Windows 10: Windows 11 Reaches 72.78% Market Share as Windows 10 Declines

Windows 11 now runs on nearly three-quarters of Windows desktops worldwide, according to the latest StatCounter data. The operating system has reached 72.78% market share, while Windows 10 has dropped to 26.27%.

The shift marks a sharp acceleration compared to late 2025, when Windows 11 hovered just above 50% adoption and Windows 10 still powered close to half of all Windows PCs.

A Forced Windows Upgrade Cycle, Not Just Enthusiasm


The rapid adoption do not driven purely by excitement over new features. Instead, the transition is largely tied to Windows 10’s end-of-support timeline and Microsoft’s stricter hardware requirements for Windows 11.

Windows 11 enforces several technical prerequisites, including:

• TPM 2.0
• Secure Boot
• Modern supported CPUs
• UEFI firmware
• Stronger integration with Microsoft accounts and cloud services

These requirements have limited upgrade paths for older systems, effectively pushing users toward new hardware purchases.

Some Users Are Trying to Bypass Switching to Windows 11


Power users have found documented methods to bypass hardware checks, including registry edits and modified installation media. Some systems without TPM 2.0 or officially supported CPUs can still install Windows 11 through unofficial means.

However, Microsoft has steadily restricted these loopholes and warned that unsupported systems may not receive updates or could experience stability issues.

For users unwilling to upgrade hardware, the alternatives are increasingly limited: remain on Windows 10 without security updates once support ends, or switch platforms entirely. Some holdouts have opted to replace aging PCs with macOS or Linux systems instead of moving to Windows 11.

Windows 11 Security Challenges and BitLocker Issues


Even among supported systems, Windows 11’s upgrade has not been easy.

The OS leans heavily on a tightly integrated security model involving BitLocker, Secure Boot, and the Windows Recovery Environment. Recent problematic updates have reportedly triggered unintended BitLocker recovery prompts on some machines, forcing users to retrieve recovery keys unexpectedly.

These incidents have raised concerns among advanced users and enterprises, particularly when recovery systems fail to behave as expected.

Windows 11’s Growth Isn't Just About Voluntary Upgrades


Windows 11 has achieved clear numerical dominance on the desktop. However, its growth reflects a transition driven more by expiring support deadlines and hardware policy enforcement than by voluntary upgrades alone.

Whether Microsoft can improve reliability and maintain user trust while enforcing stricter security standards will likely shape how Windows 11 is viewed over the long term, as a secure foundation for the next decade or as a turning point that pushed some users to explore alternatives.

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Predictions of Windows 11 market share relative to Windows 10

The following are market share plots for Windows since January 2009. Can anything that has happened in the last twelve years be a predictor of what will happen in the next twelve years? Any predictions of how fast Windows 11 will be adopted? Will history repeat itself with people sticking with Windows 10 as long as possible like they did with Windows 7? Note the data is only for desktops with Windows. Many people have shifted to using laptops instead of desktops in the last ten or 15 years. Would the results have been different if laptops had been included?

























Desktop Windows Version Market Share United States Of America Desktop Windows Version Market Share United States Of America | Statcounter Global Stats Desktop Windows Version Market Share Worldwide Desktop Windows Version Market Share Worldwide | Statcounter Global Stats

 

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:

• Open a new Explorer window.
• Click View in the ribbon.
• Click Options.
• Under General, next to “Open File Explorer to:” choose “This PC.”
• Click OK

credit to Lifehacker.

 

Market Share - W7 Up, W10 Flat, XP Down


Here is NetMarketShare's info for February 2017:

• W7 increased (workers returning from holidays?)
• W10 was basically flat
• XP declined

Data from NetMarketShare