BONN (dpa-AFX) - Internet usage in Germany has decreased noticeably compared to the previous year. According to the latest representative 'Postbank Digital Study 2026', the population now spends an average of 67.4 hours per week online. This represents a drop of approximately five hours compared to 2025. This trend is primarily driven by a shift in behavior among those under 40, who are deliberately scaling back their online activities, particularly on smartphones.
The smartphone remains by far the most critical gateway to the digital world, with 86 percent of the population using it for internet access. However, screen time is declining here as well: weekly mobile usage fell from 25.7 to 23.9 hours.
Digital natives long for offline mode
Digital fatigue is particularly pronounced among those under 40, a generation often characterized as 'always-on'. Although they remain the heaviest users, spending over 80 hours per week online, their smartphone-only time dropped by three hours year-on-year to 31 hours per week.
Nearly one in three people under 40 (31 percent) plans to further restrict their private internet usage over the next twelve months. Across all age groups, 17 percent express a desire to cut back on their time spent offline. David Dommel, Head of Digital Performance Marketing at Postbank, explains this development: 'Mobile internet access is firmly integrated into the daily routines of Germans. However, young people in particular want to be offline at times. This is especially true for mobile phones, given their ubiquitous availability.'
Less social media, more time for real life
But what do people intend to do with their reclaimed time? The responses reveal a deep yearning for the analog. 41 percent of those wishing to reduce their online time simply want more time for other pursuits such as family, friends, or hobbies. For 38 percent, the primary motivation is to be less distracted in their daily lives. Negative health impacts (36 percent) and the desire for better concentration (33 percent) are also central motives for the digital retreat.
'People in Germany are becoming more conscious in distinguishing between essential and superfluous online activities,' said Dommel. While useful everyday tools like online banking remain stable with over 50 percent usage, 'time-wasters' are losing their appeal. Regular use of social media channels such as Instagram or TikTok fell significantly from 71 percent last year to 64 percent. Messenger services and YouTube viewership also saw slight declines.
Artificial Intelligence as a new magnet
Despite the falling usage figures, the Postbank study does not signal a final swan song for the internet. The web remains indispensable in the workplace, where professionals spend an average of 2.8 hours daily online, primarily via notebooks and desktop PCs. Furthermore, a new driver has emerged with the potential to push screen time back up: Artificial Intelligence.
Despite the need for greater balance, openness to new technologies remains high. Among respondents who intend to use the internet more heavily in the future, AI is by far the most significant reason, cited by 56 percent. Already, 38 percent of Germans use AI tools like ChatGPT for targeted information searches.
For the 'Postbank Digital Study 2026', 3,050 people were surveyed between April and May of this year. To ensure a structure representative of the population, the sample was weighted by federal state, age, and gender. The 2022 microcensus from the Federal Statistical Office was used as a reference for comparison./chd/DP/jha
