NEW XRA SURVEY FINDS ONE IN FIVE TEENS OWN A VIRTUAL REALITY HEADSET
Washington, D.C. – The XR Association’s 2025 teen survey results give insights regarding teens’ shifting opinions on the future of XR in their lives, the classroom and beyond. Titled “The Next Generation’s Insights on Immersive Tech,” the report found that 63% of teens express growing enthusiasm for XR technology, with VR maintaining a high level of favorability among them.
Serving as a follow-up to XRA’s 2022 survey, this survey of 600 teens, ages 13 to 19, highlights the growing role of XR in their everyday lives. XR adoption patterns vary, but one thing is clear: when given a deeper understanding of XR technology, teens express strong enthusiasm, with 76% excited about XR’s potential.
“Our survey highlights that teens today not only recognize the growing utility of XR technology in their daily lives, but their enthusiasm echoes the way past generations embraced new technical innovations—from smartphones to social media,” said Stephanie Montgomery, XRA’s Senior Vice President of Research and Best Practices. “Today’s teens understand the value of guardrails and moderation in immersive experiences and are more comfortable in applications where those tools are used.”
Key Findings:
- Teens’ attitudes towards the uses of XR technology are becoming more broad. While most teens still view immersive technology as a tool for fun, more are acknowledging the practical benefits, with a 6% increase in those who say XR helps them “get more done” in 2025.
- Teens are increasingly using XR technology in schools and learning settings. 52% of teens report using XR in school, a 9% increase since 2022. More than two out of five teens (44%) believe XR can help them “learn more easily,” with teen girls and younger teens being especially likely to agree.
- Teens who are aware of XR moderation and privacy tools have a more positive and inclusive experience with XR, though more awareness is needed. Informed teens view VR (67%) and AR (40%) more favorably than unaware teens (37% and 20%, respectively). While 62% are aware of moderation/privacy tools, only 60% are likely to use them, indicating a need to promote their active use for safer XR experiences.
- Excitement for XR is high, especially among teenage boys. Three in four (76%) teens report being excited or “very” excited (32%) about the future of XR. Teen boys are twice as likely as teen girls to own a VR headset (29% vs. 15%), and express the highest favorability for the tech (72%).
- Teens are more comfortable sharing some types of their data over others. While many technologies collect data to enhance user experiences, teens are most comfortable sharing social media engagement data (51%), followed by health and fitness data (44%), camera and microphone access (42%), browsing and app usage (39%), and purchase history (32%).
“As immersive technologies become more integrated into classrooms and everyday life, it’s essential that we understand how young people perceive and engage with them—not just as entertainment, but as powerful tools for learning, creativity, and future opportunity,” said Michael Preseton, Executive Director of the Joan Ganz Cooney Center. “Centering teen voices helps us shape a more inclusive, informed, and responsible digital future.”
The youth survey is the latest in a series of resources XRA has pioneered to ensure that the safety of children and teens remains at the forefront of immersive technology adoption. XRA’s “Empowering Young People in Immersive Experiences” report, published in January, recaps youth perspectives from a two-day workshop that brought together educators, developers and students. A separate infographic on XR adoption in education also shares insights from teachers on their use of immersive learning tools.
“At Pearson, we design learning experiences grounded in research and guided by data,” said Dave Treat, Global CTO, Pearson. “The XR Association’s latest survey provides valuable insight into how teens engage with XR, and that input can be used to prototype new experiences that reflect their interests. These findings don’t just inform product design; they fuel innovation and help imagine more engaging, effective, and future-ready learning environments.”
To view the full infographic, click here.
ABOUT THE XR ASSOCIATION
The XR Association promotes the dynamic global growth of the XR industry, which includes virtual reality, augmented reality, mixed reality, and future immersive technology. XRA is leading the way for the responsible development and adoption of XR by convening stakeholders, developing best practices and research, and advocating on behalf of our members and the greater XR industry.
