After 3 years, Windows 11 has more than half Windows 10's market share

Windows 11 has finally reached more than half of Windows 10's market share, with just over a year before support for Windows 10 ends. Fake BSOD Windows 11 Patch Tuesday preview is a glitchy disaster READ MORE The data, collated by Statcounter, indicates a modest acceleration in the adoption of Windows 11. At the end of …

[Andy The Hat]

Perhaps, just perhaps, some company bean counters are putting 2 and 2 together and realising that, instead of dumping perfectly good hardware and software systems just to kneel at the alter of Microsoft, being green actually saves a shedload of money ...

Ok, so most will avoid the "being green" bit. But the point is that *any* software company brazen enough to have the marketing ploy of demanding that users upgrade hardware *just* to run their software, which is already proven to run on existing hardware, to gain the benefit of few, if any, changes those users actually want or need and certainly didn't ask for, is just asking for a severe kicking from its customers.

[MyffyW]

The Last OS

I mean casting Win10 as the last Windows probably wasn't a wise move if you had any intention of selling Windows 11.

Also, Windows 11 does literally nothing for me that I want to do over and above Windows 10. For that matter, nothing over and above Windows XP, save for ongoing support.

There was a time (decades ago, when I was young, and carefree) when a new OS from Microsoft actually brought you new, useful functionality. Now ... well there's a reason my personal machines are on Debian.

[toejam++]

Re: The Last OS

If anything, Windows 11 actually does things worse for me than when using Windows 10. The functionality of the settings panel is inferior to that of the control panel, the constant stream of notifications for monetization is distracting, and minor upgrades are breaking my third-party utilities at a rate I've never seen before.

[LybsterRoy]

Re: The Last OS

I have W11 installed on one old laptop (used Rufus to get it there) as a testbed. Removing the bloatware seemed to speed things up considerably but I doubt I'll get used to not knowing where the edges of things are.

[The Dogs Meevonks]

Re: The Last OS

You seem to have forgotten all of the extra spyware installed... with more on the way as 'recall' appears to be coming back to spy on you some more.

I currently stick with Win10Pro, with classic shell and OOSU10 installed to cripple the spyware.

[simonlb]

Re: The Last OS

And this is the root of the issue: Having to use third-party apps just to make an OS usable.

[Col_Panek]

Re: The Last OS

Linux Mint is the third party app I use. Makes Windows a joy to use.

[Guy de Loimbard]

Re: The Last OS

Ahh yes, the advertising... drives me to distraction too!

Give it a rest, I've installed the software, I know what I want, I find the incessant need to promote things at me infuriating.

Whilst I don't have anything significantly negative to say about Win 11 compared to previous versions, having experienced most MS iterations of Windows, I generally get used to the removal or hiding of tools and shortcuts!

I wonder what the next version of MS will bring?

[LybsterRoy]

Re: The Last OS

-- nothing over and above Windows XP --

I know quite a few people who'd happily return to XP if allowed. Personally I moved on to 7 and until my anti-virus/anti-malware stops that's where I'm staying.

-- save for ongoing support --

For most people that means bug fixes - some of which are worse than the bug being fixed. I'm lucky I only ever had one machine totally bricked by a Windows update.

[MJI]

Re: The Last OS

Lost notepad, paint brings up a strange dialog about stores.

Problem is it went 11 while I was on holiday so was too later to roll back to 10 for the 6th time.

11 is a bucket of shit

[ThinkingMonkey]

Re: The Last OS

Anecdotal "evidence" admittedly, but if all the sites I've been seeing flooded with "Now what is this Linux thing again? How do I go about installing it anyway?" questions are an indication, it appears that many, many users have finally had it with Microsoft. I didn't see that much of an uptick in increased interest in Linux right after Windows 10 but for some reason (I don't know because I don't use it and will never use it) most of the users I'm talking about seem to be currently using Windows 11. Does it really suck as bad as people say? Actually sucks on its own merits or just "fails to be better" than Windows 10? I almost installed it in a VM one day just to find out then said "Nah". I may just be old and jaded but I really don't care to find out what it has to offer and what it doesn't. I guess as the great Phil Collins said, "I Don't Care Anymore." (about Microsoft products anyway)

[hoola]

I would have thought that most companies would already be running compatible hardware for most of their users by now.

