Microsoft’s Windows 11 operating system is experiencing a significant decline in adoption rates among its users. According to recent data from Statcounter, Windows 11’s market share has dropped below the 26% mark, falling short of its all-time high of 28.16% reached in February 2024. This represents a notable decline in the operating system’s popularity, especially when compared to Windows 10, which has surged past the 70% mark for the first time since September 2023.
During the span of just one month, from March to April 2024, Windows 11’s market share decreased by over a full percentage point, from 26.68% to 25.65%. The majority of these users seem to have migrated back to Windows 10, which has experienced a significant gain of 0.96 percentage points. This sudden drop in popularity is likely attributed to the lack of compelling reasons for users to upgrade to Windows 11, as well as the presence of exclusive features that require newer hardware.
Despite Microsoft’s efforts to promote the upgrade to Windows 11 through intrusive popup advertisements, many users have remained reluctant to make the switch. The company has been pushing Windows 10 users to transition to Windows 11, but it appears that the former’s end-of-life support in October 2025 may prompt more users to reconsider their stance.
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Interestingly, even Windows 7, which was discontinued in January 2023, continues to have a small but significant user base of around 3%, despite lacking official support and developer community. While some developers still cater to Windows 7, major apps and browsers have long since ceased support for the operating system.
Microsoft is set to reveal innovative AI capabilities for Windows 11, which could potentially offer a compelling reason for users to transition from Windows 10. However, the exclusive nature of certain features that require newer hardware may limit the appeal of these upgrades. It remains to be seen whether the upcoming Windows 11 24H2 update will be enough to boost adoption rates and persuade more users to make the switch.
As Microsoft continues to struggle with Windows 11 adoption, it is clear that the company will need to rethink its strategy and provide more compelling reasons for users to upgrade. Despite the challenges, Microsoft will continue to support Windows 10 until its end-of-life support in October 2025, giving users a considerable amount of time to decide whether to upgrade or migrate to a different operating system.
