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U.S. teens’ reported weekly use of virtual-reality devices rose from 10% in Fall 2023 to 13% in Spring 2024, while reported ownership edged up from 31% to 33%. The figures come from Piper Sandler’s Spring 2024 Taking Stock With Teens survey. That is a real increase, but three percentage points is a modest rebound—not proof that VR had become mainstream among teenagers.
What did Piper Sandler’s survey find?
The Spring 2024 edition of Piper Sandler’s biannual Taking Stock With Teens survey tracked U.S. teenagers’ technology, media, brand and spending preferences. Contemporary reporting on the survey reported two separate VR measures: ownership and weekly use.
| Measure | Fall 2023 | Spring 2024 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Teens reporting that they own a VR device | 31% | 33% | +2 percentage points |
| Teens reporting weekly VR use | 10% | 13% | +3 percentage points |
The figures are self-reported survey results, not headset sales or device-usage telemetry. The comparisons were reported by 9to5Mac and Marketing Charts in April 2024.
Ownership is not the same as regular use
The 33% figure means respondents reported owning a device; it does not mean a third used VR regularly. The weekly-use figure—13%—is the clearer indicator of routine engagement. An owned headset might be shared in a household, used occasionally, or left unused.
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Why “spike” overstates the change
Weekly use rose by three percentage points from its Fall 2023 level. Calling that a 30% relative rise is mathematically possible, but it can make a small baseline change sound much larger. “Modest rebound” better conveys what the survey measured: a return from the previous fall’s lower reading, not a sudden transformation in teen habits.
Secondary reporting places weekly use at about 14% in Spring 2023, which would put Spring 2024’s 13% below that earlier level. Because the earlier comparison is not established here by an original Piper Sandler trend table, it should be treated cautiously rather than as a definitive record-high series. The Spring 2024 finding alone does not establish a sustained upward trend.
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Did Apple Vision Pro cause the increase?
No causal link was demonstrated. The survey result came shortly after Apple Vision Pro became available in the United States in February 2024, so the launch may have raised awareness of spatial computing. But the survey did not test whether Vision Pro changed teen behavior, and the timing alone cannot show that it drove the increase.
Nor does the ownership result show that many teens had Vision Pro. The reported figures cover VR devices broadly; they do not identify which models respondents owned. Contemporary coverage raised a possible connection to Apple’s launch, but presented it as speculation, not a survey finding (9to5Mac).
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How does the finding compare with Pew’s survey?
Pew Research Center reported that 24% of U.S. teens said they played video games on a VR headset. Its survey included 1,453 teens ages 13–17 and was fielded from September 26 to October 23, 2023; the results were published in May 2024. Pew’s question concerned gaming on a headset, not ownership or weekly use across all activities (Pew Research Center; see also its survey topline).
The 24% and 13% figures are not contradictory measurements of the same thing. They come from different surveys, field dates and questions: a teen who has played a VR game need not use a headset weekly, while Piper Sandler’s weekly-use measure is not limited to gaming. Neither figure should be used as a direct trend line for the other.
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What are teens doing in VR?
Pew’s result specifically concerns video games. The available reporting on Piper Sandler’s Spring 2024 figures does not provide a detailed breakdown of teen activities, so it cannot establish what share used VR for gaming, social spaces, fitness, creative apps or video. Those are possible uses, not measured explanations for the increase.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.What the numbers mean for parents considering a headset
The survey is evidence of some teen interest, not a guarantee that a particular teenager will use a headset often. Historical reporting has also illustrated the gap that can exist between owning VR equipment and using it frequently: a 2022 report cited 26% teen ownership and 5% daily use. Those older figures are context only, not an estimate of current use (Security.org).
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Before buying, consider the factors that determine whether a headset fits your household:
- Age and account rules: Check the manufacturer’s age guidance and account requirements for the specific device and apps.
- Social features: If a teen will use voice chat or social VR, review who can contact them, how to block or report users, and what supervision tools are available.
- Privacy and purchases: Review settings for voice, cameras, hand tracking, account data and spending. Common Sense Media’s VR privacy report compares privacy and child-protection considerations across products.
- Fit and comfort: Weight, facial fit, lens adjustment, glasses compatibility and heat can affect how long a headset is comfortable to wear.
- Physical space: Set up a clear play area and supervise active games where appropriate. Boundary features can help, but do not remove collision risks.
- Content and repeat use: Check whether the available games and apps suit the teen, and whether multiplayer experiences work with friends’ platforms. Setup, charging and a limited selection of appealing content can make a headset less convenient to use.
- Total cost and returns: Account for games, accessories and any subscriptions, and check the retailer’s current return policy in case the fit or content is not right.
These are practical considerations, not outcomes measured by Piper Sandler. The survey does not establish medical effects of headset use; follow product guidance and take discomfort seriously.
Does this signal a broader VR revival?
The teen survey is a narrow, dated snapshot, not a measure of the whole VR market. A 2026 EMARKETER analysis described a core VR user base, driven substantially by Meta Quest, but said growth had tapered and cited comfort, session friction, limited everyday uses and content fit as continuing barriers. Its forecast of 3.8% growth in virtual-technology users in 2026 uses a broader category that includes immersive content accessed through headsets, computers, phones and other devices—not just dedicated VR headsets (EMARKETER analysis; forecast and methodology).
That wider context is consistent with a limited conclusion: interest among teens can tick up even while comfort, convenience and useful content remain obstacles to broader adoption. The Piper Sandler result shows a small rebound in reported weekly use in Spring 2024, not that VR had become an everyday technology for most teens.
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