Windows 10: Dell says the transition to Windows 11 is slower than Windows 10

Dell says its PC sales have slowed down due to the transition to Windows 11. Users are not

If you can recall, Microsoft had suggested that users trade or recycle their old PCs, and buy a new one that supports Windows 11. Are people doing that?

When asked about Windows End-of-Life upgrades, Jeff Clarke, COO, Dell Technologies said that "We have not completed the Windows 11 transition. In fact, if you were to look at it relative to the previous OS in the service, we are 10-12 points behind at that point with Windows 11 than we were the previous generation."

In case you forgot, Microsoft pulled the plug on Windows 10 on October 14, 2025. There are ways to extend security updates for free on Windows 10. Since it's only been a month since Windows 10 reached end-of-life, it's too early to expect users to buy new PCs to upgrade to Windows 11. But, the fact that a top executive at a PC manufacturing company said that the Windows 11 adoption rate is slow, is pretty important.

According to StatCounter, 41.74% of desktops were running on Windows 10 in October. Windows 11 had a market share of 55.18% in the same period. Now, when we compare this data to that from a year ago, Windows 10 had 60.95% of the market in October 2024, while Windows 11 held 35.58%. That difference is massive, and you might think that Windows 11 is rising in popularity. However, when you look at the recent numbers, the trend has slowed down considerably. Windows 10 dropped by just 2% in September 2025, while Windows 11 managed to see a 3% increase.



Why? Millions of PCs worldwide cannot be upgraded to Windows 11 due to strict hardware requirements. These are likely the numbers that contribute to the large chunk of Windows 10 users out there. They're stranded on Windows 10, a small percentage of those users may have drifted over to Linux or Mac, and some users may have opted not to upgrade to Windows 11 because of concerns about bloat, performance degradation, and privacy. Some people may have just stayed on Windows 10, because it works, why risk upgrading?

Clarke also said that "the PC refresh cycle remains durable, supported by an aging installed base and a significant portion of systems not yet upgraded to Windows 11. We still have ample opportunity to convert. If memory serves me right, the installed base is roughly $1.5 billion or 1.5 billion units. We have about 500 million of them capable of running Windows 11 that have not been upgraded. We have another 500 million that are four years old that cannot run Windows 11."

That is very interesting. Dell believes these are rich opportunities for it to rake some serious sales in. As The Register noted, Dell saw an 11% YoY increase in its revenue in Q3 FY 2026, it reported $27 billion in the quarter. The company said it is expecting $31.5 billion in revenue in Q4 and $111.7 billion in FY 2026.

Clarke noted that "AI PCs, small language models, more capable applications, improvements in operating systems and their capabilities, and the embedded AI there, the use of an NPU, the capability of an NPU in future PCs gives me the view that the PC market will continue to flourish going forward." Dell reported a revenue of $10.1 billion from servers and networking kit last quarter, which increased 37% YoY. But he also said that the PC market would be roughly flat year-over-year. You can read a transcript of Dell's earnings call at Fortune.

But we also need to factor end-users, I'm not sure AI is going to drive PC sales, most AI services are cloud-powered, all you need to use them is a browser or a desktop app. Not a lot of people are going to get a PC specifically for AI purposes. There are Copilot+ PCs, but those may not seem like an attractive option to the average buyer, who may just need a reliable computer.

There's something else to consider. RAM prices have gone through the roof, which in turn will affect computer sales too. Dell says it is prepared to meet the demand, having learned valuable lessons in supply chain management during the COVID-19 pandemic. If you look at the overall market, it's pretty bad right now. Console prices have increased significantly this year. A lot of these have been influenced by tariff policies.

How about you? Did you buy a new computer, or upgrade your old system to move to Windows 11?

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Windows 10 Tweaks

Pressing “Windows+Pause Break” (it’s up there next to scroll lock) opens the “System” Window.

Windows 10: In the new version of Windows, Explorer has a section called Quick Access. This includes your frequent folders and recent files. Explorer defaults to opening this page when you open a new window. If you’d rather open the usual This PC, with links to your drives and library folders, follow these steps:

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credit to Lifehacker.