Those that are not compatible must be up for replacement anyway.

I am not excusing the requirements in any way, just stating that most corporate users will have a hardware refresh cycle that accommodates the Windows 11 requirements.

It may be different with small businesses and certainly one I know upgraded older PCs with SSDs, more ram & a better graphics card a few years ago for some specialist software but they do not support Windows 11.

[Anonymous Coward]

Why "upgrade" old hardware if the current is perfectly fine? The only time a 5 year old processor gets to 100% for a sustained period is because of a software defect. A new processor would just hang ... more efficiently? Outside of games and "AI", does the average worker need a better graphics subsystem? No. A faster disk? No. A new keyboard and mouse? Probably.

My parents bought a new car every couple of years in the 70s and 80s because they had too. We don't need to, and we shouldn't be forced to.

[MisterHappy]

Why Upgrade?

Depending on the industry, having support for both hardware & software is a pre-req for some certifications. Not having that could cost them business.

Also, a hardware refresh of 3-5 years means that IT departments aren't trying to support multiple variations of desktops/laptops.

"We" run a 5 year refresh on most PCs with a 'sweat it' attitude for non critical areas that means some kit may get a bit old but as soon as any of it breaks then it is swapped out for new.

[Doctor Syntax]

Re: Why Upgrade?

"Also, a hardware refresh of 3-5 years means that IT departments aren't trying to support multiple variations of desktops/laptops."

I think the stats show that IT departments are avoiding supporting multiple versions by the simple expedient of sticking with what's already working.

[Anonymous Coward]

Re: Why Upgrade?

"Depending on the industry, having support for both hardware & software is a pre-req for some certifications. Not having that could cost them business."

If your current HW + SW is certifiable, why move to new HW + SW?

"Also, a hardware refresh of 3-5 years means that IT departments aren't trying to support multiple variations of desktops/laptops."

? A refresh means, by definition, that you have to support more variations.

[David Hicklin]

Re: Why Upgrade?

Most major corps lease their laptops, pc's and servers , so they have a regular 3-4 year refresh anyway.

[Col_Panek]

Re: Why Upgrade?

That's when I buy them, at big discounts, and put Linux on them. Go, Microsoft!

[Displacement Activity]

Re: Why upgrade?

Why "upgrade" old hardware if the current is perfectly fine?

Because the old hardware stops working. I would be very pleased if I could get "3-5 years" out of my newer HP boxes. I'm thinking that MS and HP must have some sort of arrangement here.

[Guy de Loimbard]

But growth... how do we keep growth?

Totally agree A/C, there's limited real need to upgrade anything until it fails, but then that would stifle the growth forecasts and figures, then the shareholders will be pissy!!

[Doctor Syntax]

"I would have thought that most companies would already be running compatible hardware for most of their users by now."

Microsoft obviously thinks the same, as did hardware vendors. The statistics show that you are all mistaken.

[doublelayer]

The statistics don't say anything about that. If you're referring to the article, it only says who is running Windows 11 or Windows 10, not how many of the people running Windows 10 have not upgraded because they don't want to or can't be bothered but would be able to quite easily. For example, among machines operated by my family and thus at least sometimes supported by me, there are at least two that are running Windows 10 but can run Windows 11 as soon as someone selects to upgrade it. At an employer, it was a similar story: all the Windows user machines were running Windows 10, but most if not all of them met the requirements and could be upgraded when IT decided to do so. I don't know how many businesses are in that camp, but although I don't see the 5-year refresh as necessary, I have seen it enough times to know that it does happen somewhat often.

