Windows 11 has not significantly widened its market share lead over Windows 10 despite support for many versions of the latter ending. As of November, Statcounter shows Windows 11 accounted for 53.7% of the Windows desktop market, while Windows 10 stood at 42.7%. However, this gap represents a narrowing trend as users cling to older hardware and familiar workflows.
Esben Dochy, Lansweeper principal technical evangelist, notes that consumers are more likely to keep their devices unchanged due to upgrade limitations or “if it ain’t broke” mindset. In contrast, businesses face challenges with slow change management processes, making Microsoft Extended Security Updates (ESU) expensive for unprepared organizations.
Research manager Kieren Jessop at Omdia explains that the adoption curve represents net additions rather than pure replacements, reducing the rate of Windows 10 decline. However, enterprises are using ESU strategically as a bridge to newer systems, covering mission-critical areas and segments with limited refresh budgets.
The sluggish pace of transition is attributed to the lack of must-have features to drive hardware upgrades, particularly in difficult economic environments. Hardware vendors, including Dell, acknowledge the slow adoption rate, stating they are 10-12 points behind compared to previous OS end-of-support periods.
Source: https://www.theregister.com/2025/12/03/windows_11_statcounter