---
title: "Average Screen Time by Age Statistics 2026: Latest Insights"
date: 2026-05-18
author: "Sofia Ramirez"
featured_image: "https://sqmagazine.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2026/04/average-screen-time-by-age-statistics.jpg"
categories:
  - name: "Technology"
    url: "/technology.md"
tags:
  - name: "Statistics"
    url: "/tag/statistics.md"
---

# Average Screen Time by Age Statistics 2026: Latest Insights

The global average daily screen time for adults is 6 hours and 51 minutes, according to DataReportal. Separately, 50.4% of teenagers ages 12-17 had 4 hours or more of daily screen time, per the CDC. The gap between life stages is wider than any single headline suggests; infants average roughly an hour, tweens push past five and a half, and people over 65 in the United Kingdom log just 3h 20m online each day.

The data below covers screen exposure across every age bracket from under-two infants through adults over 65, blending CDC, Ofcom, Common Sense Media, Pew Research, and AAP guidance into a full-life-course snapshot.

## Key Takeaways

- US teenagers aged 12-17 logged **4 or more hours** of daily device exposure at a rate of **50.4%** between July 2021 and December 2023, the federal NHIS-Teen survey reported.
- Tweens aged 8-12 spent an average of **5h 33m** per day on screen-based entertainment, up from 4h 44m in 2019, according to the publisher.
- Children aged 0-8 averaged about **2.5 hours** on devices in 2025, holding steady since 2020 even as gaming jumped **65%**, researchers reported.
- UK users 18-24 spent **6h 20m** online daily, while adults 65 and older spent **3h 20m**, Ofcom’s 2025 Adults’ Media Use and Attitudes Report found.
- Roughly **27.1%** of teens logging 4-plus device hours each day reported anxiety symptoms in the prior fortnight, while **25.9%** reported depression symptoms, per CDC NCHS Data Brief 513.
- **40%** of children have a tablet by age 2, **58%** by age 4, and nearly **1 in 4** own a personal cellphone by age 8, the 2025 researchers’ census observed.
- **21%** of UK users 65 and older have no internet access at home, the widest digital-access gap Ofcom tracks across age brackets.

## Editor’s Choice

- Global adults averaged **6h 51m** on devices daily in early 2026, according to DataReportal’s Digital 2026 Mid-Year Update.
- US teenagers averaged **8h 39m** of total daily device exposure in the most recent census wave, excluding school-related screens.
- **96%** of US teens aged 13-17 use the [internet](https://sqmagazine.co.uk/internet-statistics/) daily, and **95%** report having access to a smartphone, Pew found.
- US users aged 18-24 averaged **8.1 hours** across all devices daily, topping every cohort DataReportal tracks.
- The American Academy of Pediatrics recommends **zero** device time among children under 18 months, with the only exception being live video chat with family.
- **38%** of US teens say they spend too much time on their smartphones, according to a 2024 Pew survey.
- The 25-34 cohort logged **7.6 hours** while 35-44 users recorded **7.1 hours** in front of screens, according to DataReportal.

## Recent Developments

- **April 2026** saw DataReportal publish the Digital 2026 Mid-Year Update, reporting that adults globally averaged 6h 51m of device time daily across all devices.
- **May 2025** brought Ofcom’s Adults’ Media Use and Attitudes Report 2025, documenting UK adults’ average online time at over 4h 30m daily, with 18-24s leading at 6h 20m.
- **February 2025** marked the publisher’s release of the 2025 Census on Media Use by Kids Zero to Eight, the first comprehensive post-pandemic look at young children’s screen use, finding [gaming time](https://sqmagazine.co.uk/online-gaming-statistics/) up 65% since 2020.
- **December 2024** brought the Pew Research Center’s “Teens, Social Media and Technology 2024,” finding that 96% of US teens use the internet daily and nearly half are online “almost constantly.”
- **October 2024** saw the federal National Center for Health Statistics publish Data Brief 513, reporting that 50.4% of US teens 12-17 had 4 or more hours of device time daily and documenting links to anxiety and depression symptoms.
- **March 2024** brought a parallel Pew study on parents’ approaches to teen device time, finding that 38% of teens themselves say they spend too much time on smartphones.

