The top phone habit a fifth of adults want to kick in 2026 is taking up storage with duplicate or un-needed photos.
A poll of 2,000 smartphone owners found 47 per cent want to cut their mobile use down this year.
Among the top 25 habits people want to break were scrolling until they fall asleep, constantly checking for notifications and never cleaning their device.
Others admit to browsing on the loo, opening social media as soon as they wake up and using their device during mealtimes, all of which are behaviours they want to cut out.
The research was commissioned by giffgaff and found the average person spends three hours a day on their device, while Gen Z’s spend more than five.
And almost a third (31 per cent) of respondents admitted to checking their phone within 10 minutes of waking up every day, with a further 30 per cent doing so most days.
Kicking off the new year, users want to adopt positive behaviours including deleting unused apps regularly (30 per cent) and setting daily screen time limits (15 per cent).
Leaving devices in a bag or pocket so they can be ‘in the moment’ and avoiding carrying it around the house, specifically to the bathroom, are other healthy patterns people are keen to live by.
A spokesperson for giffgaff said: “Our mobiles are an everyday essential, they are our wallets, cameras, maps and play host to many of life’s biggest moments so it’s hard to imagine not using them.
“But it's clear people are keen to use their phone to keep on top of more positive habits like clearing their storage.
“We’re a photo obsessed nation, shown by the top habit people want to kick, as well as the fact duplicate photos take up space which could be used for other things, making some small changes this year could have a big impact.
“Whether that’s screen-free time, sorting through apps and photos each month or leaving our phones in a different room.”
The research also found almost a quarter (23 per cent) have tried a digital detox, but for 18 per cent of them it lasted less than a day.
Despite 62 per cent admitting they couldn’t live without their phone, one in 10 plan to or have already switched to a dumbphone which has no access to the internet or apps.
But 36 per cent would struggle to take videos or photos without their device, while 23 per cent wouldn’t even know what time it is and 22 per cent wouldn’t be able to pay for things.
Apps phone users would most like a break from are Facebook (26 per cent), Instagram (18 per cent) and TikTok (14 per cent).
Similarly, 37 per cent of all those polled via OnePoll.com reckoned they spend too much time on social media, while this more than double for Gen Zs alone (77 per cent).
Data is impacted by habits, as 11 per cent admitted they never have enough space on their phone and more than one in 20 (seven per cent) often run out before the end of the month.
giffgaff has partnered with behavioural psychologist, Jo Hemmings, to help Brits improve their phone habits this year, she said: “Our devices tap into the need for connection, reassurance, and reward and every notification offers the promise of something important.
“Our brains learn to stay on high alert and this constant state of readiness fragments our attention and pulls us out of the present moment.
“Instead of using our phones as helpful tools, many of us find ourselves responding automatically - checking before we’ve even decided why.
“When we reclaim that sense of choice, we don’t just change our phone habits; we improve our focus, our relationships, and our overall sense of wellbeing.”
JO HEMMING'S TOP TIPS FOR USING A PHONE MINDFULLY:
1. Delay the morning and night scroll
Avoid checking your phone for the first 20–30 minutes after waking and the same before you go to sleep. This helps your brain start the day and the night on your terms, rather than reacting to external demands.
2. Turn off non-essential notifications
If everything feels urgent, nothing truly is. Reducing alerts lowers stress and helps you distinguish between what’s important and what’s simply habitual. Often the urge is driven by boredom or anxiety rather than genuine need.
3. Create phone-free moments
Meals, conversations, and bedtime are ideal opportunities to be fully present. Even small boundaries send a powerful signal to your brain that you’re in control.
4. Use technology to manage technology
Screen-time trackers and focus modes aren’t about restriction - they’re about awareness. Noticing patterns and acknowledging them is the first step to changing them.
5. Reconnect with the offline world
Replace some screen time with activities that ground you - walking, reading, talking or exercise. Your nervous system will thank you.
TOP 25 PHONE HABITS PEOPLE WANT TO KICK IN 2026
1. Duplicated or un-needed photos taking up storage
2. Taking my phone to bed and scrolling until I fall asleep
3. Never cleaning my phone
4. Constantly checking for notifications even when none are there
5. Opening social media as soon as I wake up
6. Forgetting or taking ages to reply to messages
7. Downloading apps I never use
8. Checking my phone during conversations
9. Scrolling on the toilet
10. Using my phone to tell the time and then getting distracted, instead of just wearing a watch
11. Using my phone during meals instead of focusing on food or company
12. Spending hours on short-form video platforms
13. Never having enough space on my phone
14. Obsessively checking delivery tracking updates
15. Refreshing news apps multiple times a day
16. Using my phone as an alarm and then getting stuck scrolling
17. Ignoring screen time warnings
18. Buying things impulsively through shopping apps
19. Using my phone while walking and bumping into things
20. Replying to work emails late at night
21. Recording everything instead of enjoying the moment
22. Constantly comparing my life to influencers online
23. Streaming movies or long videos which hoover up my data
24. Looking at ex partners’ profiles on social media
25. Watching pornography
