7 hours a day, age 25, life expectancy 80
About 16 years on screens, 43.8% of waking hours.
Screen time calculator
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Your daily screen time stays the same for the rest of your life, and life expectancy is the figure you enter. Screen time here means leisure and phone time you could choose to change; leave work screens out if you only want that.
hours
hours
Years left on screens
16.0 years
7 hours a day for the next 55 years adds up to 16.0 years, or 43.8% of your waking time.
- Of waking hours
- 43.8%
- Hours a year
- 2,557
- Days a year
- 106.5
- Years remaining
- 55
What cutting back gives you back
| Change | New daily time | Years back | Days back |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cut 1 hour a day | 6.0 h | 2.3 years | 837 days |
| Cut 2 hours a day | 5.0 h | 4.6 years | 1,674 days |
| Cut 3 hours a day | 4.0 h | 6.9 years | 2,511 days |
| Cut 4 hours a day | 3.0 h | 9.2 years | 3,348 days |
| Cut 5 hours a day | 2.0 h | 11.5 years | 4,185 days |
| Cut 6 hours a day | 1.0 h | 13.8 years | 5,022 days |
What daily screen time adds up to
A few hours a day does not sound like much, but it adds up. This calculator multiplies your daily screen time across the years you have left and shows the total in years.
Take a 25-year-old who spends 7 hours a day on screens and expects to live to 80. That is 55 years × 7 ÷ 24 = about 16 years of screen time. With 8 hours of sleep, 7 of the 16 waking hours, or 43.8%, go to screens.
Small changes are big in this light. Cutting one hour a day for the same 55 years gives back about 2.3 years. The table shows the gain for each hour you cut, up to six.
Not all screen time is equal. Video calls with family, online classes and reading count the same here as scrolling. Use the number as a nudge to choose, not as a judgement. Your phone's own screen time report gives the most accurate daily figure to start from.
Sources
What this calculator does not account for
- Assumes the same daily time for life.
- Does not separate useful from idle screen time.
How this is calculated
Formula: Lifetime screen time
years on screens =(life expectancy − age) × daily hours ÷ 24What the symbols mean
- daily hoursYour average screen time a day.
- life expectancy − ageThe years you have left, on the figure you enter.
Good to know
- Share of waking time = daily hours ÷ (24 − sleep hours).
- To see your exact age in days, use the age calculator.
Read the full methodologyFound an error? Contact us
Worked examples
Each example is worked out by the same code as the calculator above.
Cut 1 hour a day
About 2.3 years back.
Embed this calculator
The frame shows the tool only.
<iframe src="/embed/screen-time-calculator" title="Screen time" width="100%" height="720" style="border:0;max-width:42rem" loading="lazy"></iframe>Questions
How much of my life will I spend on my phone?
At 7 hours a day from age 25 to 80, about 16 years. That is 43.8% of waking time with 8 hours of sleep.
What is the average screen time a day?
Global surveys of internet users put it at about 6 to 7 hours a day across all devices, with phones the largest part.
How much time do I save by cutting one hour a day?
From 25 to 80, one hour less a day gives back about 2.3 years.
Does work screen time count?
Count whatever you want to measure. Many people leave out work screens and track only leisure and phone time.
How do I check my screen time?
On iPhone, go to Settings > Screen Time. On Android, look for Digital Wellbeing in Settings.