This study investigates the relationship between smartphone use, musculoskeletal symptoms, and socio-demographic characteristics among university students. The primary objectives were to explore the association between neck disability and smartphone use time with socio-demographic factors, musculoskeletal symptoms, and smartphone addiction, and to assess the association between smartphone addiction and socio-demographic characteristics and musculoskeletal symptoms. The study included 228 students (74 males and 154 females) with an average age of 29.41 years. Participants completed questionnaires on sociodemographic characteristics, smartphone use time, smartphone addiction (SAS-SV), musculoskeletal symptoms in the neck and upper limbs, and neck disability (NDI). Results showed that individuals with neck disability were associated with gender, general health, neck and shoulder pain, and smartphone addiction. Greater smartphone use was linked to certain socio-demographic characteristics, shoulder pain, and smartphone addiction. Smartphone addiction was associated with lower age, higher educational level, neck disability, and smartphone use time. The study concludes that smartphone addiction is positively correlated with neck disability, lower age, higher educational level, and higher smartphone use time. Clinicians should consider smartphone addiction when treating patients with neck disability and monitor smartphone use time to identify individuals at risk of smartphone addiction.This study investigates the relationship between smartphone use, musculoskeletal symptoms, and socio-demographic characteristics among university students. The primary objectives were to explore the association between neck disability and smartphone use time with socio-demographic factors, musculoskeletal symptoms, and smartphone addiction, and to assess the association between smartphone addiction and socio-demographic characteristics and musculoskeletal symptoms. The study included 228 students (74 males and 154 females) with an average age of 29.41 years. Participants completed questionnaires on sociodemographic characteristics, smartphone use time, smartphone addiction (SAS-SV), musculoskeletal symptoms in the neck and upper limbs, and neck disability (NDI). Results showed that individuals with neck disability were associated with gender, general health, neck and shoulder pain, and smartphone addiction. Greater smartphone use was linked to certain socio-demographic characteristics, shoulder pain, and smartphone addiction. Smartphone addiction was associated with lower age, higher educational level, neck disability, and smartphone use time. The study concludes that smartphone addiction is positively correlated with neck disability, lower age, higher educational level, and higher smartphone use time. Clinicians should consider smartphone addiction when treating patients with neck disability and monitor smartphone use time to identify individuals at risk of smartphone addiction.