A 2026 Pew survey of nearly 10,000 US adults found that 62% of those who feel they spend too much time on their smartphones tried to cut back, with 77% saying they were at least somewhat successful

Smartphones have become nearly impossible to escape in everyday life, with scrolling, notifications and messages keeping people connected throughout the day. But a growing number of Americans appear to feel that their phones are taking up more time than they would like.

Just over half of US adults say they spend too much time on their smartphones, while about one-third believe the amount of time they spend on their devices is about right. Only 3% say they spend too little time on their smartphones.

The findings come from a Pew Research Center survey of 9,750 US adults conducted May 26-June 1, 2026, as part of the Center’s research into Americans’ use of and experiences with smartphones.

Younger Americans are most likely to feel they use their phones too much

The sense of excessive smartphone use is particularly strong among younger adults. Seven-in-ten Americans under 30 say they spend too much time on their smartphones.

Among adults aged 30 to 49, roughly two-thirds say the same. The figure falls to about half among those aged 50 to 64 and to roughly a quarter among Americans aged 65 and older.

The pattern is also reflected in how frequently people use their phones. About one in four US adults says they use their smartphone “almost constantly.”

Among adults under 30, that figure rises to 42%. Around one-third of people aged 30 to 49 say they use their phones almost constantly, compared with 21% of those aged 50 to 64 and just 9% of adults aged 65 and older.

Nearly half have tried to cut down

Americans are not simply acknowledging the problem; many are attempting to change their habits. 45% of US adults say they have tried to cut back on the time they spend on their smartphones over the past 12 months. The share rises to 62% among people who themselves believe they spend too much time on their phones.

However, reducing smartphone use appears to be easier said than done. Among those who tried to cut back, only 25% say they were extremely or very successful. Another 52% describe themselves as somewhat successful, while 23% say they were not too or not at all successful.

Adults under 50 are also considerably more likely to have attempted to reduce their smartphone use than older Americans.

Smartphones help people stay connected - but may come at a cost

Despite concerns about excessive use, Americans do not view smartphones as simply harmful. Roughly three-quarters of US adults say smartphones help them stay informed, while about half say their phones help them feel connected to other people. Far fewer say smartphones hurt them in these areas.

The picture becomes more complicated when Americans consider productivity and mood. Similar shares say smartphones help, hurt or have no impact on their productivity. On mood, Americans are roughly divided between those who say their phones help and those who say they hurt, while about half say smartphones have neither effect. Sleep, however, stands out as the clearest perceived downside.

Sleep emerges as the biggest smartphone concern

According to Pew's findings, 41% of US adults say smartphone use hurts the amount of sleep they get, compared with just 5% who say it helps.

The impact is particularly pronounced among younger adults. Sixty-two percent of Americans under 30 say their smartphone use hurts their sleep, making them the only age group in which a majority reports this effect. Around half of adults aged 30 to 49 also say their smartphone use hurts their sleep.

Younger Americans are similarly more likely to say that smartphones hurt their productivity and mood, suggesting that concerns about constant connectivity extend beyond simply the amount of time spent looking at a screen.