According to the latest data, the average person now spends 6 hours and 58 minutes per day looking at their screen.
The increase in screen time usage is being driven by a number of factors, including the increasing affordability and availability of smartphones and other digital devices, the growth of social media and online entertainment platforms, and the shift to remote work and eLearning during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Screen Time Statistics 2024 (Top Picks)
This section will also serve as a TLDR section for this article.
- People spend 6 hours and 58 minutes on average looking at their screens as of 2024; that is an increase of 21 minutes since 2015.
- The average American spends 7 hours and 4 minutes staring at a screen daily as of 2024.
- People in South Africa spend around 10 hours and 46 minutes online daily, which is the most for any country.
- The average person spends 2 hours and 24 minutes daily on social media.
- The average Gen Z individual spends around 7 hours 18 minutes per day on screens.
- An average American checks their phone 96 times every day.
General Screen Time Statistics
- An average person globally spends nearly 7 hours looking at screens daily as of 2024.
The average screen time drastically boosted after 2019, when the pandemic hit the globe. It peaked during 2022 when the average screen time recorded globally was 7 hours 47 minutes.
Here is a table showing the average screen time recorded over the years:
| Year | Average daily screen time (global) |
|---|---|
| 2013 | 5 hours and 51 minutes |
| 2014 | 6 hours and 10 minutes |
| 2015 | 6 hours and 24 minutes |
| 2016 | 6 hours and 38 minutes |
| 2017 | 6 hours and 52 minutes |
| 2018 | 7 hours and 5 minutes |
| 2019 | 7 hours and 11 minutes |
| 2020 | 7 hours and 24 minutes |
| 2021 | 7 hours and 40 minutes |
| 2022 | 7 hours and 47 minutes |
| 2023 | 6 hours and 58 minutes |
- 85% of American adults go online every day. 31% are constantly online, while the other 48% go online several times daily.
Here is a table showing how often adults in the United States go online:
| How Often Do American Adults Go Online | Share Of Respondents |
|---|---|
| Constantly Online | 31% |
| Many times a day | 48% |
| Once in a day | 6% |
| Many times in a week | 4% |
| Less often | 4% |
| Never | 7% |
- The total time spent on video games is 1 hour and 10 minutes globally.
Here is a table showing the total time spent on video games in selected countries.
Source: explodingtopics.com.
How Much Time Do People Spend On The Internet Every Day?
The majority of the screen time involves activities that are done over the web. Let us take a look at how much time people are spending on the internet in different countries.
- Globally, the average time spent online is 6 hours and 58 minutes as of 2024.
Averaging 10 hours and 46 minutes, South Africans spend the most time on the internet among all the nations. Brazil and the Philippines also fall in the 10-hour club.
Here is a table showing the countries with the most screen time:
| Country | Time Spent On The Internet |
|---|---|
| South Africa | 10 hours 46 minutes |
| Brazil | 10 hours 19 minutes |
| Philippines | 10 hours 27 minutes |
| Argentina | 9 hours 01 minutes |
| Colombia | 9 hours 01 minutes |
| Chile | 8 hours 36 minutes |
| Mexico | 8 hours 07 minutes |
| Malaysia | 8 hours 06 minutes |
| Thailand | 8 hours 06 minutes |
| Russia | 7 hours 57 minutes |
| Indonesia | 7 hours 42 minutes |
| Egypt | 7 hours 41 minutes |
| Portugal | 7 hours 37 minutes |
| U.A.E. | 7 hours 29 minutes |
| Turkey | 7 hours 24 minutes |
| Saudi Arabia | 7 hours 02 minutes |
| Taiwan | 7 hours 14 minutes |
| Israel | 7 hours 08 minutes |
| Romania | 7 hours 03 minutes |
| The United States | 6 hours 59 minutes |
Source: Statista.
Average American Screen Time Statistics
In this section, we will look closely at the average screen time in the United States and the demographics related to it.
- The average daily screen time in the United States is 7 hours and 04 minutes as of 2023.
Here is a table showing the average daily screen time in the United States from 2014 to 2023.
| Year | Average Screen Time In The United States |
|---|---|
| 2014 | 6 hours 52 minutes |
| 2015 | 6 hours 59 minutes |
| 2016 | 7 hours 13 minutes |
| 2017 | 7 hours 21 minutes |
| 2018 | 7 hours 19 minutes |
| 2019 | 7 hours 18 minutes |
| 2020 | 7 hours 18 minutes |
| 2021 | 7 hours 11 minutes |
| 2022 | 7 hours 07 minutes |
| 2023 | 7 hours 04 minutes |
- Americans spend 2 hours and 14 minutes on social media as of 2023.
- An average American spends around 1 hour and 46 minutes video games every day.
- Teenagers from higher-income (More than $100,000 annual income) families spent 2 hours and 3 minutes less on screen than lower-income family teenagers. These teenagers spend a total of 7 hours and 16 minutes on screen.
- The majority of the people in the US spend their screen time watching TV or videos.
