Windows 11 Popularity Increases, Surpasses 35.5% Market Share

Windows 10 remains the leading desktop operating system but is now less than a year away from the conclusion of its mainstream support. Recognizing that not all users can transition to Windows 11 immediately, Microsoft is providing an option for consumers to extend support for an additional year for a fee of $30. As the end of Windows 10 approaches, an increasing number of users are opting to switch to Windows 11.

Recent statistics from Statcounter reveal a notable surge in the popularity of Windows 11, highlighted by a significant acceleration in its adoption rate. In October 2024, the three-year-old operating system witnessed a market share increase of 2.13 percentage points, reaching an impressive 35.55%, which marks a new peak. By comparison, one year ago, Windows 11 was at 26.17%, with minimal monthly changes and even a decline in its user base at one point.

As Windows 11 continues its ascent, Windows 10 is experiencing a corresponding decline in its market share. Currently, the older operating system is nearing the 60% threshold for the first time since September 2019, with around 60.95% of Windows users still utilizing Windows 10, according to Statcounter.

The chart below illustrates the comparative growth trajectory of Windows 10 and Windows 11 since their respective launches:

A graph depicting Windows market share trends from July 2015 to October 2024

This is the current landscape of the Windows operating system market:

Windows 10 – 60.95% (-1.8 points)
Windows 11 – 35.55% (+2.13 points)
Windows 7 – 2.62% (-0.22 points)
Windows 8.1 – 0.31% (-0.05 points)
Windows XP – 0.28% (-0.06 points)

Windows operating system market share from October 2023 to October 2024

Examining the broader operating system market—encompassing Android, iOS, macOS, and Linux—Windows ranks as the second most widely used operating system, with a market share of 26.83%, reflecting a slight increase of 0.13 points in October 2024.

Android – 44.62% (-0.54 points)
Windows – 26.83% (+0.13 points)
iOS – 18.49% (+0.37 points)
macOS – 5.67% (+0.06 points)
Unknown – 1.77% (+0.07 points)

It’s important to note that the data provided by Statcounter may not be entirely accurate. For further details regarding their data collection methodology, you can refer to the official FAQ.

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Images Credit: Neowin.net