In a significant shift within the tech landscape, Windows 11 has officially surpassed Windows 10 in terms of user adoption, marking a pivotal moment nearly four years following its launch. According to recent data from Stat Counter, as highlighted by Windows Central, Windows 11 now commands a market share of 52 percent, while Windows 10 trails at 44.59 percent.
This milestone arrives just months ahead of the impending end-of-support date for Windows 10, scheduled for October 14th. Notably, Windows 11 had already established itself as the leading operating system for PC gaming as of September, although its overall uptake had previously lagged behind that of its predecessor.
Leaked statistics from October 2023 indicate that Windows 11 is currently in use on over 400 million devices. This figure, while impressive, reflects a slower adoption trajectory compared to Windows 10, which reached the same milestone in just one year, whereas Windows 11 took two years to achieve this benchmark.
A contributing factor to this gradual adoption rate can be attributed to the stringent hardware requirements set forth by Microsoft. While the company provided a complimentary upgrade path for existing Windows 10 users, many older machines have been sidelined due to these enhanced CPU and security prerequisites. In an effort to encourage users to upgrade their hardware, Microsoft has even resorted to full-screen prompts aimed at those still operating on unsupported systems.
As the end of support for Windows 10 approaches, Microsoft has announced a strategy to ease the transition for users. The company will offer a complimentary year of additional security updates to consumers who opt to enable Windows Backup and sync their Documents folder to OneDrive. For those who prefer not to engage with these features, a nominal fee of will be required for a year of updates, or users can redeem 1,000 Microsoft Reward points to secure the same benefit.
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This evolving scenario underscores the dynamic nature of the operating system market and the ongoing efforts by Microsoft to adapt to the changing needs of its user base. As Windows 11 continues to gain traction, it will be interesting to observe how these developments influence the broader tech ecosystem.