[LybsterRoy]

I downvoted you because you seem to be endorsing buying new hardware when there is no need for it. I'm old enough to remember when cars were clapped out after 60,000 or 3 years and PCs became mega faster every 18 months. Neither of these is true now.

[hoola]

To those downvoting this have you understood what was said?

Corporate hardware is likely to be compliant already as they have fixed refresh cycles, older hardware is rotated out far faster than personal or small business. This is just how it has worked for decades. Failed hardware costs money so now you lease for 3 to 5 years and then replace. That also costs money but you have a much smaller number of hardware versions to support and repair. Whether it is running Windows 10, 11, XP or Linux is irrelevant, the hardware will be rotated. Where I work (a very large organisation) rotation applies to all devices, regardless of vender or OS.

Small business and personal less so & I pointed out that I did not agree with enforced hardware upgrades. In the small business I referenced we already had to upgrade existing hardware to support a new version of some specialist software. Fortunately in this case it did not mean replacing the entire PC as we could upgrade the parts.

[Adelio]

Unless your company has lots of money to spend (No so likely now) then a lot of companies will not replace PC hardware until then have to. this might be 5 or more years. After all, the time when new generations pf PC were significantly faster and new version of operating system has lots of new functionality as long gone.

Office. Why change office versions? office 97 probably does 99% of the things that people need so why change. unless of course Microsoft deliberately change OS software to break older versions of applications, especially their own.

[drankinatty]

Not to mention all those new nifty in-OS ads that windows 11 foists upon users. With strong selling points like that, it's a wonder more people and not breaking down M$'s door for the update. Here's a shiny new OS -- bundled with an entire new source of aggravations for your daily life. Marketing genius!

Absent the lofty hardware requirement lockout, both revenue and windows 11 market share would likely be double where they are now. Makes you wonder about the perverse incentives flying about that would cause M$ to shoot themselves in the proverbial foot like that. I'm sure that will provide fodder for another article in the future.

[0laf]

TBH I think most large businesses are running kit that will support W11. So this uptick is just the start of the corporate shift to W11. And they will shift even if they need to buy new hardware.

I'd be interested to see the linux share. It'll be a small increase if it does happen (more in terms of Linux percentage, not expecting a big shift against MS) but wondering if W11's crtappy terms are making a small but significant number make the jump.

I'd also wonder if a significant number simply stop using MS PCs and just move to phone/tablet/Chromebook etc

[Groo The Wanderer]

Tablets, phones, and Chromebook laptops are not a substitute for actual PC's, not even close. Go upstairs and ask mommy to make you some pizza pops if you seriously think they are.

[elsergiovolador]

Support

I cannot wait for support to end. No more pesky Windows Update messages that can ruin your day.

Windows 10 will be even better.

[Doctor Syntax]

Re: Support

I'm not sure about the "even". I'm not even sure about the "better". Windows 10 will be Windows 10 is about all that can be said. In fact, it will probably still keep trying the updates it's failed to install the last month, and the month before that, adn the month before that...

[Sloth77]

Re: Support

"No more pesky Windows Update messages that can ruin your day"

Ransomware can ruin your day too....

[druck]

Re: Support

There's a difference?

[LybsterRoy]

Re: Support

-- No more pesky Windows Update messages that can ruin your day --

I solved that years ago - turned off Windows update (not sure if you still can with W11)

[doublelayer]

Re: Support

Of course you can, often using the same methods that work for Windows 10. Whether that's a good idea is a different question, and one I'm willing to leave to your judgement.

[dippy1]

Are MS worried?

Does anyone here think that there is anyone (at a senior level maybe?) within MS that is asking the question as to why people are not upgrading?

Are MS worried? Do they care?

[Doctor Syntax]

Re: Are MS worried?

"Do they care?"They haven't for a long time. It will take an even nastier shock for them to start caring now.

[3arn0wl]

"CIOs may even decide to reassess their existing, perfectly functional fleet of computers and decide that now is the time to consider an alternative operating system."

