens ages 15 to 17 had 4 or more hours of daily screen time, compared with 45.6% of those ages 12 to 14, in the same CDC survey.
CDC National Center for Health Statistics, Daily Screen Time Among Teenagers: United States, July 2021–December 2023 (NCHS Data Brief No. 513) (Oct 2024)
Source quote
Teenagers ages 15–17 (55.0%) were more likely than those ages 12–14 (45.6%)
- 24.
Black non-Hispanic teens were the most likely group to report 4 or more hours of daily screen time, at 60.4%, in the CDC survey.
CDC National Center for Health Statistics, Daily Screen Time Among Teenagers: United States, July 2021–December 2023 (NCHS Data Brief No. 513) (Oct 2024)
Source quote
Black non-Hispanic teenagers were most likely to have 4 hours or more of daily screen time (60.4%) compared with teenagers in other race and Hispanic-origin groups.
- 25.
48.3% of US teen boys and 52.5% of teen girls reported 4 or more hours of daily screen time, a gap the CDC found was not statistically significant.
CDC National Center for Health Statistics, Daily Screen Time Among Teenagers: United States, July 2021–December 2023 (NCHS Data Brief No. 513) (Oct 2024)
Source quote
The observed difference in 4 hours or more of daily screen time between boys (48.3%) and girls (52.5%) was not significant.
- 26.
97% of US teens ages 13 to 17 said they use the internet daily in Pew's fall 2025 survey of 1,458 teens, and about four in ten said they are online almost constantly.
Pew Research Center, Teens, Social Media and AI Chatbots 2025 (Dec 2025)
Source quote
Nearly all U.S. teens (97%) say they use the internet daily, including four-in-ten who say they are almost constantly online.
- 27.
21% of US teens said they are on TikTok almost constantly in 2025, up from 16% in 2022, according to Pew.
Pew Research Center, Teens, Social Media and AI Chatbots 2025 (Dec 2025)
Source quote
The share of teens who say they are on TikTok almost constantly ticked up slightly to 21% this year, from 16% in 2022.
- 28.
36% of US teens used at least one of YouTube, TikTok, Instagram, Snapchat or Facebook almost constantly in 2025, Pew found.
Pew Research Center, Teens, Social Media and AI Chatbots 2025 (Dec 2025)
Source quote
Across these five platforms, 36% of teens use at least one of these sites almost constantly.
- 29.
51% of US teens said they spend at least four hours a day on social media apps in Gallup's 2023 survey of more than 1,500 adolescents.
Gallup, Teens Spend Average of 4.8 Hours on Social Media Per Day (Oct 2023)
Source quote
Just over half of U.S. teenagers (51%) report spending at least four hours per day using a variety of social media apps
- 30.
The average US teen reported 4.8 hours a day across seven social media platforms in Gallup's 2023 survey.
Gallup, Teens Spend Average of 4.8 Hours on Social Media Per Day (Oct 2023)
Source quote
This use amounts to 4.8 hours per day for the average U.S. teen across seven social media platforms tested in the survey.
- 31.
US teens reported an average of 1.9 hours a day on YouTube and 1.5 hours on TikTok in Gallup's 2023 survey.
Gallup, Teens Spend Average of 4.8 Hours on Social Media Per Day (Oct 2023)
Source quote
Teens report spending an average of 1.9 hours per day on YouTube and 1.5 hours per day on TikTok, with boys spending more time on YouTube and girls spending more time on TikTok.
- 32.
Americans ages 15 to 19 spent 1.5 hours a day playing games or using a computer for leisure in 2025, more than any other age group, according to the BLS.
U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, American Time Use Survey: 2025 Results (Jun 2026)
Source quote
Individuals ages 15 to 19 spent 1.5 hours playing games or using a computer for leisure on an average day in 2025, more than any other age group.
Chart
US teens who use each platform daily, 2025
Share of US teens ages 13 to 17 who visit each platform at least daily, Pew survey of 1,458 teens, fall 2025. YouTube, used daily by about three quarters, is not shown as Pew gives no exact figure in the text.
- TikTok61%
- Instagram55%
- Snapchat46%
- Facebook20%
Source: Pew Research Center, Teens, Social Media and AI Chatbots 2025
Young children and screens
- 33.