## Average Screen Time by Age Group: A Full-Life-Course Snapshot

- Children under 2 averaged about **1 hour** of daily device exposure, well above the AAP’s recommendation of zero before 18 months.
- Children aged 2-4 logged **2h 8m** in their daily routine, according to the 2025 researchers’ census.
- Children aged 5-8 logged **3h 28m** per day on screens, the same Common Sense report observed.
- Tweens aged 8-12 clocked **5h 33m** of media entertainment in their daily routine, according to the publisher.
- Teenagers aged 13-18 logged **8h 39m** of total device exposure per day, excluding school screens.
- For users 18-24, the global daily average reached **8.1 hours** on devices, the highest figure DataReportal records.
- Users in the 25-34 segment averaged **7.6 hours**, while the 35-44 set recorded **7.1 hours** in front of screens daily, according to DataReportal.
- Users aged 55-64 logged **5h 17m** (women) and **5h 14m** (men), according to DataReportal.
- UK seniors 65 and older posted **3h 20m** online daily, per Ofcom 2025, the lowest of any tracked bracket.

Age BracketAverage Daily Screen TimeSourceUnder 2~1 hourresearchers Media / AAP2-42h 8mthe census 20255-83h 28mthe census 20258-12 (tweens)5h 33mthe census13-18 (teens)8h 39mthe census18-248.1 hoursDataReportal 202625-347.6 hoursDataReportal 202635-447.1 hoursDataReportal 202655-645h 14-17mDataReportal 202665+ (UK online)3h 20mOfcom 2025*Source: CDC NCHS, Common Sense Media, DataReportal, Ofcom, AAP*

## Children Under 2: Screen Time Patterns

- The American Academy of Pediatrics recommends **zero** screen media for children under **18 months**, with live video chat as the only exception.
- The AAP advises that 18-24-month-olds only watch educational programming with a caregiver present.
- Children younger than 2 averaged about **1 hour and 3 minutes** on devices in compiled data referenced by AAP and the research team tracking.
- **40%** of children have their own tablet by age 2, the 2025 researchers census observed, marking the earliest entry point of personal device ownership.
- The AAP cautions that under-2s “have a hard time understanding what they’re viewing on screens unless it’s explained by an adult,” reinforcing the co-viewing recommendation.

MetricValueSourceAAP recommendation, under 18m0 minutes (except video chat)AAPAAP recommendation, 18-24mEducational only, with caregiverAAPActual average device usage~1 hour dailyresearchers / AAP synthesisTablet ownership by age 240%Common Sense 2025*Source: AAP, Common Sense Media*

> **Survey finding:** the 2025 census observed that **40%** of children own a tablet by age 2 and **58%** own one by age 4, even though the American Academy of Pediatrics recommends zero device usage before 18 months. The gap between guidance and reality begins almost at birth and widens through preschool.

## Toddlers and Preschoolers (Ages 2-5): What the Data Shows

- Among 2- to 4-year-olds, the daily average reached **2h 8m** on devices, as the 2025 researchers’ wave observed.
- The 5-to-8 age band averaged **3h 28m** per day, that same census noted.
- Total screen use among kids aged 0-8 has held steady at about **2.5 hours** per day since the 2020 census.
- Gaming time among under-9s grew **65%** between 2020 and 2025, researchers reported.
- **62%** of parents say they watch [YouTube](https://sqmagazine.co.uk/youtube-statistics/) alongside their young children, but only **17%** co-view TikTok content.
- **1 in 5** families now uses a mobile device to manage their child’s bedtime routine, mealtime, or emotional regulation.

![Daily Screen Time For Young Children By Age](https://sqmagazine.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2026/04/daily-screen-time-for-young-children-by-age.jpg "Daily Screen Time for Young Children by Age")

## Tweens (Ages 8-12): What the Numbers Reveal

- The 8-12 tween segment recorded **5h 33m** on entertainment media daily, up from 4h 44m in 2019, the research found.
- The 2019-to-2021 rise represented a **17%** jump in tween media exposure during the pandemic period.
- Nearly **1 in 4** children own a personal cellphone by age 8, the research team’s 2025 census noted.
- Tween [screen entertainment](https://sqmagazine.co.uk/media-and-entertainment-industry-statistics/) excludes school-related screen use, meaning total exposure is materially higher.
- The research team documents YouTube as the most-used platform among tweens, ahead of traditional television and streaming services.