 

Unlocked Realtek HD Audio Drivers Windows 7 & 8 (With Dolby Digital Live and DTS Interactive)

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Dell Starts Shipping Windows 10 Devices

Dell customers will be among the first to experience Windows 10, Microsoft's best operating system yet, when it launches tomorrow. For those who purchased Windows 10-based devices during Dell's pre-sale period, systems will start shipping today with free next-business-day delivery. Today, nearly 70 configurations of laptops and 2-in-1s and desktops and all-in-ones featuring Windows 10 are available on Dell.com and 51 Dell systems will be available from leading retailers beginning tomorrow.

Whether buying a new Dell device or upgrading an existing PC, Dell makes it quick and easy to get the most from Windows 10 features, such as support for secure sign-on through integrated Intel RealSense cameras and unprecedented touch capabilities on select Dell screens. Unique to the Dell experience, proactive service and support options including ProSupport Plus and Premium Support keep commercial and consumer customers up and running easily while maintaining the health of their systems.





Dell and Windows 10: Better Together
Dell and Microsoft engineers began work on the key features of Windows 10 in 2013 to help Dell design fantastic, new PC solutions for customers. PCs integrating Intel RealSense 3D cameras that Dell helped pioneer on Venue tablets deliver facial recognition to help enable Windows Hello sign in. Dell can help maximize the rich-media experience of Windows 10 with Waves MaxxAudio, and help provide a great Cortana experience with cutting-edge audio integration. Through Dell touch enabled screens and Continuum on Windows 10, PCs can now deliver incredible on-screen experiences and the comfortable touch interaction that users have come to enjoy on devices like smart phones.

With Windows 10, commercial customers can get the preeminent solutions and services that set Dell apart from the competition. Dell continues to offer the industry's most secure commercial devices through its comprehensive encryption, advanced authentication and leading-edge malware prevention with the Dell Data Protection portfolio - and the industry's most manageable commercial devices.3 The management capabilities built into Dell's commercial portfolio, like the Dell Client Command Suite, offer free automation tools that significantly reduce time spent deploying, monitoring and updating systems.

Dell Brings Windows 10 to Customers First
As announced in mid-June, Dell was among the first to offer Windows 10 preloaded systems for pre-sales. In North America those orders will start shipping today with free next-day delivery. In addition to the U.S. and Canada, customers have been able to pre-order systems in China as of July 20, and the United Kingdom beginning on July 22. Customers in Brazil can start ordering systems on July 29.

Retail customers in the U.S. have had the opportunity to purchase Windows 10 devices on QVC since July 14, and will be able to purchase systems from other leading retailers, including Best Buy, Microcenter and Staples, starting tomorrow. Customers in Brazil and China will be able to purchase Dell devices with Windows 10 in August, and in the UK products will be available at retail in October.

Beyond innovative and award-winning products, Dell offers OS help for Windows 10 with chat and 24x7 online and phone priority access to expert technicians when you add Dell Premium Support or ProSupport Plus for PCs and Tablets. To help all customers make a smooth transition to Windows 10, Dell support is publishing a series of Web videos that cover topics including how to upgrade to Windows 10, key features, basic functions of the new OS, and how to use the OS on virtual desktops. Additional videos will be influenced by customer conversations and inquiries received across support. Hosted on the Dell YouTube channel, the videos are available in English, Spanish, French, Portuguese, Chinese and Japanese.

#DellLounge Powered by Windows 10
To celebrate the launch of Windows 10, Dell and Microsoft are hosting a #DellLounge Powered by Windows 10 pop-up activation in Chicago from July 30 through August 2. The four-day event will overlook Grant Park and bring new Windows 10 features to life on the latest Windows 10-ready devices from Dell and Alienware through interactive experiences, learning labs and entertainment from Morgan Page, A-Trak, Residual Kid, Jack and Jack, Mahogany Lox and others. There will also be engaging programming and demonstrations celebrating the people and organizations making a difference around the world like Goodwill Industries, Girl Scouts of the USA, Academy for Global Citizenship and more. Superstar Social Media influencers like Josh Leyva, Hunter March and ChimneySwift11 will be broadcasting live from the site, alongside leading entertainment blogger Jared Eng of Just Jared.