Australian Internet Usage – Digital Behaviour Statistics (2026)
Australia operates a fully mature digital market. Growth in 2026 occurs through depth of usage, platform behaviour and technology adoption — not from increased connectivity.
Australia Digital Overview (2026)
Overview
- Population: 27 million
- Internet users: 26.3 million
- Internet penetration:97.4%
- Median age:38
- Average daily online time: 6 hours 8 minutes
- Mobile connections: 34.8 million (129% of population)
Internet penetration has been stable above 97% since 2023. Infrastructure performance and usage patterns determine outcomes rather than access expansion.
Internet Usage by Age Group (2026)
| Age Group | Daily Online Time | Primary Activities | Device Preference |
|---|---|---|---|
| 16-24 | 7h 18m |
|
Mobile (89%) |
| 25-34 | 7h 12m |
|
Mobile (76%) |
| 35-44 | 6h 34m |
|
Mixed (58% mobile) |
| 45-54 | 5h 47m |
|
Mixed (52% desktop) |
| 55-64 | 5h 12m |
|
Desktop (54%) |
| 65+ | 4h 23m |
|
Desktop (61%) |
Usage duration correlates inversely with age. Device preference shifts from mobile-dominant to desktop-dominant after age 45.
Mobile Internet Performance (2026)
Connection statistics:
- Total mobile connections: 34.8 million
- Median mobile download speed: 114 Mbps
- Median fixed broadband speed: 89 Mbps
- Mobile internet access (16+): 97.6%
Mobile download speeds increased 10.3% year-over-year. Fixed broadband speeds increased 14.2%. The gap between mobile and fixed speeds continues to narrow but remains commercially significant for data-intensive applications.
Device Usage & Screen Time (2026)
Time spent by device type:
- Mobile: 51.3% of online time
- Desktop/laptop: 42.1% of online time
- Tablet: 6.6% of online time
Mobile overtook desktop as the primary internet access device in 2021. The shift has stabilised rather than accelerated. Desktop remains dominant for commercial transactions, detailed research and content creation.
Search Engine Market Share (Australia, 2026)
| Search Engine | Desktop Share | Mobile Share | Combined Share |
|---|---|---|---|
| 93.2% | 94.8% | 94.1% | |
| Bing | 4.8% | 3.1% | 3.8% |
| DuckDuckGo | 1.1% | 0.9% | 1.0% |
| Yahoo | 0.6% | 0.7% | 0.7% |
| Other | 0.3% | 0.5% | 0.4% |
Google’s market share remains stable at 94%. Alternative search engines have not gained material traction in Australia. Search volume distribution matters more than engine selection for commercial purposes.
Search Behaviour Patterns (2026)
Query characteristics
- Average queries per user per day: 3.8
- Mobile search queries: 67% of total volume
- Voice search queries: 22% of mobile searches
- Zero-click searches: ~58% (no outbound click)
Zero-click search results have increased from 51% in 2023. Google’s AI Overviews and featured snippets reduce organic click-through rates. Branded searches maintain higher click-through rates than generic queries.
Voice Search & AI Assistants (2026)
Voice search adoption
- Regular voice search users: 23% of Australians
- Mobile voice search usage: 29%
- Smart speaker ownership: 31% of households
- Commercial voice transactions: <3% of total
Voice search usage has grown modestly but remains predominantly informational rather than transactional. Voice commands are used primarily for music playback, weather, timers and basic queries rather than purchase activity.
AI Search Tools Adoption (2026)
AI search platform awareness and usage
- ChatGPT awareness: 76%
- ChatGPT monthly usage: 31%
- Google AI Overview encounters: 64%
- Perplexity AI usage: 7%
AI search tools are used primarily for research, summarisation and learning rather than as replacements for traditional search. Commercial intent queries remain concentrated in traditional search engines.
Integration between AI tools and traditional search is occurring but has not shifted user behaviour materially. Search volume through Google has remained stable despite AI tool growth.
Video Content Consumption (2026)
Platform usage for video
- YouTube: Used by 92% of internet users
- Netflix: 67%
- Stan: 31%
- Disney+: 28%
- TikTok: 52% (18+ basis)
YouTube maintains its position as Australia’s most-used online platform. Average daily YouTube usage: 47 minutes per user. Video content accounts for approximately 73% of internet traffic in Australia.
