In July 2024, Windows 11 hit an important milestone: for the first time since its launch in October 2021, the operating system crossed the 30% market share mark. According to Statcounter"s latest findings, last month, Windows 11 reached a new all-time high of 30.83%, gaining 1.08 points in just one month or 7.17 points year-over-year (it was at 23.66% in July 2023).
Just as Windows 11 climbs, Windows 10 loses its market share. It is now below 65%, or 64.99%, to be precise, or -1.06 points in one month. Year-over-year change is 11.15 points (it was at 71.14% in July 2023). The operating system will reach its end of life in about a year, so expect its market share to start dropping faster in a few months. However, the Extended Security Update program and third-party services like 0patch will help the OS stick around for many more years.
The launch of Copilot+ PCs generated quite a lot of buzz on the Windows market, but it is too early to say whether the well-received Windows 11 computers with Qualcomm"s Snapdragon X processors will help Windows 11 get more users. However, Qualcomm and its partners plan more ARM-powered devices, including business focus models, plus the approaching back-to-school season should speed up the adoption of Windows 11 PCs.
Other Windows versions, which are now long unsupported, still have a fair share of customers who refuse to jump-ship. Windows 7, for one, is the third most popular Windows with a 3.04% market share (+0.08 points). Windows 8.1 is fourth with 0.42% (+0.02 points), and Windows XP is fifth with 0.38% (-0.01 points).
Keep in mind that Statcounter"s reports are not 100% accurate, and only Microsoft can give as true-to-life numbers as possible. However, the company does not publish any information about the market segmentation, so customers and developers have to rely on third-party analytic services. You can learn how Statcounter prepares its data in the FAQ section on the official website.
More information about the Windows market is available here.