Windows 11 is closing the gap on Windows 10

Market share increases for Microsoft's latest operating system

There is finally some good news for Microsoft in the operating system market share stakes: use of Windows 11 continues to rise as Windows 10 falls.

The figures, published by Statcounter, give an insight into the Windows desktop market share world and provide a helpful insight into how things are going in the absence of official numbers from Microsoft.

Windows 11 appears to have turned a corner and is approaching a 30 percent share of the desktop market, while Windows 10 has declined to just over 66 percent. Yes, Windows 10 still commands a substantial share of the market – more than twice that of Windows 11 – but the gap is now definitely narrowing following two straight months (to June 2024) of increases for Microsoft's latest OS versus declines for the previous generation.

Should the trend continue or accelerate, there is every chance that Windows 11 will become dominant by the time Windows 10 – for much of the install base at least – reaches end of standard support in October 2025.

The narrowing gap is not the surge the industry has been hoping for, but instead represents the gradual replacement of aging Windows 10 hardware with something that meets the stricter requirements of Windows 11.

Manufacturers are currently pinning their hopes on AI hype to fuel an acceleration in PC upgrades. However, Microsoft has not helped matters in the immediate term thanks to missteps such as the initial release of Recall.

The figures come as older versions of Windows 11 edge closer to their end-of-support dates. Windows 11 22H2 – in Home and Pro guise – comes to an end on October 8, 2024, as do the Enterprise and Education editions of Windows 11 21H2.

With a few notable exceptions – Windows 10 IoT Enterprise LTSC 2021, for example – support will come to an end for Windows 10 on October 14, 2025. Microsoft will keep security updates coming – for a fee – but the expectation is that existing hardware will need to be replaced. The company has begun dropping nag screens on Windows 10 installations, warning of the upcoming cut-off.

Judging by the figures from Statcounter, it appears that users are finally taking heed and making the move – or finding Windows 11 unavoidable when bidding farewell to their old Windows 10 hardware. ®

PS: As foretold late last year, Microsoft's Copilot AI assistant is rolling out to more and more Windows 10 users, judging by user reports.