E-commerce & Digital Transactions
Online shopping behaviour
- Regular online shoppers: 91% of adults
- Monthly online purchases: 2.9 per person
- Mobile purchase completion: 73%
- Payment method preference: Card (61%), Digital wallet (23%), BNPL (11%)
E-commerce infrastructure is mature. Growth occurs through frequency and category expansion rather than shopper acquisition. Delivery expectations have stabilised at 3-5 business days for standard shipping.
News & Information Consumption
Primary news sources
- Social media: 48%
- News websites/apps: 42%
- Television: 38%
- Print newspapers: 11%
- Radio: 9%
Social media is the most common news discovery channel, but not the primary trusted source. News websites remain the dominant source for detailed coverage. Younger demographics (16-34) rely heavily on social platforms for news discovery.
Messaging & Communication Platforms
Most-used messaging platforms
- WhatsApp: 42% regular usage
- Facebook Messenger: 67% regular usage
- iMessage: 52% (iOS users)
- SMS: 89% (declining frequency)
- Telegram: 8%
Messaging platforms increasingly function as customer service channels. Response time expectations on messaging platforms are significantly shorter than email (under 30 minutes vs 24 hours).
Gaming & Interactive Entertainment
Online gaming participation
- Regular gamers: 47% of internet users
- Mobile gaming: 68% of gamers
- Console/PC gaming: 51% of gamers
- In-game purchases: 34% of gamers
Gaming is mainstream entertainment rather than niche activity. Average weekly gaming time: 8.4 hours. Women represent 48% of the gaming population in Australia.
Privacy & Data Security Concerns
Consumer behaviour
- Use ad blockers: 38%
- Clear cookies regularly: 31%
- Concerned about data privacy: 74%
- Read privacy policies: 18%
Privacy concern is high but behavioural change is moderate. Convenience consistently outweighs privacy concerns in platform selection and usage. Cookie consent fatigue has reduced attention to data collection notices.
Internet Speed & Infrastructure Performance
Connection performance (2026)
- Median fixed download: 89 Mbps
- Median fixed upload: 22 Mbps
- Median mobile download: 114 Mbps
- Median mobile upload: 18 Mbps
- Median fixed latency: 9ms
NBN remains the primary fixed broadband infrastructure. 5G mobile coverage reaches 85% of the population. Regional speed disparities persist but have narrowed. Speed is no longer a constraint for most commercial applications in metropolitan areas.
Work & Productivity Patterns
Remote work statistics
- Hybrid/remote workers: 42% of workforce
- Daily video conference usage: 38%
- Cloud storage adoption: 81%
- Project management tools: 47%
Remote and hybrid work arrangements have stabilised after pandemic-era peaks. Video conferencing is standard infrastructure. Productivity software adoption is high but tool consolidation is occurring as organisations reduce platform sprawl.
What Has Not Changed
Google maintains a dominant search position with minimal competitive pressure. Mobile usage continues to grow incrementally, but the mobile-first transition is complete. YouTube remains Australia’s most consistently used platform across demographics. Email remains the primary channel for commercial communication and confirmation. Desktop maintains conversion advantages for complex transactions despite mobile’s volume dominance
Digital Landscape Considerations for 2026
Internet connectivity is infrastructure rather than a differentiator. Platform selection and content quality determine reach and engagement outcomes. Voice search requires natural language optimisation, but has not displaced text-based search. AI tools supplement rather than replace traditional search behaviour. Zero-click search results require stronger brand presence and alternative traffic strategies. Mobile experience quality directly impacts conversion performance across all age groups.
Methodology & Data Notes (2026)
This article consolidates Australian internet usage and digital behaviour data from:
- National telecommunications performance reporting
- Platform advertising reach disclosures
- Industry-standard digital reports used by Australian media agencies
- Search engine analytics providers
Figures represent usage patterns observed in late 2025 for 2026 planning purposes. Statistics are normalised to reflect Australian users aged 16+ where applicable. Market share data is based on aggregated usage rather than self-reported preference.