Here is a table showing some of the activities that contribute the most to screen time in the United States:
| Activity | Screen Time Per Day |
|---|---|
| Watching TV and Videos | 3 hours 16 minutes |
| Playing Video Games | 1 hour 46 minutes |
| Using Social Media | 1 hour 27 minutes |
| Browsing Websites | 51 minutes |
| Other | 29 minutes |
| Video Calling | 20 minutes |
| Reading E-books | 15 minutes |
| Creating Content | 14 minutes |
Source: Statista, headphonesaddict.com, explodingtopics.com, Zippia.
Global Screen Time Stats Based On Type Of Viewing Devices
Smartphones are the invention of the century. You basically have the world in your palms. There is nothing a smartphone can’t do nowadays, and they are the major contributors to the increased screen time globally.
There are over 6.8 billion smartphone users in the globe, and they are bound to increase as we move ahead.
Smartphones are the major contributors, but they aren’t the only ones. Let us take a look at screen time stats associated with different viewing devices such as tablets and desktops.
Average Mobile Screen Time Around The Globe
- Globally, smartphones contribute 53% to screen time.
- The global average time spent on mobile is 3 hours and 43 minutes as of 2023.
Here is a table showing the mobile screen time of some selected countries:
| Country | Screen Time on Smartphones |
|---|---|
| Philippines | 5 hours 47 minutes |
| Thailand | 5 hours 28 minutes |
| Brazil | 5 hours 25 minutes |
| South Africa | 5 hours 9 minutes |
| Colombia | 5 hours 9 minutes |
| Argentina | 5 hours 4 minutes |
| Indonesia | 4 hours 56 minutes |
| Malaysia | 4 hours 49 minutes |
| Mexico | 4 hours 37 minutes |
| UAE | 4 hours 35 minutes |
Source: explodingtopics.com.
Average Desktop Screen Time Around The Globe
- The total share of computer screen time in all screen time is 47%.
- Globally, the average total time spent on computer screens is 3 hours and 14 minutes as of 2023.
Here is a table showing the computer screen time of some selected countries.
| Country | Screen Time On Desktops |
|---|---|
| South Africa | 5 hours 37 minutes |
| Brazil | 4 hours 54 minutes |
| Colombia | 4 hours 54 minutes |
| Philippines | 4 hours 40 minutes |
| Thailand | 4 hours 38 minutes |
| Argentina | 4 hours 34 minutes |
| Portugal | 4 hours 22 minutes |
| Malaysia | 4 hours 21 minutes |
| Mexico | 4 hours 18 minutes |
| Russia | 4 hours 11 minutes |
Source: explodingtopics.com.
Average Streaming Services Screen Time
- In the United States, people spend 2 hours and 10 minutes on Hulu.
Here is a table showing the streaming time of the top 4 streaming platforms:
| Platform | Streaming Time |
|---|---|
| Hulu | 2 hours 10 minutes |
| Netflix | 1 hour 50 minutes |
| Amazon Prime | 1 hour 37 minutes |
| Disney+ | 1 hour 29 minutes |
Source: Slicktext.com.
Sage Recommends: Read our detailed take on Netflix user demographics and insights.
Screen Time Statistics Based On Demographics
Let us dive deeper into the demographics of screen time all over the world. We will uncover what age groups and generations of people contribute the most and least to the average screen time.
- 76% of Gen Z said they spent too much time on their smartphones.
Here is a table showing the percentage of people who said they spent too much time on their smartphone by generation:
| Generation | Share Of Respondents |
|---|---|
| Gen Z | 76% |
| Millennials | 67% |
| Gen X | 66% |
| Boomers | 51% |
- Gen Z and Millennials gamer population spent 11 to 13 hours on gameplay weekly.
- The average screen time of the Gen Z population is 7 hours and 18 minutes.
Here is a table showing the average screen time by generation.
| Generation | Average Screen Time |
|---|---|
| Gen Z | 7 hours 18 minutes |
| Millennials | 6 hours 42 minutes |
| Gen X | 6 hours |
| Baby Boomers | 2 hours 54 minutes |
| Silent Generation | 2 hours 48 minutes |
Related Reads: Generation Alpha Stats and Insights
- The males and females of the age group of 16 to 24 years have more screen time among all age groups.
Here is a table showing the average screen time of males and females by age as of 2023.
| Age Group | Female Screen Time | Male Screen Time |
|---|---|---|
| 16 to 24 years | 7 hours 28 minutes | 7 hours 9 minutes |
| 25 to 34 years | 7 hours 8 minutes | 6 hours 56 minutes |
| 35 to 44 years | 6 hours 30 minutes | 6 hours 25 minutes |
| 45 to 54 years | 6 hours 4 minutes | 5 hours 54 minutes |
| 55 to 64 years | 5 hours 19 minutes | 5 hours 13 minutes |
- The average screen time of Females is 6 hours and 45 minutes, and of males is 6 hours and 27 minutes as of 2023.
Source: slicktext.com, headphonesaddict.com.