I sincerely hope that the majority of consumers go for this option, saving money, resources and a considerable amount of completely unnecessary e-waste - Canalys Research warned that Microsoft’s decision to end support for Windows 10 next year could result in 240 million PCs being sent to landfill.

[JClouseau]

Hey, it didn't occur to me before your comment, but 2025 could be a great year for people wanting to acquire still-perfectly-functional refurb'd corporate PCs at unreasonably low prices !

I'm sure there are bets around about whether MS will lower the hardware requirements for W11 before 10/14/25. Could be an interesting game of chicken.

I for one, like so many others, have no reason whatsoever to upgrade to 11 (with a PC that is compatible, as MS reminds me of from time to time). I've upgraded from Win7 before only because Junior could not play some games that needed DX12. And some tiny security considerations...

[3arn0wl]

Perhaps I should set up shop at the local tip, with Mint on a pen drive.

Why aren't governments objecting? I'm sure they don't want this headache.

[druck]

Even if those still functioning computers are getting a bit tired, freed from the Windows cruft, they feel faster than when they were brand new.

[Snake]

It's all very simple

Why Win11's adoption has been slow, and by now pretty standard practice for Windows:

Skip every other release.

I eagerly await Windows 12 thankyouverymuch.

[Linker3000]

Well, meh

I'm indifferent to which MS business OS I use because I just want to fire up an app or be in a (Firefox) browser most of the time...or be on one of my home systems running Linux.

But I would like to take this opportunity to mention that having had a Win11 laptop foisted upon me, the amount of times it pops up a handy hint, change / improvement notice (aka we've moved this feature that's been 'there' for generations to somewhere different), call-out or multi-panel tutorial when I start an app, or Microsoft 365 is driving me nuts.

Win 10 is much better in this respect. Microsoft 365 seems to be getting worse over time.

Is there a global "f...off with this crap and let me get on with my work" option I can change somewhere? Bearing in mind I have to use this laptop and it's locked down, so no Linux for me here.

[ecofeco]

Re: Well, meh

The current fashion of popups that actually obscure and interfere with your work is quite the rage right now.

No, there is no universal way to turn that shit off. You have to poke around EVERY application and you might find it, and turning it off might also disable a lot of other, unrelated things.

And 365 is not seemingly getting worse. It IS getting worse. I've reverted back to Wordpad when at all possible. So refreshing! For heavy tasks, Libre Office. For meetings? I try to avoid those. If it's Teams, I just use my web browser.

Seriously, fuck all things M$. Every single last thing.

[Essuu]

It's the TPM that kills it for me

I have a perfectly capable and well equipped PC I built a few years ago but it cannot run W11 as it doesn't have the requisite TPM on board.

So I'll happily stay on Windows 10. I'd install a linux but it needs to run a specific piece of software that isn't available for anything other than Windows 10/11.

[JWLong]

Re: It's the TPM that kills it for me

Do you have an activation code for Win11 Pro? If so get a copy of the 22h2 ISO file, within windows mount the iso. Get a terminal window up and typein: "setup /PRODUCT SERVER", this bypasses the TPM and CPU check and installs Win11 without all the happy MS shit.

Do not use the ISO available from MS for 24h2 where they have disabled the bypass.

[LybsterRoy]

Re: It's the TPM that kills it for me

Burn the iso to stick using Rufus - v4.5+ I think it has option to remove a number of checks - that's how I got W11 onto an old laptop - no TPM, no EUFI

[Doctor Syntax]

Re: It's the TPM that kills it for me

Will the special S/W run under Windows in a virtual machine or under Wine? If one of those works then you can ditch Windows for everything else.

[A.P. Veening]

Re: It's the TPM that kills it for me

I killed the TPM to avoid W11.

[The Oncoming Scorn]

Re: It's the TPM that kills it for me

I download the ISO, then use RUFUS to make a bootable USB, which allows me ignore all those limitations, like memory, TPM2, Microsoft account & include regional settings by ticking check boxes.

