The scale of online video

Online video is now central to daily digital life. From short vertical clips to long livestreams and full episodes, billions of people press play every day. Usage is not only widespread but also diverse: videos are watched on websites, inside apps, on smartphones, tablets, smart TVs, and even during commutes with the sound off.

Who is watching and how often

Streaming and downloading video is mainstream. In 2023 more than 3 billion internet users watched video at least once per month, which is roughly 40 percent of the world population. Daily engagement varies by country but can reach well above 60 percent in some markets. YouTube alone had about 2.7 billion monthly active users by mid 2025 and more than 1 billion hours watched per day globally.

Mobile dominance

Mobile viewing accounts for the lion's share of video plays. Industry data places the share of plays on mobile anywhere between 57 and 75 percent, with many reports centering around roughly three out of every four views happening on phones or tablets. Platforms such as TikTok, Instagram Reels, and YouTube Shorts drive this behavior by optimizing for vertical, swipe-friendly formats. Even long-form streaming is increasingly consumed on mobile as connectivity improves.

Websites still matter

Despite app growth, a large portion of video consumption happens through web browsers on desktops and mobile web. Desktop and laptop web views remain dominant in many regions, while mobile web continues to grow, reflecting that websites are still important channels for video alongside native apps.

Volume of daily views

YouTube drives enormous daily volume, with reports indicating nearly 5 billion video views on the platform each day. Across platforms, billions of video plays occur daily, covering everything from quick clips and vlogs to livestreams and long-form shows.

How long people watch

Average watch time is significant and growing. In the U.S. average daily YouTube viewing rose from about 40 minutes in 2019 to nearly 48 minutes by 2024. Session-level viewing on YouTube typically runs around 40 minutes. Short-form formats also show heavy consumption: the average person may spend more than an hour per day on short clips, and TikTok users can average multiple hours daily.

What formats capture attention

Short-form video is the most engaging format for many users. Around two thirds of consumers say short clips are the most engaging format, and a large share prefer short-form when discovering products or services. Creators still produce a lot of live-action content, with animation and screen recordings following behind, but short-form formats tend to generate higher engagement rates.

Platform landscape

YouTube remains the largest video platform by reach, with broad appeal across ages and content types. TikTok has surged in popularity, especially with younger audiences, and generates substantial ad revenue and engagement. Instagram Reels serves brands that want to tie video into visual campaigns. Choice of platform depends on whether the goal is engagement, reach, or integration with a brand ecosystem.

Livestreaming growth

Live streaming reaches a large and growing audience. Roughly 28 percent of internet users watch live streams weekly, and live watch time totals are measured in billions of hours per quarter. The livestreaming market value and viewing hours have expanded rapidly, with strong regional growth in Asia and Latin America.

Virality and muted viewing habits

True virality is rare. Only a small fraction of videos posted to major social platforms ever go viral, sometimes estimated at around 1 percent. At the same time, muted viewing is the norm: studies show the vast majority of video views happen without sound, particularly on mobile and in public settings. That makes captions and strong visual storytelling essential for capturing attention.

What the numbers imply

Taken together, these statistics show that video is not a niche medium but a core part of how people use the internet. Mobile-first habits, short-form engagement, rising livestreaming, and silent consumption are defining how content creators and platforms design video experiences today.