Windows 11 is Now the Most Popular Desktop OS in the World

It was bound to happen, but as of July 2025, Stat Counter says Windows 11 has officially taken the crown as the top version of Windows, beating out Windows 10 after four years out there. With Windows 10’s support ending soon, Windows 11 has really picked up speed lately.

Right now, Stat Counter shows Windows 11 holding 50.88% of the Windows market, while Windows 10 has slipped to 46.2%, giving Windows 11 a solid lead. It’s been out since 2021, but back in 2022, it was only at less than 10% of the market.

It’s been a gradual climb from there, going from 18% to 28% in 2023, and then up to 36% in 2024. This year, though, Windows 11 really started to take off, probably because Microsoft’s been pushing hard about Windows 10’s end of support.

With over half of Windows users now on Windows 11, that’s roughly 700 million active devices running it monthly. Stat Counter isn’t perfect, but it gives a decent snapshot of where things are headed.

Windows 10’s main support ends on October 14. Microsoft recently said Windows 10 users can get an extra year of security updates for free if they sign into a Microsoft Account and back up their PC settings to the cloud.

Still, Microsoft’s goal is to get as many people as possible onto Windows 11. It’ll be interesting to see if that extra year of Windows 10 updates slows down Windows 11’s growth. For gamers, Windows 11 is already the top choice on Steam.

Windows 11 Finally Places Above Windows 10 on Stat Counter

Earlier this year, Microsoft said 2025 would be a big year for PC upgrades, so they’re not making major changes to Windows 11’s platform. They confirmed version 25H2, coming this fall, will stick with the same platform as version 24H2 to avoid any compatibility hiccups.

Windows 11 has stirred up some controversy. It’s the first Windows in a while to raise system requirements, which left a lot of Windows 10 users unable to upgrade.

A good chunk of Windows 10 PCs out there don’t meet these requirements, so those folks will need to buy a new Windows 11 PC if they want to make the switch. A lot of the older Windows 10 machines are hitting 10 years old this year, so they’re probably starting to feel outdated.

Windows 11 also requires a Microsoft account and an internet connection during setup, which means downloading and installing updates before you can even start using your PC. Some users aren’t happy about the ads and pre-installed apps that come with Windows 11.

That said, Windows 10 had plenty of ads and bloat too, so upgrading to Windows 11 might not feel all that different. It’s not a great excuse, but it’s worth keeping in mind if you’ve been hesitant to upgrade for that reason.

Windows 11 is a free upgrade for Windows 10 PCs that meet the system requirements. If your PC doesn’t qualify, Microsoft suggests getting a new Copilot+ PC, which comes with exclusive AI features only available on devices with a dedicated NPU that can handle at least 40 TOPS of power.