How much time do people spend on smartphones in the UK? Which devices dominate, and how does usage vary by age? We analyzed the latest Ofcom data to answer the questions about smartphone usage in Britain.
Time Spent
How Much Time Do UK Adults Spend on Smartphones? (2025)
Smartphones account for 77% of all online time in the UK, up from 75% in 2024. Average time on smartphones was 3 hours 15 minutes per day in 2024.
Women spend 79% of their online time on smartphones, compared to 75% for men.
Computer time is declining across all age groups except those aged 65 and over, where it remained steady at 35 minutes per day.
Sources: Ofcom Online Nations Report 2025, Ipsos iris
Which Age Groups Use Smartphones Most? (2025)
18-24 year olds spend 5 hours 5 minutes on smartphones daily, representing 81% of their online time.
25-34 year olds are the most reliant on smartphones, with 85% of their online time (4 hours 32 minutes) on these devices.
Women aged 25-34 spent 87% of their online time on smartphones in 2024.
Sources: Ofcom Online Nations Report 2025, Ofcom Online Nations Report 2024
App Usage
How Many Apps Do UK Adults Use? (2025)
UK adult smartphone users use an average of 41 apps per month, up from 38 in May 2024 and 36 in 2023.
25-44 year olds are most active with an average of 46 apps used. Those aged 65 and over use the fewest apps at 31, though this is up from 29 in 2024.
18-24 year olds use only 40 apps despite having the highest smartphone time. They concentrate their usage on fewer apps.
Sources: Ofcom Online Nations Report 2025, Ofcom Online Nations Report 2024
Do Men and Women Use Apps Differently? (2025)
Women use an average of 42 apps per month compared to 40 for men. This two-app gender gap has been consistent since 2024.
Women also spend more time on tablets, at 14% of online time (38 minutes) versus 10% for men (26 minutes).
Men dedicate 15% of online time (38 minutes) to computers, compared to 8% for women (21 minutes).
Sources: Ofcom Online Nations Report 2025
iPhone vs Android
What Phones Do People Use in the UK? (2025)
54% of UK smartphone users use Apple iPhone as their primary device. 45% use Android smartphones.
iPhone usage increased from 52% in 2024. Android usage decreased from 47%.
Sources: Ofcom Technology Tracker 2025
Who Uses iPhone vs Android? (2025)
69% of 16-24 year olds use iPhone compared to just 31% on Android. 41% of those aged 65 and over use iPhone, while 57% use Android.
Women are more likely to use iPhone (56%) than men (52%).
AB socio-economic groups favour iPhone at 64% versus 35% Android. DE groups split 45% iPhone versus 53% Android.
Northern Ireland has the highest iPhone usage at 56%, while Wales has the lowest at 50%.
Sources: Ofcom Technology Tracker 2025
Top Apps
What Are the Top Smartphone Apps in the UK? (2025)
WhatsApp is the highest-reaching smartphone app at 92% (up from 91% in 2024). Facebook app reached 82% of UK adult smartphone users.
Google Maps is the third most-used smartphone app with 77% reach. It is used by 72% of iPhone users and 83% of Android users.
Six Alphabet-owned apps rank in the top 10 on Android smartphones. Only two Alphabet apps, Google Maps and YouTube, rank in the iPhone top 10.
Sources: Ofcom Online Nations Report 2025, Ofcom Online Nations Report 2024
How Do Music Apps Compare on iPhone vs Android? (2025)
Apple Music reach is 94% among iPhone users. Spotify reach is 51% among iPhone users.
59% of Android users use any music app, compared to 97% of iPhone users. Spotify is used by 35% of Android users, while Apple Music is used by just 1%.
Apple's pre-installed apps dominate iPhone usage, while Android users have more diverse app choices.
Sources: Ofcom Online Nations Report 2025, Ofcom Online Nations Report 2024
How Does Instagram Differ Between iPhone and Android? (2024)
Instagram reached 80% of iPhone users (ranked 4th) but only 52% of Android users (ranked 12th) in May 2024.
This difference reflects the demographic overlap between iPhone users and Instagram's core audience of younger adults and women.
Sources: Ofcom Online Nations Report 2024
- [Ofcom Online Nations Report 2025](https://www.ofcom.org.uk/siteassets/resources/documents/research-and-data/online-research/online-nation/2025/online-nations-report-2025.pdf)
- [Ofcom Online Nations Report 2024](https://www.ofcom.org.uk/siteassets/resources/documents/research-and-data/online-research/online-nation/2024/online-nation-2024-report.pdf)
- Ofcom Technology Tracker 2025
- Ofcom Technology Tracker 2024
- Ipsos iris