Children age 8 and under in the US averaged about 2.5 hours of screen time a day in 2024, about the same as in 2020, according to Common Sense Media.
Common Sense Media, The 2025 Common Sense Census: Media Use by Kids Zero to Eight (Feb 2025)
Source quote
While their screen time remains steady at about 2.5 hours per day, there has been a shift in how screen time is being used.
- 34.
40% of US children have their own tablet by age 2, Common Sense Media found.
Common Sense Media, The 2025 Common Sense Census: Media Use by Kids Zero to Eight (full report) (Feb 2025)
Source quote
By age 2, 4 in 10 children have their own tablet (40%).
- 35.
Daily gaming time for children 0 to 8 rose 65% between early 2020 and 2024, from 23 to 38 minutes.
Common Sense Media, The 2025 Common Sense Census: Media Use by Kids Zero to Eight (full report) (Feb 2025)
Source quote
This represents a 65% increase in average time spent gaming.
- 36.
Children 0 to 8 spent an average of 14 minutes a day on short-form video platforms such as TikTok and YouTube Shorts in 2024, up from one minute in early 2020.
Common Sense Media, The 2025 Common Sense Census: Media Use by Kids Zero to Eight (full report) (Feb 2025)
Source quote
On average, they spend 14 minutes per day watching short-form video platforms that are not designed for children and that focus on quick, bite-size videos.
- 37.
20% of US children age 8 and under use a device every night or most nights to fall asleep, according to Common Sense Media.
Common Sense Media, The 2025 Common Sense Census: Media Use by Kids Zero to Eight (full report) (Feb 2025)
Source quote
Screens are a bedtime companion for some children, with 20% of kids age 8 and under watching or playing on a device every night or most nights to fall asleep.
- 38.
17% of US parents of children 0 to 8 said their child sometimes or often uses a mobile device to calm down when upset.
Common Sense Media, The 2025 Common Sense Census: Media Use by Kids Zero to Eight (full report) (Feb 2025)
Source quote
Devices can play a role in emotional regulation, with 17% of parents reporting that their child sometimes or often uses a mobile device to calm down when feeling angry, sad, or upset.
- 39.
66% of US parents of children 0 to 8 at least sometimes use screen media to keep their child occupied while they get things done.
Common Sense Media, The 2025 Common Sense Census: Media Use by Kids Zero to Eight (full report) (Feb 2025)
Source quote
Two-thirds (66%) of parents use screen media at least sometimes to occupy their child in order to get things done or take time for themselves
- 40.
85% of US parents of a child 12 or younger said their child watches YouTube in 2025, including 51% who said the child watches daily.
Pew Research Center, How parents describe their kids' tech use (Oct 2025)
Source quote
YouTube is widely used: 85% of parents say their child watches YouTube, including 51% who say that’s daily use.
- 41.
23% of US parents of a child 12 or younger said the child has their own smartphone in Pew's 2025 survey.
Pew Research Center, How parents describe their kids' tech use (Oct 2025)
Source quote
About a quarter of parents with a child age 12 or younger say that their child has their own smartphone (23%).
Chart
Daily gaming time for US children 0 to 8, minutes
Average minutes per day of video game play across all devices, Common Sense Census of children 0 to 8, early 2020 and 2024.
- 202023
- 202438
Source: Common Sense Media, The 2025 Common Sense Census: Media Use by Kids Zero to Eight (full report)
Wellbeing, limits and screen-time tools
- 42.
Among US teens with 4 or more hours of daily screen time, 27.1% had anxiety symptoms and 25.9% had depression symptoms in the past two weeks, according to the CDC.
CDC National Center for Health Statistics, Daily Screen Time Among Teenagers: United States, July 2021–December 2023 (NCHS Data Brief No. 513) (Oct 2024)
Source quote
About 1 in 4 teenagers with 4 hours or more of daily screen time have experienced anxiety (27.1%) or depression symptoms (25.9%) in the past 2 weeks.
- 43.
11% of adolescents in Europe, Central Asia and Canada showed signs of problematic social media use in 2022, according to WHO Europe's HBSC study.
WHO Regional Office for Europe, Teens, screens and mental health (Sep 2024)
Source quote
More than 1 in 10 adolescents (11%) showed signs of problematic social media behaviour, struggling to control their use and experiencing negative consequences.
