Global Day of Unplugging: Can you put down your phone for 24 hours?

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FILE - People are off their phones as they take a yoga class on a rooftop in New York CIty (Photo by Alexi Rosenfeld/Getty Images)

The world is invited to put down their phones and replace screen time with face time as part of the 17th annual Global Day of Unplugging. 

Here’s what to know about the day of human connection. 

Global Day of Unplugging 2026

Timeline:

The Global Day of Unplugging happens during the first weekend of March every year. 

The Global Day of Unplugging website describes it as a "worldwide 24-hour digital pause where people and communities power down devices and power on real-world connection."

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What they're saying:

"Whether you unplug for one hour or the full 24, solo or with a group, this is your chance to step into a global moment of authentic human connection," the website states. GDU ’26 is a collective pause to step out of the doomscroll, reconnect face to face and return to shared third spaces, practice presence, and remember what brings us back to one another."

Organizers stress that the official day of unplugging is part of a bigger year-round program to help with people’s "digital wellbeing."

What you can do:

From March 6-7, participants are encouraged to host or join a GDU gathering, and also add a pin to the "Unplug Map."

Research study

This year’s Global Day of Unplugging coincides with the launch of a coordinated research study to "better understand what happens when people gather offline, on purpose."

"At a time when digital connection is constant and physical presence is increasingly rare, the study examines how phone-free, in-person Gatherings relate to experiences of connection, belonging, loneliness, social support, and overall life satisfaction following GDU," the website says. 

The loneliness epidemic

Dig deeper:

Loneliness – which is different from being alone or isolated – has been increasingly linked to heart attacks, strokes, dementia and other poor health outcomes. The U.S. Surgeon General declared loneliness a health epidemic in 2023 and said it’s as deadly as smoking a dozen cigarettes a day.

Research shows that Americans, who have become less engaged with worship houses, community organizations and even their own family members in recent decades, have steadily reported an increase in feelings of loneliness. The number of single households has also doubled over the last 60 years.