Users are sticking with what they know ahead of Windows 12’s launch
When Microsoft launched Windows 11 in October 2021, it thought that Windows 10 had been around for so long – six years – that users would be desperate to upgrade. But the opposite has turned out to be true. Rather than getting fed up with 10, many millions are sticking with what they know rather than face the uncertainty of upgrading.
This is clear from how Windows 11’s market share has flatlined in the past six months. It had a little bump in early 2023 as users switched from Windows 8.1, which Microsoft stopped supporting in January. But between April and September Windows 11’s share has barely risen – from 23.11 to 23.64 per cent (see www.snipca.com/47791). It means that two years after it launched, less than a quarter of PC users are running Windows 11.
What’s striking is that Windows 10 has followed the same trajectory as 11 in 2023. Its market share rose in January and February as people upgraded from 8.1, and has stayed at around 71 per cent since. Users simply have stopped switching between Windows 10 and 11.
The question is why. One key reason is Microsoft’s stringent technical specifications for running Windows 11. Who knows how many people are keen to upgrade but can’t because they lack the TPM 2.0 chip? There are ways to bypass this restriction, but they’re not wholly reliable. Many people just don’t want the hassle.
Another factor is that Windows 10 remains an excellent operating system. Like Windows XP and 7 before it, 10 has proved more popular than the system that succeeded it.
Microsoft did a great job at gradually improving Windows 10 between 2015 and 2021, adding features without forcing pointless redesigns on to users. Microsoft has stopped work on Windows 10 ahead of of ending support in October 2025, but it’s already so good that most people don’t mind.
However, the biggest deterrent to upgrading might be psychological, not technical. Windows 11’s plateauing market share has coincided with growing rumours that Microsoft will launch Windows 12 next year.
Crucially, this is one year before Microsoft ends support for Windows 10 – which is when users will have to make a decision about upgrading. Who can blame them for hanging on to Windows until late 2024, t