YearTween Daily Screen EntertainmentChange20194h 44mbaseline20215h 33m+17%2025~5h 33m (steady)flat*Source: Common Sense Media*

> **What’s changed:** Tween screen entertainment grew from **4h 44m** in 2019 to **5h 33m** by 2021, a **17%** increase that the research team attributed to pandemic-era schooling and social shifts, with the level holding steady through the 2025 census wave and indicating the rise was structural rather than temporary.

## Teenagers (Ages 13-17): The High-Use Years

- About **50.4%** of US teenagers aged 12-17 had 4 or more hours on screens, the federal NHIS-Teen survey covering July 2021 through December 2023 reported.
- **22.8%** of teens reported 3 hours of screen time, **17.8%** reported 2 hours, **6.1%** reported 1 hour, and **3.0%** reported less than 1 hour.
- Teens in the 13-18 group logged **8h 39m** of total media exposure in a 24-hour window, according to the research team’s most recent census.
- **96%** of teens aged 13-17 use the internet daily, and **95%** have access to a smartphone, Pew found in its 2024 study.
- **73%** of teens visit YouTube every day, and roughly **60%** visit [TikTok](https://sqmagazine.co.uk/tiktok-usage-statistics/) every day, the same Pew survey reported.
- Nearly half of US teens describe themselves as online “almost constantly,” with **58%** of Hispanic teens and **53%** of Black teens reporting [near-constant internet use](https://sqmagazine.co.uk/internet-addiction-statistics/).
- **38%** of teens say they spend too much time on their smartphones, a 2024 Pew survey found.

![Teen Screen Time Distribution by Daily Hours (Ages 12–17)](https://sqmagazine.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2026/04/teen-screen-time-distribution-by-daily-hours-ages-12-17.jpg "Teen Screen Time Distribution by Daily Hours (Ages 12–17)")

For platform-specific patterns within teen screen time, see [social media screen time data](https://sqmagazine.co.uk/social-media-screen-time-statistics/).

## Young Adults (Ages 18-24): The Peak Cohort

- The global 18-24 cohort posted **8.1 hours** across all devices in a 24-hour window, marking the peak figure DataReportal observes.
- UK users 18-24 spent **6h 20m** online in a 24-hour window, the most of any UK cohort, per Ofcom’s 2025 Adults’ Media Use and Attitudes Report.
- Most online time among 18-24s is spent on smartphones, where adults use an average of **41 apps** per month, Ofcom found.
- The 18-24 bracket overlaps with Generation Z, which DataReportal estimates spends over **9 hours** daily on screens at the high end of usage.
- Female internet users aged 16-24 register among the highest device hours seen in cross-national surveys.

![Young Adult Screen Time By Region And Device](https://sqmagazine.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2026/04/young-adult-screen-time-by-region-and-device.jpg "Young Adult Screen Time by Region and Device")

For comparison with platform-specific time, see our [smartphone usage data](https://sqmagazine.co.uk/smartphone-usage-statistics/).

## Working-Age 25-44 Bracket: What the Data Shows

- For the 25-34 cohort, the global daily average reached **7.6 hours** in front of screens, according to DataReportal’s Digital 2026 Mid-Year Update.
- The 35-44 cohort averaged **7.1 hours** in front of screens within a 24-hour window, according to the same report.
- The 25-34 cohort records the highest smartphone usage of any tracked group, with male users in that range spending the most time of any gender-age combination measured.
- This age range maps closely to younger Millennials and the trailing edge of Gen Z, both heavy users of [TikTok and Instagram](https://sqmagazine.co.uk/tiktok-vs-instagram-statistics/) for both work and leisure.
- Roughly half of all time online for this group is spent on a smartphone, with the rest split across laptops, tablets, and connected TVs.

![Daily Screen Time By Working Age Group](https://sqmagazine.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2026/04/daily-screen-time-by-working-age-group.jpg "Daily Screen Time by Working Age Group")

> **Research finding:** DataReportal’s Digital 2026 Mid-Year Update reported that those aged **25-34** averaged **7.6 hours** and respondents **35-44** averaged **7.1 hours** on devices, with the 25-34 group also recording the highest smartphone usage seen across tracked brackets, indicating that screens have become inseparable from professional life for this generation.

