Cell Phone Usage in 2026: Americans Average 186 Phone Checks Per Day

Reviews.org Cell Phone Usage Stats in 2026

Reviews.org Cell Phone Usage and Habits

How cell phone usage habits changed in from 2025 to 2026 | Reviews.org

Reviews.org finds phone-checking is down 9% year over year, but Americans still reach for their phones about once every five minutes while awake.

SALT LAKE CITY, UT, UNITED STATES, December 18, 2025 /EINPresswire.com/ -- Americans are now checking their phones 186 times per day, or about once every five minutes while awake, according to Reviews.org's 2026 Cell Phone Usage report. Despite a 9% drop from the 205 daily phone checks reported last year, Americans' phone habits appear to have stabilized year over year.

This year’s release continues Reviews.org’s recurring, year-over-year study, which surveys Americans about their phone usage, screen time, and phone related behaviors to see how they’re evolving over time. Previous editions of the report have been cited nationally in outlets including The New York Times, Fortune, NBC News Daily and CNBC.

Read the full report: https://www.reviews.org/mobile/cell-phone-addiction

"While phone usage dipped slightly year-over-year, Americans' phone habits are becoming more consistent over time," said Tim Tincher, Media Relations at Reviews.org. "Phones remain central to our daily lives but we all use them differently. Gen Z stays on longer with fewer pickups, while Millennials are most likely to say they're addicted."

Here are the key findings from this year’s study:
- Americans check their phones 186 times a day (11.6 times per hour)
- About 85% check their phone within 10 minutes of waking up, and three in four feel uneasy leaving their phone at home
- Americans now spend over three hours a day on their phones: Gen Z leads with four hours and six minutes of smartphone time, while baby boomers average two hours and eight minutes
- Phone usage has crept into almost every part of life: 87% use their phone while watching TV, 56% while eating dinner, 40% on a date, and nearly 30% admit to using their phones while driving.
- Around half sleep with their phone at night, and more than four in 10 feel panic or anxiety when their battery dips below 20%
- Millennials are the most likely to say they're addicted (47%) and the quickest to check notifications, while baby boomers are the most anxious after losing their phone
- Americans keep their phones for about 2.5 years on average; Gen Z is the most likely to upgrade soon, while baby boomers are the least likely

Methodology: Reviews.org surveyed approximately 1,000 U.S. adults (18+) via Pollfish in Q4 2025. Results were weighted by age, gender and census region to reflect the U.S. adult population (estimated margin of error: ±4% at 95% confidence). Screen-time context is drawn from a separate national survey (Internet Screen Time report).

About Reviews.org: Featured in CNBC, New York Times, USA Today and more. Reviews.org combines hands-on testing, independent research and local customer reviews to show how providers perform where you live, so you can choose the best options for home internet, mobile, TV and streaming.

Tim Tincher
Reviews.org
tim@reviews.org
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