Screen time calculator

See how much time your screen use adds up to, and how much time a small cut would free up.

Your details

Screen time for fun a day
Hours awake a day
Minutes a day you could cut
Phone pick ups a day (optional)
Whose screen time?
Phone or tablet at night
Hours a day you would like to get to (optional)

Your phone's screen time settings show your real daily average. Leave out work and study.

4.0 hours a day on screens for fun

61

whole days a year

  • UK guideno set daily limit for adults: what screens push out matters more
  • Share of your waking day25%
  • A week28 h
  • Cut 30 minutes a day and you get back182 h 38 min a year
  • Down to 0.0 hours a daytrimming 30 minutes a day more each week takes about 8 weeks, by 16 December 2026, and gives back 28 h a week
  • Phone at nightused at bedtime: in Carter 2016, 2.17 times the odds of sleeping too little and 2.72 times the odds of daytime sleepiness (that research was in young people, but the advice suits adults too)
  • Phone pick upsadd the count from your phone settings to see the gap between them

There is no official UK daily screen limit. When the UK Chief Medical Officers looked at the research in 2019, it was not conclusive enough to set one. The clearest link is with sleep, so a charging spot outside the bedroom is a simple win.

If screen time is tied up with feeling low or anxious, or you cannot cut down when wanted, talk to your GP. Samaritans are there day or night on 116 123.

Pick ups

How often you reach for the phone

Most phones count pick ups in their screen time settings. Add the number and the result shows the average gap between them through your waking day, and how much a quarter fewer would stretch it. Turning off non urgent notifications is the easiest way to lengthen the gaps.

The working

4 hours a day

Four hours over 365.25 days is 1,461 hours, or about 61 whole days a year. That is a quarter of a 16 hour waking day. Cutting 30 minutes a day gives back about 183 hours a year.

Is there a limit?

What the evidence says

There is no official UK daily screen limit. In 2019 the UK Chief Medical Officers looked at the research for children and young people and found it was not conclusive enough to set one; there is none for adults either. Their advice points to what screens can push out, such as sleep, being active and family time, and suggests leaving phones outside the bedroom at bedtime. That works for grown ups too.

For under 5s there is a guide: the WHO (2019) suggests no sitting screen time under 2, apart from video calls, and up to an hour a day at 2 to 4, with less being better.

Sleep

The bedroom is the clearest link

A 2016 review of 20 studies of 125,198 children (Carter, JAMA Pediatrics) found that using a phone or tablet at bedtime went with 2.17 times the odds of too little sleep, 1.46 times the odds of poor sleep and 2.72 times the odds of daytime sleepiness. Even having one in the room without using it went with 1.79 times the odds of too little sleep. That is why the CMOs suggest charging phones outside the bedroom.

Easy wins

Small swaps

  • Charge your phone outside the bedroom
  • Turn off non urgent notifications
  • Put a time limit on the apps you lose time in
  • Swap one scroll session for a walk

A gentle plan

Getting to your own target

Big cuts rarely stick. Add the hours a day you would like to reach, and we take the minutes you could cut as a step each week: from 4 hours to 2 at 30 minutes a week takes 4 weeks, and gives back 14 hours a week. Swap the time for something you enjoy, such as a walk, a call with a friend or a book, rather than leaving a gap.

Read with care

What this cannot tell you

  • Say how much is too muchThere is no official daily limit.
  • Tell good screen time from badA video call with family is not the same as doomscrolling.
  • Replace a health visitorFor a young child's routine, your health visitor or school nurse can help.

Questions

Common questions

How much screen time is too much for adults?

There is no official UK limit for adults or children. The UK CMOs found the research on young people not conclusive enough to set one, so look at what screens push out, like sleep and activity.

Do screens affect sleep?

They can. The NHS sleep advice includes putting your phone away before bed.

How do I check my screen time?

Both iPhone and Android show a daily average in their settings.

What should I do with the time back?

Anything you enjoy. A short walk, a chat or an earlier night are all good swaps.

Sources

Last checked 21 October 2026. Spotted something wrong? Tell us and we will fix it.

If screens feel out of control

If you feel you cannot cut down, or screen use is affecting your sleep, mood or relationships, talk to your GP. If you are struggling, you can call Samaritans free on 116 123 or text SHOUT to 85258.

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