Windows 11 Usage Is Declining Now

After a steady rise in recent months, the latest version of Microsoft’s operating system is weakening again. In contrast to Windows 10, it is again losing users worldwide. In Europe the overall picture is similar.

Windows 11 with a loss of users

End of support for Windows 10 is less than a year away. After October 14, 2025, Microsoft will no longer provide any updates for the operating system. The only exceptions are LTSC versions and the systems of users who have registered for extended support until 2028 as part of the paid ESU program.

Microsoft has been promoting Windows 11 for some time now in order to encourage more users to switch to the latest operating system. Until a few months ago, the strategy, which sometimes made use of invasive banners and other advertisements, seemed to be working. In October, Windows 11 recorded its highest market share ever. Since November, however, the numbers have been declining again, as in Statcounter can be seen.

• Windows 10: 62.73% (+0.87%)
• Windows 11: 34.1% (-0.82%)
• Windows 7: 2.4% (-0.06%)
• Windows 8.1: 0.29% (-0.01%)
• Windows XP: 0.23% (-0.01%)

Over the entire year, Windows 11 was only able to increase its user share by around six percentage points. Microsoft shouldn’t like that very much. If you look at the numbers a year before the end of support for Windows 7, a completely different picture emerges. In January 2019, the majority of users, over 53 percent, had already switched to Windows 10.

EU users are also hesitant

In Europe there is also a clearer picture. So far, fewer users in this country have switched to Windows 11 than worldwide. However, there is currently no downward trend here.

• Windows 10: 66.15% (-0.41%)
• Windows 11: 31.19% (+0.29%)
• Windows 7: 1.58% (no change)
• Windows 8.1: 0.67% (+0.07%)
• Windows XP: 0.15% (no change)

Bad omens

In order to improve the numbers, Microsoft could come up with further advertising measures for Windows 11 in the next few months. The many problems that customers are currently having with Windows 11 24H2 are unlikely to increase their willingness to switch.

In addition, 0patch has already announced that it will continue to provide Windows 10 with micropatches until 2030. This may also prevent some users from updating to the latest version of the operating system.