operating system usage Archives

Winsage

October 5, 2025

Microsoft ‘Security Disaster’—400 Million Windows PCs Now At Risk

Microsoft is facing a security crisis affecting approximately 400 million Windows 10 users, as security updates will cease in ten days for those not enrolled in the extended support program. Windows 10 holds a 41% share of the global PC market, down from 46% in September, with nearly 600 million PCs in use. Users unable to upgrade to Windows 11 due to hardware requirements must either pay a fee or follow specific steps for a complimentary extension. Advocacy groups warn that the rapid phasing out of Windows 10 poses significant cybersecurity risks, as vulnerabilities may lead to ransomware attacks after updates stop. Additionally, there is a noted increase in Windows 7 usage, with nearly 140 million PCs still running the retired system. Users are urged to enroll in the Extended Security Update program or upgrade to Windows 11 to protect their data and system security.

Winsage

September 24, 2025

Against all odds, this decades-old Windows OS grew over 100% in just two months

Windows 11's market share surpassed Windows 10's in July, with approximately 50.74% for Windows 11 and 43.09% for Windows 10 as of September. Meanwhile, Windows 7's market share increased from 2.02% in July to 5.2% in September, marking a growth of over 100% since July. This rise is notable despite Microsoft ending support for Windows 7 in January 2020. StatCounter's data, which tracks usage from over 1.5 billion websites, may not fully represent operating system usage trends.

Winsage

September 11, 2025

Windows 10 resists its end: usage share climbs while Windows 11’s falls

Next month, Microsoft will end support for the home editions of Windows 10, with users able to extend support for one year and business customers for three years. Windows 11 has recently surpassed Windows 10 in popularity rankings, but in August 2025, Windows 11's usage share dropped from 53% to 49%, while Windows 10's share increased by three points to 45%. Windows 7 also saw a slight increase to over 3%. The fluctuations in operating system usage may not accurately reflect true market share and could be influenced by various factors. As Windows 10's end of support approaches, a decline in its usage is expected, with some users likely to extend support, transition to Windows 11, or explore alternatives like Linux.

Winsage

July 1, 2025

Windows 11 adoption spikes despite Microsoft’s free ways to stay on Windows 10

Microsoft's Windows 11 has been available for nearly four years and features a modern interface but lacks some popular features from Windows 10, such as taskbar repositioning. Security updates for Windows 10 will end on October 15, 2025, prompting users to either upgrade to Windows 11 or enroll in the Extended Security Updates (ESU) program for a fee. Recent data from StatCounter shows that in the US, Canada, and the UK, Windows 11 has surpassed Windows 10 in market share, although globally, Windows 11 holds 47.98% compared to Windows 10's 48.76%. From March to May, market shares were stable, but in June, Windows 11's adoption increased by over four percentage points while Windows 10's declined. Windows 7 is the third most used version of Windows with a 2.19% share, followed by Windows XP at 0.43%, and Windows 8 and 8.1 at 0.31% and 0.28%, respectively. StatCounter's data comes from over 1.5 billion sites globally, providing insights into operating system trends.

Winsage

February 7, 2025

How popular is Windows 11? Statcounter can’t tell you

Statcounter Global Stats releases monthly data on operating system usage, highlighting a decline in Windows 10 and an increase in Windows 11. Forbes reported that approximately 40 million users upgraded to Windows 11 in January, but the reliability of this data is questioned. Statcounter's reports are based on pageviews, not actual market share, and may reflect statistical noise rather than true user behavior changes. Founded in 1999, Statcounter's user base has decreased from 3 million in 2009 to 1.5 million in 2022, and its data is limited as it does not include traffic from major sites like Google or Facebook. The company's monthly pageview count has dropped from over 17 billion to around 5 billion in recent years. While trends suggest a decline in Windows 10 traffic and an increase in Windows 11 usage, these figures may not accurately represent the overall market share of Windows operating systems.

Winsage

February 4, 2025

It’s time for another round of Statcounter stories – here’s why you shouldn’t believe them

The tech media frequently reports on operating system usage trends based on Statcounter Global Stats data, particularly focusing on the decline of Windows 10 and the rise of Windows 11. Recent claims suggest that 40 million users upgraded to Windows 11 in January, but the validity of these trends is questioned. Statcounter's data, which is based on pageviews rather than visits or sessions, may misrepresent market share. The company, founded in 1999, has seen a decline in its customer base and pageviews, which affects the accuracy of its insights. Statcounter’s data does not reflect the overall market share of Windows operating systems, and while it indicates a decline in Windows 10 traffic and an increase in Windows 11 traffic, these trends do not necessarily correlate with the global PC population. The end of support for Windows 10 is approaching in October 2025, leaving many devices unable to upgrade to Windows 11, and the true landscape of operating system usage remains uncertain without comprehensive data from Microsoft.

Winsage

February 4, 2025

How many Windows 10 PCs are still in use? No one knows, but they try to tell you anyway

Statcounter Global Stats produces a chart that shows a decline in Windows 10 usage and an increase in Windows 11 usage. Forbes claims that approximately 40 million users upgraded to Windows 11 in January 2024. However, Statcounter's data, which is based on pageviews rather than visits or sessions, may not accurately reflect the actual market dynamics. Statcounter's user base has decreased from 3 million in 2009 to about 1.5 million in 2022, and as of January 2024, its services were used by only 0.5% of all websites. The company's monthly pageviews dropped from over 17 billion a decade ago to 5 billion by 2022, primarily reflecting traffic from smaller websites and excluding major platforms like Google and Facebook. The data indicates a slow decline in Windows 10 traffic and a gradual increase in Windows 11 traffic, but its correlation with the overall PC market share is uncertain. Accurate estimates of device populations would require proprietary data from Microsoft, which is not publicly available.

Winsage

December 2, 2024

Windows 11 spikes in popularity with PC gamers, with biggest increase we’ve ever seen on Steam

Windows 11's market share among PC gamers increased by 4.18% to 52.98% in November 2024, while Windows 10's share declined by 4.15% to 43.31%. This marks the largest increase for Windows 11 recorded to date. Windows 11 now holds a nearly 10% lead over Windows 10. Windows PCs make up 96.56% of Steam users, with Linux at 2.03% and Mac at 1.41%. Support for Windows 10 is set to end in October 2025.

Winsage

August 2, 2024

Millions ditch Windows 10 ahead of Microsoft deadline, are you ready to switch?

Recent data from Statcounter shows that Windows 11 has crossed 30 percent market share, while Windows 10 has declined from 68 percent to 64 percent. Microsoft will end support for Windows 10 on October 14, 2025, ceasing free updates and security patches. Users can opt for the Extended Security Update (ESU) program for continued support until 2028 at a cost of £48 per year. Users have several options: maintain Windows 10 with associated risks, enroll in the ESU program, or upgrade to Windows 11 if their hardware meets the specifications, which include a 1 GHz processor with two or more cores, 4 GB RAM, 64 GB storage, a DirectX 12 compatible graphics card, and TPM version 2.0.

Winsage

May 2, 2024

Steam gamers adopt Windows 11 much quicker than everyone else, but why?

Windows 10 continues to hold a strong foothold with 70% of desktop users worldwide, while Windows 11's market share is at 25.69%.