Statistics
Partner phone snooping & privacy statistics (2026)
How many people look through their partner's phone, who does it, whether it's seen as OK, and how couples share passwords. Sourced from Pew Research Center.
Phones hold our most private photos and messages, and they often sit within reach of the person we live with. These figures come from Pew Research Center's nationally representative surveys of U.S. adults.
How many people look through their partner's phone?
About one in three partnered adults (married, living together or in a committed relationship) say they have looked through their current partner's phone without that person knowing.
- Women are more likely than men to have done it: 42% vs. 25%.[1]
Is it OK to look through a partner's phone?
Most Americans say no, but a sizable minority say it's sometimes acceptable.
- Women are more likely than men to say it's at least sometimes acceptable: 35% vs. 24%.[1]
- 33% of adults under 65 say it's at least sometimes acceptable, vs. 16% of those 65 and older.[1]
How many couples share passwords?
- In 2013, 67% of partnered internet users had shared the password to at least one online account with their partner.[2]
- In 2013, 27% shared an email account with their partner, 11% shared a social media profile and 11% shared an online calendar.[2]
Phones, jealousy and distraction
- 51% of partnered adults say their partner is at least sometimes distracted by their phone when they try to talk to them; 16% say it happens often.[1]
- 23% of partnered adults whose partner uses social media have felt jealous or unsure about their relationship because of it. That rises to 34% among 18–29-year-olds.[1]
- Women are more likely than men to report this jealousy: 29% vs. 17%.[1]
- 53% of social media users have used it to check up on a former partner, including 70% of those aged 18–29.[1]
- In 2013, 25% of partnered cellphone owners said their partner was distracted by their phone when together.[2]
FAQ
What percentage of people snoop on their partner's phone?
34% of partnered U.S. adults say they have looked through their partner's phone without their knowledge (Pew Research Center, 2020). Among 18–29-year-olds it's 52%.
Do couples share phone passwords?
Yes, most do: 75% of partnered U.S. adults have shared their cellphone password with their partner (Pew Research Center, 2020).
Can I use these statistics?
Yes. This page and its charts are licensed CC BY 4.0. Please link to this page as the source.
Use these statistics
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Sources
- Pew Research Center, “Dating and Relationships in the Digital Age”, May 8, 2020. Survey of 4,860 U.S. adults, Oct. 16–28, 2019. www.pewresearch.org
- Pew Research Center, “Couples, the Internet, and Social Media”, Feb. 11, 2014. Survey of 2,252 U.S. adults, Apr. 17–May 19, 2013. www.pewresearch.org
Figures are reported as published by each source; surveys differ in year, country and wording, so compare with care. Spot an error? Email us and we'll fix it.