Windows 11 is finally more popular than Windows 10
It took a long time, undoubtedly much longer than Microsoft would have liked, but Windows 11 is now more popular than Windows 10. The most recent version of Microsoft’s desktop operating system is now installed on more desktop computers than its predecessor.
Is this a cause for celebration at Microsoft HQ? Probably not. While Windows 11 may finally have a larger install base than Windows 10, it took four long years for this landmark to be reached. In the world of software development, that is an age.
Forget upgrading to Microsoft Windows 11: Nitrux Linux 3.9.0 is the operating system you need!
With Windows 10 set to reach its end of life later this year, Microsoft has been taking every opportunity to heavily push Windows 11 as the only upgrade path for users. The latest operating system share figures from StatCounter show the message is getting through -- slowly -- with Windows 11 achieving 36.65 percent of the market, an increase of 2.53 percentage points since last month.
What that means, of course, is that Windows 10 still has 60.33 percent, suggesting users aren’t in a huge rush to move away from their OS of choice to the AI-riddled sequel. Let’s be honest, Windows 11 isn’t the only game in town for Windows 10 users looking to make the move. One of the more popular alternatives is Nitrux Linux, which has just hit a new milestone.
Windows 11 is losing market share to Windows 10
In what will come as something of a disappointment to Microsoft, the latest figures from Statcounter shows that Windows 11 is becoming less popular.
While Windows 11’s market share is in decline, there is an almost mirrored increase in Windows 10’s market share. It appears that there remains a preference for the significantly older version of Windows.
Windows 11 gains some market share, but Windows 10 skyrockets
Yesterday, Microsoft released Moment 2, introducing a raft of new features to Windows 11, including Bing AI-power chat integration on the taskbar, Phone Link for iOS, an expansion of widgets, screen recording in Snipping Tool, and a redesigned Quick Assist app, to name just a few.
But while Microsoft is doing its best to make the new OS more appealing to would-be-upgraders, Windows 11’s share remains low.
Windows 11's share continues its slow rise
Although Windows 10 is comfortably the most popular desktop operating system out there, its successor, Windows 11, is slowly gaining on it.
And 'slowly' is definitely the word to use here -- a situation not helped by the new operating system's stricter system requirements which mean it's much harder for users to upgrade older systems to it.
People just aren't switching to Windows 11
When Microsoft announced Windows 11 a year ago, it also said it would continue to support Windows 10 until (at least) 2025.
Knowing this, users have largely opted to stay with Windows 10 -- better the devil you know, right? -- and that’s a trend that doesn’t look set to change any time soon.
NetMarketShare shows Windows 10's share falling, Windows 7 rising
Usage share monitoring service StatCounter saw Windows 10 overtake Windows 7 back in February, and its latest figures put the new operating system on 50.07 percent, well ahead of Windows 7 on 37.2 percent.
Rival monitoring service NetMarketShare disagrees however. While Windows 10 gained significant share in August, at Windows 7’s expense, the latest figures, for September, show a reversal of fortune.
StatCounter: Windows 10 continues its meteoric climb
While NetMarketShare has Windows 10 stumbling backwards in February, StatCounter shows the opposite. Rather than the new OS losing share, the Irish analyst firm has Windows 10 shooting upwards, past Windows 7.
That’s good news for Microsoft as it would have been rather embarrassing if Windows 7 had reclaimed the crown after only one month.
StatCounter: Windows 10 finally overtakes Windows 7
Every month, StatCounter reports on the state of the desktop operating system market. Since October last year, the analyst company’s figures have shown the gap between Windows 10 and Windows 7 narrowing. It looked as if the newer OS would overtake the older one in November, but that didn’t happen, and it didn’t happen in December either.
However, in January, according to StatCounter, Windows 10 finally claimed the top spot.
StatCounter: Windows 10 STILL hasn't overtaken Windows 7
While NetMarketShare’s monthly usage share figures show there to still be a fairly significant gap between Windows 7 and Windows 10 (in the older OS’s favor), rival analyst firm StatCounter has long reported the battle for the top spot to be much, much tighter.
So close is the race in fact, that in October it looked as if Windows 10 would easily pass Windows 7 at some point in the following month. Surprisingly, that didn’t happen, although the gap did narrow. It seemed all but guaranteed that Windows 10 would claim pole position in December, but incredibly it didn’t.
StatCounter: Windows 10 fails to overtake Windows 7, but edges slightly closer
When StatCounter released its operating system usage share figures last month it showed the gap between Windows 7 and Windows 10 had narrowed significantly.
It looked, based on that data, as if the new operating system would overtake the old one during November, but surprisingly that didn’t happen.
Recent Headlines
Most Commented Stories
BetaNews, your source for breaking tech news, reviews, and in-depth reporting since 1998.
Regional iGaming Content
© 1998-2025 BetaNews, Inc. All Rights Reserved. About Us - Privacy Policy - Cookie Policy - Sitemap.