- 44.
Problematic social media use was higher among adolescent girls (13%) than boys (9%) in the same WHO Europe data.
WHO Regional Office for Europe, Teens, screens and mental health (Sep 2024)
Source quote
Girls reported higher levels of problematic social media use than boys (13% vs 9%).
- 45.
36% of adolescents reported constant online contact with friends, rising to 44% of 15-year-old girls, WHO Europe found.
WHO Regional Office for Europe, Teens, screens and mental health (Sep 2024)
Source quote
Over a third (36%) of young people reported constant contact with friends online, with the highest rates among 15-year-old girls (44%).
- 46.
34% of adolescents played digital games daily, and 22% played at least 4 hours on gaming days, in WHO Europe's 2022 data.
WHO Regional Office for Europe, Teens, screens and mental health (Sep 2024)
Source quote
A third (34%) of adolescents played digital games daily, with more than 1 in 5 (22%) playing for at least 4 hours on days when they engage in gaming.
- 47.
38% of US teens said they spend too much time on their smartphone in Pew's 2023 survey.
Pew Research Center, How Teens and Parents Approach Screen Time (Mar 2024)
Source quote
We found that 38% of teens say they spend too much time on their smartphone.
- 48.
39% of US teens said they had cut back on their time on social media, Pew found in 2023.
Pew Research Center, How Teens and Parents Approach Screen Time (Mar 2024)
Source quote
Roughly four-in-ten teens (39%) say they have cut back on their time on social media.
- 49.
47% of US parents of teens said they limit how much time their teen can spend on their phone in Pew's 2023 survey.
Pew Research Center, How Teens and Parents Approach Screen Time (Mar 2024)
Source quote
About half of parents (47%) say they limit the amount of time their teen can be on their phone, while a similar share (48%) don’t do this.
- 50.
US teens whose parents strongly agree they restrict screen time reported 1.8 fewer hours a day on social media than teens whose parents strongly disagree, in Gallup's 2023 data.
Gallup, Teens Spend Average of 4.8 Hours on Social Media Per Day (Oct 2023)
Source quote
Likewise, on average, adolescents report 1.8 hours less time on social media apps if their parents strongly agree that they restrict screen time, compared with parents who strongly disagree.
- 51.
65% of US parents of children 12 and under said they themselves spend too much time on their smartphone in Pew's 2025 survey.
Pew Research Center, How parents approach their kids' screen time (Oct 2025)
Source quote
In our survey, about two-thirds of parents say they spend too much time on their smartphone (65%).
- 52.
42% of US parents of children 12 and under said they could do a better job managing their child's screen time in 2025.
Pew Research Center, How parents approach their kids' screen time (Oct 2025)
Source quote
Some parents think they could handle screen time better: 42% of parents think they could do a better job managing their child’s screen time.
- 53.
79 education systems, 40% of those tracked, banned smartphone use in schools by the end of 2024, according to UNESCO's GEM Report.
UNESCO, To ban or not to ban? Smartphones in school only when they clearly support learning (Jan 2025)
Source quote
By the end of 2024, an update that the GEM Report has prepared for the International Day of Education finds that 19 more education systems were banning the use of smartphones in school, bringing the total to 79 (or 40%).
- 54.
Students can take up to 20 minutes to refocus on learning after a digital distraction, according to research cited by UNESCO.
UNESCO, To ban or not to ban? Smartphones in school only when they clearly support learning (Jan 2025)
Source quote
Another study found that it can take students up to 20 minutes to refocus on what they were learning once distracted.
Chart
Adolescents with problematic social media use, WHO Europe
Share of adolescents aged 11, 13 and 15 meeting the HBSC problematic social media use scale, WHO European Region and Canada, 2018 and 2022.
Source: WHO Regional Office for Europe, Teens, screens and mental health
Questions readers ask
- How much screen time does the average person have per day?
- Mobile users worldwide spend about 3.6 hours a day in apps, according to Sensor Tower's 2026 State of Mobile, and US consumers average about six hours a day of media and entertainment in Deloitte's 2025 survey. The BLS adds that Americans watch 2.6 hours of TV a day.
- How much screen time do teenagers have?
- 50.4% of US teens ages 12 to 17 report four or more hours of daily screen time outside schoolwork, according to the CDC. Gallup's 2023 survey put average teen social media use at 4.8 hours a day, and Pew found 97% of teens use the internet daily in 2025.
