The post More Americans Are Trying to Cut Screen Time, but the U.S. Is Not Exactly Going Offline first appeared on Crafting Your Home.
A growing number of Americans say they want to spend less time looking at screens, but the country is not leaving digital life behind.
Instead, the shift appears to be about creating more balance. Many people are becoming more intentional about how they use technology, choosing when to disconnect while still relying on digital tools for everyday activities.
A YouGov survey found that 53% of U.S. adults said they would like to reduce their screen time, while 36% said they had intentionally tried to reduce it during the previous 12 months.
The trend is especially noticeable among younger adults. Among people under 30, 69% said they wanted to reduce screen time, compared with 48% of older adults.
Why people are rethinking their relationship with screens
The conversation around “going offline” is growing, but the reality is more complicated.
Rather than a complete move away from technology, the available research points to people trying to make more deliberate choices about when and how they use screens.
That can include spending time on offline activities, taking breaks from certain digital habits, or making room for hobbies that do not involve a phone or computer.
However, the evidence does not show that Americans are broadly abandoning the internet. The strongest data measures people’s attitudes toward screen use and their self-reported efforts to cut back, not a nationwide move away from digital life.
Younger adults are leading the push to cut back
Younger Americans appear to be among the groups most interested in reducing screen time.
The YouGov survey found that 69% of adults under 30 wanted to reduce their screen time, compared with 48% of older adults. It also found that 47% of adults under 30 said they had intentionally tried to reduce screen time in the previous year, compared with 32% of older adults.
These numbers show interest in changing digital habits, but they do not mean younger generations are leaving technology behind. The available evidence does not support claims that Gen Z is abandoning the internet or social media at a large scale.
Screens are still part of everyday life
Even as some people try to reduce their screen use, digital platforms remain deeply connected to daily routines.
In the same YouGov survey, 57% of Americans said they spend at least five hours a day looking at screens. Among adults under 30, 32% reported spending more than nine hours a day on screens. These figures are based on respondents’ estimates rather than device-tracked measurements.
Teen screen use also remains significant. Data from the CDC’s National Center for Health Statistics found that 50.4% of U.S. teens ages 12 to 17 had four or more hours of weekday screen time outside of schoolwork, based on data collected from July 2021 through December 2023.
At the same time, social media remains widely used. Pew Research Center found that 84% of U.S. adults reported using YouTube and 71% reported using Facebook in a 2025 survey, with about half saying they used each platform daily.
Related: Are Boomers the New Screen Generation? 10 Ways Technology Is Changing Life After 60
Offline hobbies are gaining attention
The interest in stepping away from screens has also helped bring attention to activities that happen away from phones and computers.
Reports have highlighted growing interest in phone-free events, analog hobbies, “dumbphones,” retreats, and local gatherings focused on reducing screen use. However, these examples show cultural interest rather than proof of a nationwide movement.
For many people, the change may not mean completely disconnecting. Instead, it may mean making more space for activities such as reading, crafting, hobbies, or spending time with others without screens.
Related: 8 Relaxing Hobbies to Reduce Stress and Anxiety
What comes next
The conversation around screen time is likely to continue as people look for ways to balance digital convenience with offline experiences.
The current research suggests that Americans are not simply turning away from technology. Instead, many are trying to be more intentional about their relationship with screens while remaining connected to digital services they use every day.
For local communities, this shift may increase interest in activities, spaces, and events that encourage people to spend time away from screens—while still recognizing that digital tools remain a major part of modern life.
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