[Mike Lewis]

Re: It's the TPM that kills it for me

Windows 11 is working fine on my thirteen-year-old PC. I just used Rufus to bypass the TPM requirement.

[StewartWhite]

Windows - The Spinal Tap of OSes

"Well, it’s one louder, isn’t it? It’s not ten" https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Up_to_eleven

[Anonymous Coward]

Re: Windows - The Spinal Tap of OSes

But why not just make 10 better?

[DJV]

Re: But why not just make 10 better?

Ha ha! Make 10 better? Where have you been? Microsoft have been spending years making Windows worse at each iteration!

[David 132]

Re: But why not just make 10 better?

<xkcd>For $2000, I’ll build you one that goes to 12!</xkcd>

[Groo The Wanderer]

Windows Share: -1

Ubuntu 22.04.x Share: +1

Hardware, free of all things Microsoft save for a game controller (wired), and a couple of Microsoft games.

Speaking of games, was I ever wrong about the state of Linux support. If you enable "Proton Experimental" for "unsupported" games in Steam for Linux, you'll find that most of them run just fine, including major titles like DOOM, The Outer Worlds, and Baldur's Gate III. Alas, Starfield does not work at all... but Microsoft's still-haven't-finished-the-first-in-the-series Halo collection runs just fine!

So g'bye and good riddance, Microsoft.

I warned you twice what the consequences would be for proceeding with this "Recall" intrusion nightmare of yours.

I'm a man of my word: fuck off with your spyware and adware. That's all Windows is nowadays: a tool for corporate and state monitoring and for the endless shovelling of unwanted ads.

[Yankee Doodle Doofus]

Indeed. I recently built a gaming PC, and the one piece of MS software on it? Their Flight Simulator, which runs perfectly using Proton, as far as I can tell.

[K555]

"Alas, Starfield does not work at all..."

I think that comment is independent of OS ;)

[Yankee Doodle Doofus]

As for Starfield, or any other games that don't want to run, ProtonDB is a fantastic resource. You may well get it running with ProtonGE (Glorious Eggroll) or an older version of standard Proton.

https://www.protondb.com/app/1716740

[Groo The Wanderer]

This one likes a likely custom command line for ProtonExperimental that a lot of people "liked":

PROTON_HIDE_NVIDIA_GPU=0 PROTON_ENABLE_NAVPI=1 VKD3D_CONFIG=force_compute_root_parameters_push_ubo VKD3D_SHADER_MODEL=6_6 %command% --skip-launcher

[Groo The Wanderer]

Alas, all of the protondb advice proved futile. Ah well.

[Groo The Wanderer]

Here's what I found in the end...

"Starfield" and all but a very few games in my Steam collection will run fine with a little tweaking and the Nvidia 550 open kernel driver, but they will often lock up your machine if you install the CUDA stack on 22.04 with about 70% running fine, but the CUDA stack for 24.04 gives all your games 3-4 FPS at best.

I also have other stability issues with 24.04, so the final install is 22.04 with Nvidia 550 open kernel driver, and hopefully they'll resolve the issues with 24.04 over time.

But Nvidia is really dropping the ball on 24.04 so far - it's the only AI stack I've ever seen that won't slice up the resources between graphics and AI workloads dynamically.

How are you supposed to try to create a "smart" game opposition otherwise? (Not that I'm so inclined to do personally.)

[petef]

Think of the copilot

For many, Windows 10 is just fine.

But, but AI.

[Steve Davies 3]

Now is the time

to give MS the big finger and get your home or business to stop using their shite.

MS does not care. It is all about them and how much data they can scrape (legally or not) from their customer base. That will be sold to ad slingers.

While this POS might be optional at the moment how long before an update makes it always on and impossible to switch off or disable. Get real people. You don't own the hardware that runs Windows. MS does.

[williamyf]

Microsoft "Pivoted", now the target is Win12 dominance

After this debacle, Win11 will be sacrificed in the altar of Win12, to produce what Microsoft always wanted, a Windows Client ecosystem where all client machines are on pretty much the same version of Windows.