Average Social Media Screen Time Statistics
People spend an average of 2 hours 31 minutes on social media daily. In this section, we will take a close look at the statistics of average screen time on social media.
- Globally, internet users spent 2 hours and 31 minutes daily on social media as of 2023.
Here is a table showing the daily time spent on social media by users globally:
| Year | Daily Time Spent On Social Media |
|---|---|
| 2012 | 1 hour 30 minutes |
| 2013 | 1 hour 35 minutes |
| 2014 | 1 hour 44 minutes |
| 2015 | 1 hour 51 minutes |
| 2016 | 2 hours 8 minutes |
| 2017 | 2 hours 14 minutes |
| 2018 | 2 hours 22 minutes |
| 2019 | 2 hours 25 minutes |
| 2020 | 2 hours 25 minutes |
| 2021 | 2 hours 25 minutes |
| 2022 | 2 hours 27 minutes |
| 2023 | 2 hours 31 minutes |
- TikTok is where most social media users spend the majority of their time.
TikTok is the fastest-growing social media platform. The user base of the platform sits at around 1.06 billion, and the users spend an average of 1.5 hours every day looking at TikToks!
You Might Want To Check Our Detailed Research On Other Social Media Platforms
Source: Statista, slicktext.com.
Screen Time And Children
The children born in this tech-savvy world are getting exposed to screens from a very young age. Let us take a look at the screen time stats of children of various age groups in this section.
- 74% of American parents say their two-year-old child watches TV.
- Children in the United States spent 1 hour and 53 minutes on TikTok.
Here is a table showing the time spent by children on leading social media apps in the United States.
| Leading Social Media Apps | Time Spent On App By Children |
|---|---|
| TikTok | 1 hour 53 minutes |
| Snapchat | 1 hour 30 minutes |
| 20 minutes | |
| 18 minutes | |
| 13 minutes | |
| 10 minutes |
- 60% of parents in the United States limit their children’s screen time.
- 27% of parents in the United States limit screen time every day for their children.
Here is a table showing the ways in which parents limited screen time for their children in the United States:
| Ways | Share Of Respondents |
|---|---|
| They do not limit | 40% |
| Limit screen time per day | 27% |
| Only can use screens on weekdays for education purposes | 17% |
| Only can use the screen on weekends | 12% |
| They can not use the screen at any time | 4% |
- 15% of parents in the United States allowed their children less than one hour of daily screen time.
- 93% of children aged between 5 to 8 years old watch TV.
Source: Statista, explodingtopics.com.
Screen Time And Health Statistics
Many studies show the correlation between screen time and health, both physical and mental.
Screen time has been linked to an increased risk of obesity. Screen time can also interfere with sleep. The blue light emitted from screens can suppress the production of melatonin, a hormone that helps to regulate sleep-wake cycles
Let us take a look at data that shed light on this relation.
- The recommended screen time is only 2 hours a day.
- Kids under two years old should never have screen time at all.
- 32% of users said their behavior was influenced by screen time.
Here is a table showing the users’ opinions about their screen time’s influence on their behavior.
| Screen Time Influence On Users’ Behavior | Share Of Respondents |
|---|---|
| Influenced by Screen time | 32% |
| May be influenced by Screen time | 15.5% |
| Never influenced by Screen time | 52.4% |
- 87% of children exceed the screen time recommendations.
- Obesity is the most associated disease with excessive screen time.
Screen time is often associated with spending long periods of time sitting or lying down. This behavior can lead to weight gain and obesity, which are risk factors for type 2 diabetes.
Here is a table showing the most associated diseases with excessive screen time:
| Disease | Share of disease caused by excessive screen time |
|---|---|
| Obesity | 23% |
| Type 2 diabetes | 15% |
| Heart disease | 12% |
| Stroke | 10% |
| Cancer | 7% |
| Depression | 6% |
| Anxiety | 5% |
| Cyberbullying | 3% |
| Social isolation | 2% |
Source: headphonesaddict.com, reaserchgate.net.
The COVID-19 Pandemic’s Impact On Screen Time
Every aspect of humans ‘ day-to-day life has been impacted during the COVID-19 Pandemic. Due to the lockdown, the screen time reached its peak during the Pandemic.
In this section, we will see some of the important statistics about the COVID-19 Pandemic’s impact on screen time.
- The screen time was 7 hours and 7 minutes during the COVID-19 Pandemic.
- The average screen time of children increased by 52% during the COVID-19 Pandemic.
Source: headphonesaddict.com
FAQs
The average screen time of Gen Zs is 7 hours and 18 minutes. It is the most than all age groups.
Kids younger than two years old should not use screens at all. The American Society of Pediatrics recommends not giving any kind of screen to kids younger than two years old.
the global average of screen time is 6 hours and 57 minutes. But it varies by country. In the United States, the average screen time is 7 hours and 4 minutes.
Many diseases can cause by the screen, but brain tumors, heart diseases, Alzheimer, and male infertility are the most common.
