Statcounter articles

windows operating system windows 11

Windows 11 hits 72% share as Windows 10 fades, but not everyone is happy

End-of-support deadlines and aggressive requirements are pushing some reluctant users forward
Connecting the dots: Windows 11 finally takes over the desktop, but maybe not on Microsoft's preferred terms. StatCounter's latest numbers show Microsoft's latest OS running on nearly three-quarters of Windows desktops worldwide, with Windows 11 at 72.78% and Windows 10 down to 26.27%. It is a sharp swing from only late 2025, when Windows 11 hovered above the 50% mark and Windows 10 still powered nearly half of all machines.
windows windows 11 system requirements backwards compatibility

Windows 11 is now installed on 30 percent of all PCs

The big picture: Windows 11 suffered a worrying market share dip in the spring, according to Statcounter, but Microsoft's latest operating system might have recovered to a new all-time peak. Although Windows 10 remains overwhelmingly dominant, Microsoft's enforced end-of-life date for the OS is approaching, and new hardware could drive the growth of its successor.