Win10 has not one, but many expiration dates.

Plain Win10 22H2 Oct next year

Win10 LTSC 21H2 Oct 2026

Plain Win10 22H2 + ESU Oct 2026/27/28

Win10 LTSC 19H1 ~ late 2029 ~ Early 2023

Win10 IoT 21H2 ~Early 2032

Many orgs, speciall the larger ones, can jump from one to the other with relative ease.

This gives ample time for Win11 to run its course near the end of life for Win10. Perhaps it will completely run out of support a few month before Win10, or most likely, a few months after Win10.

Most Likely, Win11 WILL NOT have an ESU (just like Vista and 8.x did not have ESUs). For this to come to fruition, Microsoft will have to anounce the EOL of Win11, and launch Win12 in the 2026~2028 timeframe.

But, I have to be transparent. Since the Win Client and Win Server codebases are the same, Microsoft can increase the support span of the client easily by using the server stuff, since server Lifecycles are longer.

But, even with that caveat, come 2032, whether you are still in Win10, or in Win11, if you want to stay in Windows, your only option will be Win12 (of course, Linux, android and xBSD are options too).

And since by then the TPU and Secureboot requirements will be more than 10 years old (and mandated for OEMs since 2018), and since the 40 TOPS NPU requirement will be 8 Y/O by then, you can expect that, except for niche cases, all reasonable client machines in 2032 will be compatible with Win12

As for other Win12 client Requirements, expect something similar to Win12 + Copilot. PErhaps a few tweaks to main memory (to be able to keep a couple of small ML/AI models in RAM), Video driver level from WDDM 2.0 to 2.4 (for added stability) and from HWL 11 to HWL 12.x (for more functionality and performance), and AVX-2 (or AVX2 + AVX-VNNI and/or AVX-IFMA) or worst case scenario, AVX-10 instead of the current SSE4.2.

And of course, the NPU may demand slightly more than 40TOPS. but then again, most chips with NPUs that make the cut now now EXCEEED 40TOPS. Oh, and SSDs will be mandatory.

So, for pretty much anyone, their best bet is to hang on to their current machine for dear life (with any flavour of Win10 or Win11), and wait until the Win12 minimum requirements are anounced.

[Phil Koenig]

Deck Chairs

Besides the Microsoft-specific complaints, it needs to be said that basically ALL the major commercial OS platforms, whether on desktop or handheld, have gotten to the point that every "upgrade" these days is basically just re-arranging the deck chairs.

Until that changes, especially on desktop, expect users to give a big yawn to the latest iteration of their respective software dinosaurs.

Whereas when it comes to the current handheld OS duopoly (which also suffers from "deck chair syndrome"), users are already locked into a rapid hardware obsolescence cycle and devices are regularly dropped in the ocean or run over by buses so everyone has resigned themselves to the continuous upgrade cycle there.

[TReko]

MS will force an update of Win 10 to 11

They did it with Windows 7 and 8. suddenly the next Windows update installed Windows 10.

They'll probably do it with Windows 10 again.

[Roland6]

Re: MS will force an update of Win 10 to 11

What is interesting is that no one is comparing this to the EoL of XP, where MS were forced to extend support, as people just weren’t moving to Vista or W7…

[Groo The Wanderer]

Re: MS will force an update of Win 10 to 11

"Would you just shut up and buy a new PC from us, already, please?"

-- Michael Dell, Cash Hoover At Large

[Locomotion69]

Re: MS will force an update of Win 10 to 11

If that would have been possible on my PC, it would have happened a long time ago.

But my PC does not meet the minimal hardware requirements - oh joy!

[Kevin Johnston]

Re: MS will force an update of Win 10 to 11

You say that as though it will prevent MS from deploying an update which bricks your system instead, forcing you to get new hardware

[harryajh555]

Not bad when according to Microsoft "Windows 10 is the last major OS release" - I can't stand their spyware-ridden junk personally!

Ubuntu for me, runs on old hardware and leaves Windows standing