Everyone’s had those moments when it feels like we’re glued to a screen from breakfast to bedtime. It’s not just you. In fact, recent studies have detailed exactly how many hours adults rack up scrolling & streaming. Let’s find out what the numbers say. How many hours do you think you spend on screens each day?
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Average daily screen time
Let’s start with the big one, which is total time. The Digital 2025 Global Overview Report found that adults spent around 6 hours and 40 minutes a day using internet-connected devices, which include phones and tablets. TVs counted separately. Of course, this isn’t a big stretch of six hours, but rather, time scattered throughout the day.
Smartphone vs. TV vs. computers
Phones steal the show these days. In the U.S., adults average roughly 4 hours daily on mobile, according to research by eMarketer. That’s not to say that people aren’t watching TV, as that averages around 2 hours 55 minutes, while streaming through smart TVs or boxes adds another couple of hours. People use desktops & laptops for about 2.3 hours a day.
Phone pickups & checks per day
In 2022, Asurion ran a Tech Care survey that found that people pick up their phones around 352 times a day. This is quite a change from the 2019 survey, which counted around 96 daily checks. These moments happen throughout the day, rather than in one specific period.
Change versus 10 years ago
These statistics are quite different from the past. In 2014, Nielsen found that adults clocked around 5 hours a day on digital media, but just four years later, that number had passed 6 hours. The gap is even clearer when you go further back, as adults spent less than 3 hours on digital media in 2008. Essentially, the growth curve basically never flattened.
Work versus leisure time
The way people divide these hours is rather telling, as the American Time Use Survey found that Americans aged over 15 spend about 5.1 hours a day on leisure. Out of that, they watch TV for 2.6 hours & spend another 34 minutes on gaming or casual computer use. Actual work time averages 3.1 hours per day for everyone over 15 on weekends, and 8.4 hours on weekdays.
Email time & off-hours checking
Inbox habits also go beyond the workday, with the Adobe Email Usage Study (2019) estimating that Americans spent about five hours a day combined on personal & work emails. The Microsoft Work Trend Index (2025) found there was also a 16% jump in late-night meetings & a lot of early-morning inbox activity.
Second-screen use while watching TV
TV time also isn’t mere TV time anymore. A study titled “An Exploration of Second-Screen Use by TV Viewers” found that 83% of adults said they used a second device while watching TV shows. They weren’t all doing the same thing either. While some people texted during a TV show, others browsed & some merely scrolled through apps.
Time on social media
Those times that you open an app “just for a second” usually last longer than you intended. Globally, people spend roughly 2 hours and 19 minutes per day on social media, including both traditional networks & messaging apps. This 2024 figure is actually 8.6% lower than the 2022 figure of 2 hours and 31 minutes.
More leisure time
So who uses screens the most? Well, older adults have more free time than anyone else, which gives them plenty of space for media. The American Time Use Survey found that people 75 & up have around 7.6 leisure hours a day. And most of that goes to TV. This generation is more likely to watch TV longer, usually in the evenings.
The most media
However, people in their 50s & early 60s watch the most media. Nielsen’s Total Audience Report found this age group has the most total daily media time, mostly thanks to TV & radio. They tend to stick to familiar formats. And the hours really add up over the course of a typical day.
The difference with younger adults
Younger adults do things a little differently. Pew Research Center & eMarketer both found that 18–34-year-olds spend nearly half of their media time on smartphones. While their total hours aren’t as high as older groups, their attention is split across more things. Think apps & streaming, as well as video games. They squeeze their screen time into commutes and often juggle more than one device at once.
Late-night screen time and sleep
Unfortunately, scrolling in bed can seriously affect your sleep schedule, and a lot more so than most people realize. A meta-analysis in Sleep Medicine Reviews found that people who avoided screens before sleeping had about a third fewer complaints of poor sleep quality than those who didn’t. This is because blue light affects your melatonin levels, so you should turn screens off around 30 to 60 minutes before bed.
Eyesight and screen use
It’s natural for your eyes to feel tired after staring too long. This is called digital eye strain. According to the American Academy of Ophthalmology, symptoms include dryness & blurred vision, as well as headaches. But major medical groups have said there’s no evidence that screens cause permanent eye damage. The biggest issue is discomfort.
Mental health links
Researchers from BMC Medicine looked at how screen habits affect your mood. In their study, people reduced their smartphone time for three weeks, and they saw improvements in stress & depression. Their sleep and overall well-being improved, too. Meanwhile, a U.S. survey in JAMA Network Open found that heavy use of social apps may cause higher rates of irritability.
Expert ways to cut screen time
Thankfully, there are some things you can do. Sleep specialists at the American Academy of Sleep Medicine recommend that you take a 30-minute screen break before bed. There’s also the 20-20-20 rule, which states that every 20 minutes, you should look 20 feet away for 20 seconds. Don’t forget to dial down bright lights in the evening.
Sources: Please see here for a complete listing of all sources that were consulted in the preparation of this article.
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