Nearly a fifth of British households still have no access to the internet, official figures show.
Around 36 million adults go online every day - 20 million more than in 2006 when comparable records began.
But 17% of households cannot connect to the web at all, according to data released by the Office for National Statistics (ONS).
The latest figures show soaring numbers of people surf the net on mobile phones amid improvements in broadband speeds.
This has more than doubled in the last three years, from 24% in 2010 to 53% this year.
More people than ever read newspapers or magazines online (55%), use the internet to access their bank accounts (50%), trawl the net for health information (43%) or buy groceries through websites (21%), according to the data.
"The internet has changed the way people go about their daily lives," the ONS said.
"This release highlights that activities previously carried out on the high street are now increasingly being carried out online."
The figures - which show nearly three-quarters (73%) of households access the web daily - revealed six in every 10 adults (61%) connect while "on the go", using a mobile phone, laptop or tablet.
Adults aged 25 to 34 use the internet more than any other age group for everyday activities such as purchasing products or services (92%), banking (76%) and selling goods (45%).
- 70% of adults use a computer every day, up from 45% in 2006. For those aged 65 and over, this figure rose from 9% to 37%.
- The majority of households with children - and those made up of three or more adults - are hooked up to the web (97%).
- More than half of adults (55%) go online to read or download newspapers and magazines, compared with 20% in 2007. Those aged 25 to 34 (72%) are most likely to turn to the net for news. This figure stands at 49% for 55 to 64-year-olds.
- More than half (53%) of adults use social networks, up from 48% last year. Almost all of those aged 16 to 24 (93%) visit the likes of Facebook or Twitter. For those aged 45 to 54, this figure is 50%.
- There has been "significant growth" in the number of people who sell goods or services online. In 2007, only one in 10 adults used sites such as eBay or Gumtree. This has more than doubled in the past six years to 28%.
- Almost three-quarters (72%) of adults say they bought goods or services online this year - up on 53% in 2008. While younger age groups have traditionally embraced internet shopping, there has been "significant growth" among pensioners. More than a third of those aged 65 and over (36%) shopped online this year - more than double the 2008 estimate of 16%.
- Almost all of those aged 16 to 24 (94%) have used a gadget to access the net "on the go", compared with 17% of those aged 65 and over.
- Over a fifth (21%) of 16 to 24-year-olds use a games console or eBook reader to connect away from home or work. This figure stands at 10% for 45 to 54-year-olds and 11% for all adults.
- Three-quarters (76%) of those aged 25 to 34 access their bank accounts online. For adults of all age groups, the figure is 50%.
- The internet has become a "key tool" for jobseekers. Two thirds (67%) of unemployed adults said they looked for a job or submitted an application online this year.