Mental　health　among　older　adults　directly　affects　their　well-being,　quality　of　life,　and　sociability.　The　advancement　of　Internet　brings　new　opportunities　and　challenges　to　the　mental　health　of　older　adults.　This　study　aims　to　analyze　the　impact　and　the　mechanisms　of　internet　usage　on　depression　among　older　adults　by　analyzing　the　data　from　the　China　Health　and　Retirement　Longitudinal　Survey　(CHARLS).　This　study　investigated　the　differences　in　the　impact　of　Internet　usage　on　older　adults’　depression　based　on　Hukou　(household　registration)　and　gender.　The　results　indicated　that　the　reduction　effect　of　internet　usage　on　the　depression　of　urban　older　adults　was　stronger.　The　reduction　effect　of　Internet　usage　on　depression　of　female　older　adults　was　stronger.　Additionally,　family　networks　and　social　networks　played　a　mediating　role　in　the　relationship　between　Internet　usage　and　depression.　This　study　also　compared　the　impact　of　Internet　usage　on　older　adults’　depression　in　different　years.　The　findings　suggest　that　it　is　essential　to　make　the　Internet　more　accessible　for　older　adults　to　improve　their　mental　health.　©　The　Author(s),　under　exclusive　license　to　Springer　Nature　Switzerland　AG　2025.