- How much screen time do young children get?
- US children age 8 and under average about 2.5 hours of screen time a day, according to Common Sense Media's 2025 census. 40% have their own tablet by age 2, and Pew found 51% of parents of children 12 and under say their child watches YouTube daily.
- What share of TV time goes to streaming?
- Streaming took 49.6% of all US TV viewing in August 2026, according to Nielsen's The Gauge. YouTube alone had 15.8%, more than any other media company, while broadcast fell to 17.5%.
- Which apps take the most time?
- Similarweb data published by DataReportal show the typical TikTok user spending 1 hour and 37 minutes a day in the Android app, ahead of YouTube, Instagram (1 hour 13 minutes) and Facebook (67 minutes). Sensor Tower adds that time in generative AI apps reached 48 billion hours in 2025.
- Do screen time limits work?
- Gallup's 2023 data show teens whose parents strongly agree they restrict screen time report 1.8 fewer hours a day on social media. Pew found 47% of parents limit teen phone time and 39% of teens have cut back on social media, and UNESCO counts 40% of education systems with school phone bans.
How these figures were chosen
We chose figures from the organizations that collected the data: government surveys (BLS American Time Use Survey, CDC NHIS-Teen), research centers and nonprofits (Pew Research Center, Common Sense Media, WHO Europe, UNESCO), measurement and analytics firms (Nielsen, Sensor Tower, Similarweb and GWI data as published by DataReportal) and company surveys (Deloitte, Gallup, Reviews.org). Definitions differ: BLS records main activities in a time diary, the CDC and Pew rely on self-reports, Nielsen measures TV set viewing, and Sensor Tower and Similarweb measure app usage on devices, so the hours are not directly comparable. Gallup's teen social media figures and Pew's teen phone and parental limit figures are from 2023 and are labeled with their year; CDC teen data cover July 2021 to December 2023. Ofcom data on UK screen time were not included because the reports could not be loaded for checking. Each quote was copied from the source page and rechecked on 2026-11-06. Every quote was copied from the publisher's page and re-checked by our source checker. Read the methodology.
Sources
- CDC National Center for Health Statistics. Daily Screen Time Among Teenagers: United States, July 2021–December 2023 (NCHS Data Brief No. 513) (Oct 2024).
- Common Sense Media. The 2025 Common Sense Census: Media Use by Kids Zero to Eight (Feb 2025).
- Common Sense Media. The 2025 Common Sense Census: Media Use by Kids Zero to Eight (full report) (Feb 2025).
- DataReportal. Digital 2026: Global Overview Report (Oct 2025).
- Deloitte. 2025 Digital Media Trends (Mar 2025).
- Gallup. Teens Spend Average of 4.8 Hours on Social Media Per Day (Oct 2023).
- Nielsen. TV Viewing Cools Off in Nielsen's August Gauge Reports as Sports Take a Breather and School Resumes (Oct 2026).
- Pew Research Center. Mobile Fact Sheet: Americans' Use of Mobile Devices in 2026 (2026).
- Pew Research Center. Americans' Social Media Use 2025 (Nov 2025).
- Pew Research Center. Teens, Social Media and AI Chatbots 2025 (Dec 2025).
- Pew Research Center. How parents describe their kids' tech use (Oct 2025).
- Pew Research Center. How Teens and Parents Approach Screen Time (Mar 2024).
- Pew Research Center. How parents approach their kids' screen time (Oct 2025).
- Reviews.org. 2026 Cell Phone Usage Stats: Americans Check Phones 186 Times Daily (Jan 2026).
- Sensor Tower. 2026 State of Mobile (Jan 2026).
- U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. American Time Use Survey: 2025 Results (Jun 2026).
- UNESCO. To ban or not to ban? Smartphones in school only when they clearly support learning (Jan 2025).
- WHO Regional Office for Europe. Teens, screens and mental health (Sep 2024).
How to cite
Link to this page or to a single figure. Name the original publisher where you can.
KeenVerdict. (2026, November 6). Screen Time Statistics 2026. https://keenverdict.com/screen-time-statistics
Questions or corrections: editorial@keenverdict.com. Next scheduled review: January 5, 2027.