With digital devices becoming part of our daily lives, we’re spending a lot of time in front of screens. In this article, you’ll learn what the global average screen time for adults is. You’ll also find out how much time people spend in front of smartphones and TV sets. Finally, you’ll read about the average daily screen times for different age groups — including kids and teenagers.
In Q2 of 2022, the global daily screen time totaled 6 hours and 37 minutes.
The number — which refers to the average time spent with internet-connected devices — represents a 2.1% drop over 2022’s first quarter, when it stood at 6 hours and 49 minutes. Among other activities, it includes 2 hours and 28 minutes people spend on social media, 1 hour and 37 minutes a day streaming music, and 1 hour and 1 minute per day listening to podcasts.
(DataReportal)
Americans spent 7 hours and 11 minutes a day in front of screens in Q2 of 2022.
While this is well above the global average of 6 hours and 37 minutes, the US only placed 17th among countries worldwide. At 10 hours and 7 minutes, Saudi Arabia had the most screen time per country in 2022’s second quarter. The top five also included Brazil (9 hours and 42 minutes), the Philippines (9 hours and 39 minutes), Colombia (9 hours and 13 minutes), and Argentina (9 hours and 5 minutes). Meanwhile, Japan ranked last with 3 hours and 46 minutes on average.
(DataReportal)
In 2021, the global average screen time on phone totaled 3 hours and 43 minutes.
The US was just below the global average at 3 hours and 30 minutes a day. Meanwhile, the list of countries with the highest average smartphone screen time among adults aged 16–64 in Q3 of 2021 included the Philippines (5 hours and 47 minutes), Thailand (5 hours and 28 minutes), Brazil (5 hours and 25 minutes), and Colombia and South Africa (5 hours and 9 minutes each).
(DataReportal)
Adults worldwide spent 3 hours and 25 minutes a day watching TV in Q2 of 2022.
This includes both broadcast and streaming television. Television is particularly popular in the US, where it held the highest screen time share in 2021 — 34% of the total weekly screen time. Movies accounted for 14% of Americans’ weekly screen time, meaning they spent nearly half (48%) of their time in front of screens watching films and TV. This type of entertainment was especially prevalent among US adults aged 35+, who spent 60% of their screen time this way.
(DataReportal, Marketing Charts)
At 8 hours and 5 minutes a day, people aged 16–24 had the highest average screen time in 2021.
Looking at the average screen time by age, younger people tend to spend more time in front of screens. In 2021, people aged 25–34 spent 7 hours and 13 minutes a day in front of screens, those in the 35–44 bracket averaged 6 hours and 38 minutes a day, people in the 45–54 group averaged 6 hours and 1 minute, and those aged 55–64 averaged 5 hours and 12 minutes.
(DataReportal)
Kids aged 11–14 spend almost 9 hours a day in front of screens.
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), the average screen time for a teenager aged 15–18 totals 7.5 hours a day, while kids aged 8–10 have about 6 hours of daily screen time. All these kids spend most of their screen time watching TV — both broadcast and streaming. The daily averages come down to 4 hours for those aged 8–10, nearly 5 hours for those in the 11–14 age bracket, and almost 4.5 hours for teenagers in the 15–18 age group.
(CDC)
The Takeaway
After a significant increase during the global pandemic and the related lockdowns, people worldwide reduced their screen time in 2022. As of the year’s second quarter, the global average stood at 6 hours and 37 minutes — the lowest it has been in years.
And although this decline is encouraging, the screen time averages are still more than three times higher than what health experts recommend. Even more worrisome is the fact that kids and teenagers aged 8–18 spend anywhere between 6 and 9 hours a day in front of screens.
Average Screen Time for Adults FAQ
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