## The 45-64 Bracket: Mid-Life Plateau

- UK people aged 55-64 averaged about **5h 14-17m** daily on screens, depending on gender, per DataReportal cross-national data.
- The 45-54 bracket sits between 25-44 highs and 55+ declines, with most surveys placing the figure around **6 hours**.
- Nielsen historical data found that US people aged 50-64 spend the most total time across media platforms of any tracked cohort, with **51%** of that time on television and TV-connected devices.
- The shift from smartphone-dominated screens to TV-dominated screens begins between the ages of 45 and 55 in most cross-national tracking.
- Older Millennials and Gen X make up most of this bracket, a generation that adopted smartphones in adulthood and balances them with longer-form video viewing on platforms tracked in our [Netflix viewer data](https://sqmagazine.co.uk/netflix-statistics/).

![Daily Screen Time by Age and Gender (45–64 Years)](https://sqmagazine.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2026/04/daily-screen-time-by-age-and-gender-45-64-years.jpg "Daily Screen Time by Age and Gender (45–64 Years)")

## Seniors (Ages 65+): The Lowest-Use Bracket

- UK seniors 65-plus averaged **3h 20m** online within a 24-hour window, the lowest UK figure tracked, per Ofcom 2025.
- **21%** of those 65-plus have no internet access at home, Ofcom found, marking the widest digital-access gap among all measured brackets.
- Globally, seniors aged 65+ averaged roughly **5.2 hours** across devices once television is added, per DataReportal aggregates.
- Television remains the dominant medium for this cohort, accounting for the majority of daily on-screen exposure.
- Senior screen-time growth has been the slowest across tracked brackets, with rises driven primarily by smart-TV adoption rather than smartphone or tablet uptake.

Region65+ Daily Screen / Online TimeNotable GapUnited Kingdom (online)3h 20m21% no home internetGlobal (all screens incl. TV)~5.2 hoursTV-dominated*Source: Ofcom 2025 Adults’ Media Use and Attitudes; DataReportal*

## Mental Health Correlations Across Age Brackets

- About **27.1%** of teenagers aged 12-17 with 4 or more hours of daily screen time reported anxiety symptoms in the past two weeks, per CDC NCHS Data Brief 513.
- **25.9%** of teens in that same high-screen group reported depression symptoms in the prior fortnight, NCHS found.
- NCHS documented higher screen-time prevalence among teenagers in metropolitan areas than in nonmetropolitan areas.
- Across our coverage of [attention span statistics](https://sqmagazine.co.uk/social-media-attention-span-statistics/), average engagement windows have contracted from 12 seconds to under 5 in a decade, a trajectory that reshapes every content strategy.
- The federal NCHS findings track teens specifically; comparable US mental-health data layered on adult cohorts is more limited, though the Pew finding that **38%** of teens self-identify smartphone overuse aligns with the screen-anxiety correlation.

OutcomeHigh-Screen Teens (4h+)SourceAnxiety in past 2 weeks27.1%CDC NHIS-TeenDepression in past 2 weeks25.9%CDC NHIS-TeenSelf-report “too much phone time”38% (all teens)Pew Research 2024*Source: CDC NCHS Data Brief 513; Pew Research Center*

> **By the numbers:** The agency’s October 2024 Data Brief 513 found that **27.1%** of teens with 4 or more hours of daily on screens time reported anxiety symptoms in the past two weeks, and **25.9%** reported depression symptoms. The pattern held across demographic subgroups, suggesting device usage correlates with adolescent mood outcomes regardless of race, region, or income.

## Device Ownership by Age Group

- **40%** of children own a tablet by age 2 and **58%** by age 4, the 2025 researchers census observed.
- Nearly **1 in 4** children own a personal cellphone by age 8, that same census noted.
- **95%** of US teens aged 13-17 have access to a smartphone, and **88%** have a desktop or laptop computer, Pew Research’s 2024 study reported.
- **83%** of teens have a gaming console at home and **70%** have a tablet, Pew found.
- UK people aged 65+ have the lowest household internet penetration of any tracked cohort, with **21%** lacking home internet, per Ofcom.

