College students' anxiety is influenced by various factors, with stress perception being a prominent and challenging area of research. This study aims to explore the relationship between stress perception and college students' anxiety, as well as its underlying mechanisms. Using a survey method, data were collected from 1 009 college students to establish a model linking stress perception, smartphone addiction, insomnia, and anxiety. The findings indicate a strong correlation between stress perception and anxiety among college students. Specifically, stress perception can trigger anxiety through the sequential effects of smartphone addiction and insomnia. Theoretically, this study contributes to understanding the intrinsic mechanisms by which stress perception affects anxiety, enriching the theoretical framework in this field. Practically, it underscores the importance for college authorities to recognize the detrimental impact of stress perception on students忆 anxiety and to adopt a collaborative, multi-faceted approach to prevention and intervention.