Microsoft’s newest — if you consider four years new – has finally done it. It has passed Windows 10 as the most popular desktop operating system last month.
The consumer versions of Windows 10 have less than three months of support left. While you can extend that by a year, the end is inevitable at this point.
Statcounter reports that Windows 11 made a big jump to more than 53 percent usage share while Windows 10 dropped to a still respectable 43 percent share.
It appears that users are finally moving from Windows 10 to 11, either by upgrading compatible devices to the new version of Windows or by buying new PCs with Windows 11. There is also a third possibility. Since Statcounter does not reveal totals, Windows 10 devices could just have been taken offline by their respective owners or users.
Is the change in leadership the big win that Microsoft hoped Windows 11 would become? Or just born out of necessity, considering that Microsoft will end support for Windows 10 in a short while?
It seems likely that the trend will continue in the following months. Windows 10 will drop, Windows 11 will rise as a consequence.
It is interesting to note that Windows 10 managed to keep the lead until last month. Almost half of all desktop devices ran the operating system and users have started to migrate mere weeks before the official end of support.
In related news, Windows 7 still holds about 2 percent of the desktop market, more than two years after Microsoft ended the ESU program and more than five years since support ended officially.
Windows 8 and 8.1 are also listed, with a combined share of about 1 percent of the desktop market. May not sound like much, but if you assume more than 1 billion desktop PCs, you end up with 10 million Windows 8 and 8.1 devices still in use.
As far as desktop operating systems are concerned, Windows continues to have a commanding lead of more than 71 percent of the market. Unknown, meaning device with unidentifiable operating systems, macOS and Linux follow behind, each with less than 10 percent of the usage share.
Now You: do you run Windows on your devices or another operating system? Let me know in the comments below.
Your use of the word “popular” in the title is incorrect, misleading.
I believe that if the majority of people “use” windows 11 it is because they have been manipulated into doing so, not because they prefer it over windows 10.
When I switched from 7 to 10, I did not like 10 but I eventually grew to like it.
The longer I use 11 the more I hate it.
+1
@Tachy–Disagree: I think more and more users are realizing the enormous benefits found in the Windows 11 ecosystem, benefits that make Windows 10 a deprecated beast and a costly mistake for Redmond. Yes, there are the innumerable child-like whiners complaining about minor UI annoyances or bloatware {all of which can easily be tweaked}, but the speed, dependability, new features, and numerous apps provide ample opportunities to expand one’s ability to produce quality products in less time which make Windows 11 the “de facto” OS–globally! No manipulation, no coercion, no planned obsolescence. People who have come over and worked on my computers are truly amazed and impressed with Windows 11–so much so they go home and upgrade the same day!
I like Windows 10 and 11 equally (good enough). However, I blocked all updates on Windows 11 about a year and a half ago. Maybe new updates to Windows 11 made it way worse by now.