AgeTabletSmartphoneGaming ConsoleAge 240%rarerareAge 458%raresmall shareAge 8High24% personalrising13-1770%95%83%*Source: Common Sense Media; Pew Research Center; Ofcom*

For more on the device side specifically, see our [iPhone statistics](https://sqmagazine.co.uk/iphone-statistics/).

## How US and UK Screen Time Compare by Age

- UK adults averaged about **4h 30m** online daily in 2025, while US adults averaged closer to **7 hours** of total daily screen time across all devices, per Ofcom and DataReportal, respectively.
- The 18-24 gap is narrower: UK **6h 20m** online vs. US **8.1 hours** across all devices.
- The 65+ gap is wider in absolute terms: UK **3h 20m** online vs. global **~5.2 hours** including television.
- Definitions differ across surveys. Ofcom measures “online time,” DataReportal measures “all-device screen time,” and CDC measures “screen time” via parent and teen self-report; so direct comparison requires noting the methodology.
- Despite measurement differences, the US consistently records higher per-capita screen time than the UK across every cohort, a pattern that has held since smartphone-era surveys began.

AgeUK Online (Ofcom)US / Global Screen (Comparable)18-246h 20m8.1 hours65+3h 20m~5.2 hoursAll adults4h 30m+~7 hours*Source: Ofcom 2025 Adults’ Media Use and Attitudes; DataReportal Digital 2026 Mid-Year Update*

## Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

**What is the average screen time by age in 2026?**Children aged 5-8 spend 3 hours and 28 minutes on screens, while infants aged 0-2 average 1 hour 3 minutes and 2-4 year olds average 2 hours and 8 minutes, per the 2025 census. Young adults aged 18-24 average 8.1 hours of screen time daily, per DataReportal.

 

**How much screen time do teenagers have on average?**Teenagers ages 12-17 had 4 hours or more of daily screen time at a rate of 50.4%, per the CDC’s NHIS-Teen survey covering July 2021 through December 2023. Average daily screen use jumped to 8:39 from 7:22 among teens between 2019 and 2021, per Common Sense Media.

 

**Is screen time linked to mental health by age?**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, the CDC reported. Pew Research found that about 38% of teens say they spend too much time on their smartphones.

 

**At what age does screen time decline?**Female and male users aged 55 to 64 years spent 5 hours and 17 minutes and 5 hours and 14 minutes, respectively, on screen, according to DataReportal. Those aged 65+ spend the least time online at 3 hours and 20 minutes a day, per Ofcom.

 

**What does the AAP recommend for children’s screen time?**The American Academy of Pediatrics recommends that babies younger than 18 months get no screen time at all, with video chatting as the only exception. Toddlers 18 months to 24 months old can start to enjoy some screen time with a parent or caregiver. The AAP cautions that under-2s do not understand screen content without adult explanation.

 

**How does US screen time compare to UK screen time by age?**US adults consistently record higher per-capita screen time than UK adults across every age bracket. Young adults aged 18-24 spend the most time online at 6 hours and 20 minutes a day, per Ofcom. Female and male users aged 55 to 64 years spent 5 hours and 17 minutes and 5 hours and 14 minutes on screen, respectively, according to DataReportal.

 

 

## Conclusion

Average screen time varies more by age than by any other demographic factor. The global average daily screen time for adults is 6 hours and 51 minutes, according to DataReportal. Individual age brackets range from roughly 1 hour for children under 2 to 8.1 hours among adults aged 18-24 and back down to 3h 20m online for UK adults aged 65 and older. Teenagers with 4 hours or more of daily screen time experienced anxiety (27.1%) or depression symptoms (25.9%) in the past 2 weeks, the CDC reported, alongside the 50.4% of teenagers ages 12-17 already at 4 hours or more.

Parents, clinicians, advertisers, and policy researchers all benefit from a clearer view of how screen exposure scales by age. Pediatric guidance can target the toddler-to-tween transition, where the gap between AAP recommendations and observed behavior widens fastest. School and public-health programs can prioritize the teen bracket, where high screen exposure intersects with measurable anxiety and depression rates. Marketers and platform designers can map their attention demand onto a clearer age curve. The figures will keep moving as new census waves arrive, but the shape of the by-age distribution, low at the extremes, peaking in young adulthood, has held across every recent dataset.