Adults on the United Kingdom now spend more time on their mobile phones than watching television on a television set, marking a major milestone in media habits. Average daily mobile phone use has overtaken television set viewing for the first time. This shift highlights the growing dominance of mobile devices as the primary screen for many people.
The latest IPA TouchPoints 2025 research shows that people aged 15 and over in the United Kingdom now spend an average of 3 hours and 21 minutes per day on their mobile phones, compared to 3 hours and 16 minutes watching television on a television set. While television viewing has remained relatively stable over the past decade, mobile phone usage has almost tripled since 2015, when it stood at just 1 hour and 17 minutes per day.
The change is being driven largely by younger audiences. Those aged 15 to 24 spend nearly five hours a day on their phones, averaging 4 hours and 49 minutes. In contrast, they watch just 1 hour and 49 minutes of television on a television set. Older viewers show the opposite pattern. Adults aged 65 to 74 spend 4 hours and 40 minutes watching a TV set, but still spend 1 hour and 47 minutes on their phones.
The data also reveal how usage patterns differ across devices. Television viewing peaks in the evening, and computer use mirrors a typical working day, declining after office hours. Mobile phone use, however, remains consistently high from morning until bedtime, underlining the role of mobile as an “always on” companion.
When considering all screen-based activities, including phones, televisions, laptops, tablets, and games consoles, adults in the United Kingdom now spend an average of 7 hours and 27 minutes per day using screens. This is a significant increase from 6 hours and 36 minutes in 2015, reflecting the broader shift toward digital consumption.
The report goes further by examining how different types of screen use affect emotional wellbeing. Viewers are 52% more likely to feel relaxed when watching television on a set compared to watching video on a mobile phone. Conversely, they are 55% more likely to report feeling sad when viewing video on a phone than on a television.
Dan Flynn, the deputy research director at the IPA, described the findings as a milestone in media consumption. “It’s a clear signal of how embedded mobile phones have become in our daily lives — always on, always within reach, and increasingly central to how we consume content, connect and unwind,” he said.
He added that what distinguishes TouchPoints is its ability to show not just what media people use, but when, where, how, and how they feel while doing so. “It is this level of granularity that makes TouchPoints such a vital tool for brands and agencies looking to navigate today’s complex media landscape.”
Denise Turner, the incoming research director at the IPA, said the findings underscore how rapidly media habits are evolving. “The latest TouchPoints data doesn’t just confirm that mobile is now the dominant screen in our lives, it also underscores how rapidly our media habits are evolving,” she said.
Turner commented that the power of the dataset lies in its ability to move beyond surface-level statistics to deliver deeper, contextual insights into how people live, feel, and interact with media throughout the day. “I’m looking forward to working with the team and building on this legacy to ensure the data continues to help agencies, media owners and marketers make smarter, more human-centric decisions,” she added.
The findings reflect a profound shift that will have implications for media owners, advertisers, and media providers. While television remains a dominant medium for older audiences, the continued rise of mobile presents both challenges and opportunities for the video industry.
Of course, some might argue that this is comparing apples with oranges, since the use cases and availability to view mobile and television are somewhat different.
It should also be noted that watching television is increasingly only one of the uses of the living room screen, with online video and gaming taking some of the time.
Understanding how and where audiences consume content will be critical for shaping future strategies in an increasingly fragmented media landscape.
IPA TouchPoints, founded in 2005, covers the cross-media, cross-device daily habits and media usage of adults in the United Kingdom, based on a sample of nearly 6,500 people aged over 15.