Key Takeaways
- 3 hours 49 minutes daily average in 2023 – up 134% from 2013
- 2 hours 11 minutes added over the decade, with fastest growth 2013-2017
- More screen time = more tracking – especially on public Wi-Fi and apps
- VPN protection matters – nearly 4 hours/day means constant data exposure without encryption
The Story Behind the Numbers
In 2013, global internet users spent about 1 hour 38 minutes per day on their phones. By 2015 that was 2 hours 21 minutes, and by 2017 it crossed the three-hour mark at 3 hours 5 minutes. The climb continued, reaching 3 hours 23 minutes in 2019, 3 hours 41 minutes in 2021, and 3 hours 49 minutes in 2023. Over the full period from 2013-2023, the daily average across all years is roughly 3 hours of phone time. Early in the decade, time on mobile grew fast – adding more than 40 minutes every two years – then growth slowed after 2017. Even with that slowdown, today’s typical user spends about 2 hours 11 minutes more per day on their phone than in 2013, an increase of roughly 134%. On a yearly scale, that kind of usage translates into thousands of hours online, often exceeding 1,700 hours annually for the average user. At the high end of this trend, young adults are pushing usage even further, with females aged 16–24 averaging around 7 hours 35 minutes online per day.
Why This Data is Important
Time spent on phones shows how much of daily life runs through them. At almost 4 hours per day in 2023, mobile use takes a big share of our waking time. That covers messaging, streaming, social media, banking, and work tools. More phone time means more chances for tracking, data collection, and account takeovers on public Wi-Fi. Learning what a VPN is and how it hides your IP address is a simple way to lower that risk. If you rely on your phone for entertainment or travel, a good Android VPN or a well-rated VPN app on iOS can keep connections private and usable. As you jump between home Wi-Fi and public hotspots, an always-on VPN helps stop each network from building a full profile of what you do.
Looking Ahead: Future Outlook
From 2013 to 2017, daily phone time jumped by more than 40 minutes every two years. Since then, growth has slowed, reaching 3 hours 49 minutes in 2023. If that trend holds, average use is likely to edge past 4 hours a day rather than surge again. As more of that time goes to video and gaming, choosing a fast VPN that adds minimal lag becomes even more important.
Source & Methodology
Figures come from GWI. We used self-reported average daily time that global consumers say they spend on mobile phones in 2013, 2015, 2017, 2019, 2021, and 2023. All changes and averages in this article are simple comparisons based on those six values.