Windows 11 Finally Overtakes Windows 10 as the Most Dominant Operating System

A new king has been crowned. As of July 2025, data from StatCounter shows that Windows 11 now runs on 51.77% of all Windows PCs, overtaking Windows 10’s 45.02% share for the first time. Released in October 2021, Windows 11 initially struggled, capturing less than 10% of installations by the end of its first year. In 2023, its market share had climbed to 28%, and by late 2024, it reached 36%. The recent surge is a result of a combination of factors. First, Microsoft has begun highlighting the approaching end of support for standard editions of Windows 10 on October 14, 2025. Second, many organizations and individual users have upgraded their hardware in search of the latest security improvements and software enhancements. Finally, features such as performance optimizations, tighter security defaults, and built-in support for AI-driven tools have made Windows 11 more attractive to both enterprises and gamers.

According to these figures, more than 700 million devices now run Windows 11. Although StatCounter does not capture every device and its figures may differ from those of other analytics services, it provides a reliable snapshot of broader trends. As Windows 10 approaches its end of mainstream support in October 2025, the coming months will reveal whether these incentives and new hardware offerings will sustain Windows 11’s upward trajectory or prompt users to seek extended support instead.