Remember when Windows 10 was supposed to be the “last” version of Windows? So did Microsoft—until they didn’t. Windows 11 launched with promises of modern design, AI-powered features, and a “smarter” experience. But despite all the polish, most users simply didn’t budge. That’s been a thorn in Microsoft’s side—until now. For the first time since its release, Windows 11 has overtaken Windows 10 in market share, according to the latest data from Statcounter.
As of early July 2025, Windows 11 now holds 52% of Windows desktop installations, up sharply from under 48% in June. Windows 10 has fallen to 44.6%, marking a significant decline. It took nearly four years and a looming support cutoff to make it happen, but Microsoft is finally getting what it wanted. Kind of.
The company has been almost frantic to push people away from Windows 10. It tried everything—pop-ups, warnings, feature bribes like Copilot and Recall, and even artificial restrictions tied to newer hardware. Meanwhile, Windows 10 chugged along, familiar, stable, and—crucially—not plastered with AI prompts or strange interface tweaks. As of a few weeks ago, Microsoft caved a bit and announced a one-year extension of security updates, purchasable for $30. Clearly, they noticed how many users weren’t ready to let go.
The context matters. Windows, while still dominant on the desktop with 70% market share, is no longer the center of the computing universe. Android now commands nearly 48% of all internet-connected devices, with Windows trailing far behind at just 24.7%. iPhones and iPads make up another 17%, pushing Microsoft further into niche territory outside the office and enterprise.
And those enterprise users? They’re notoriously slow to migrate. With inflation, shrinking IT budgets, and the rise of browser-based apps, there’s less incentive to upgrade hardware just to switch operating systems. On the consumer side, gamers are increasingly bitter over hardware costs and looking toward cheaper handheld devices or consoles, leaving fewer reasons to drop cash on new Windows machines.
Even now, Windows 7 won’t die, with 2.35% still holding on. That’s the kind of loyalty—or inertia—that doesn’t go away easily. So while Microsoft can breathe a small sigh of relief with Windows 11 finally pulling ahead, they shouldn’t get too comfortable. Windows 10 might be running out of official support, but unofficially? It could haunt them for years to come.