Windows May Report Card Reveals Decline for Windows 11 and Revival for Windows 10

Recent Trends in Windows Operating System Market Share

Despite the continued rise in popularity among gaming enthusiasts, Windows 11 experienced a noticeable slowdown in its overall global adoption last month. According to the latest data from Statcounter, a well-regarded analytics platform, the operating system's worldwide market share declined from 47.32% to 43.23% during the past month.

Meanwhile, Windows 10 has maintained its position as the most widely used desktop operating system across the globe. Interestingly, as Windows 11's share dipped, some users who previously upgraded or intended to upgrade to Windows 11 seem to have reverted to Windows 10, resulting in a modest increase of 0.25 percentage points in Windows 10’s market share, reaching 53.19%.

While this growth is relatively small, it signals that Windows 10 remains a significant player in the OS landscape and may continue to do so for some time. It appears that a segment of users is hesitant to transition away from Windows 10, despite Microsoft's push towards Windows 11. Additionally, other older Windows versions continue to hold minimal shares in the market. Windows 7 recorded a slight uptick to 2.48% (+0.02 points), Windows XP reached 0.54% (+0.16 points), and Windows 8.1 held at 0.29% (+0.01 points).

Although these legacy systems are no longer officially supported by Microsoft, they still retain a small but persistent user base. It is important to note that the data from Statcounter is not official and may not perfectly reflect the precise figures that Microsoft or other primary sources might report. Nevertheless, these trends offer valuable insights into the evolving landscape of desktop operating systems and user preferences.

Over the past year, Windows 11’s market share has surged from 26.19% to its current level of 43.23%, marking an impressive 17.04 point increase. This significant growth highlights Microsoft’s ongoing efforts to encourage users to upgrade from Windows 10 to Windows 11. As October 2025 approaches—the date when support for Windows 10 will officially end—experts anticipate that Windows 11’s adoption rate will accelerate further, potentially making it the most dominant desktop operating system worldwide in the near future.

However, it’s also conceivable that Windows 10 will maintain a substantial user base for several more years, similar to how Windows 7 persisted long after its support ended. This ongoing presence underscores the diversity and gradual transition within the Windows ecosystem, influenced by user preferences, hardware compatibility, and corporate policies.