It’s been coming for months but the latest stats now officially show that Windows 11 is finally bigger than Windows 10. Despite the end of support for this ageing operating system, Windows 10 has remained on top with more people using it than the very latest Windows 11 software. However, with the deadline now just a few months away it appears millions have decided to make the jump and leave Windows 10 for good.
That’s according to the team at Statcounter, who have just released the very latest desktop figures. If correct, it shows that Windows 10 now has a 45 percent share of the market – that’s compared to Windows 11 with 51 percent.
It’s a pretty rapid rise for Microsoft’s more recent OS. At the start of the year, it was lagging well behind with just 34 per cent of Microsoft users having it installed on their PCs.
The latest stats do make a lot of sense. From October 14, 2025, this operating system will no longer be supported, which means it won’t get vital updates, new features or security patches.
That’s a worry for anyone who doesn’t switch with Windows 10 machines far more likely to targeted by cyber crooks in the future.
“As a reminder, Windows 10 will reach the end of support on October 14, 2025,” Microsoft explained.
“At this point technical assistance, feature updates and security updates will no longer be provided. If you have devices running Windows 10, we recommend upgrading them to Windows 11- a more current, in-service, and supported Windows release.”
Microsoft has confirmed that it will be offering Extended Security Updates (ESU) which will include critical and important security patches but these will cost extra and only be available for three years.
Those wanting to keep Windows 10 and stay safe will face a $30 (£24) per year fee.
In a bid to ease the pain further, Microsoft has also confirmed that Windows 10 users will get a lifeline. The firm has said it will offer one year of Windows 10 Extended Security Updates (ESUs) in exchange for 1,000 Microsoft Rewards points with no additional costs involved.
With the October 14 date fast approaching, Windows 10 users need to make some urgent decisions and it seems many have already decided to jump ship and upgrade to Windows 11.