{"id":5060,"date":"2025-07-08T14:28:44","date_gmt":"2025-07-08T14:28:44","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/prepsaret.com\/news\/?p=5060"},"modified":"2025-07-08T14:28:44","modified_gmt":"2025-07-08T14:28:44","slug":"windows-11-becomes-the-most-used-os-as-end-of-windows-10-support-nears","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/prepsaret.com\/news\/windows-11-becomes-the-most-used-os-as-end-of-windows-10-support-nears\/","title":{"rendered":"Windows 11 Becomes the Most-Used OS as End of Windows 10 Support Nears"},"content":{"rendered":"<p><b>Highlights:<\/b><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Windows 11 now leads the global desktop OS market, overtaking Windows 10 with over 51% market share.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The shift comes ahead of Windows 10\u2019s official end of support on October 14, 2025.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Adoption was initially slow due to strict hardware requirements and user resistance.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Recent AI-enabled hardware and Microsoft&#8217;s upgrade pressure have driven a sharp increase in Windows 11 installations.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Users with older PCs face a choice: pay for extended support or buy new, compatible hardware.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h3><b>Adoption Milestone Reached<\/b><\/h3>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">In a major milestone for <a href=\"https:\/\/www.microsoft.com\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Microsoft<\/a>, Windows 11 has officially surpassed Windows 10 as the most-used desktop operating system globally. According to StatCounter\u2019s July 2025 data, Windows 11 now holds 51.77% of the global Windows market share, overtaking Windows 10\u2019s 45.02%. This marks a significant turning point ahead of the upcoming October 14 deadline, when Microsoft will end mainstream support for Windows 10.<\/span><\/p>\n<h3><b>Slow Start, Then Rapid Climb<\/b><\/h3>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Initially launched in October 2021, Windows 11 struggled to gain traction. It took nearly two years to reach 400 million users\u2014half the time it took Windows 10. The slow uptake was attributed to high system requirements, including the need for a TPM 2.0 security chip and newer CPUs, rendering many existing machines ineligible. According to Windows Central, some users even faced full-screen upgrade prompts on Windows 10 as Microsoft ramped up its efforts.<\/span><\/p>\n<h3><b>What Drove the Sudden Surge?<\/b><\/h3>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The recent spike in adoption can be credited to several key factors. Microsoft\u2019s aggressive push to upgrade users before Windows 10\u2019s end-of-life has intensified. Users were offered incentives like bonus Microsoft Rewards points or a $30 support extension fee for continued updates. Additionally, the rise of Copilot+ PCs\u2014featuring next-generation AI capabilities\u2014has made newer Windows 11 devices more attractive.<\/span><\/p>\n<h3><b>What Lies Ahead<\/b><\/h3>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Microsoft plans a smoother transition with the Windows 11 25H2 update this fall, built on the same platform as 24H2, to minimize disruptions for enterprise users. However, users on legacy hardware are left with limited options\u2014either upgrade their systems or face a future without support.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">As the PC industry enters what analysts call a \u201cmajor upgrade cycle,\u201d Windows 11&#8217;s dominance signals a broader shift toward modern hardware and AI-powered computing.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><b>Also in the News:<\/b><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><a href=\"https:\/\/prepsaret.com\/news\/pearson-and-google-cloud-unite-to-personalize-k-12-learning-with-ai\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Pearson &amp; Google Cloud Launch Generative AI Tools<\/span><\/a><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><a href=\"https:\/\/prepsaret.com\/news\/microsoft-to-cut-4-of-workforce-as-ai-investments-pressure-margins\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Microsoft to cut about 4% of jobs amid hefty AI bets<\/span><\/a><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Considering professional growth?<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Explore our certification study materials and guides to help you manage resources, grow your career, and stay competitive:<\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><a href=\"https:\/\/prepsaret.com\/comptia-practice-exam\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><b>CompTIA Certification study Materials<\/b><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> \u2013 Build your skills in IT support, networking, and cybersecurity.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><a href=\"https:\/\/prepsaret.com\/shrm-cp-and-shrm-scp\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><b>HR Certification Study Materials<\/b> <\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\u2013 Learn HR fundamentals, compliance, and strategic planning.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><a href=\"https:\/\/prepsaret.com\/courses\/pmp-test-prep\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><b>PMP Certification Prep<\/b><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> \u2013 Master project management, budgeting, and resource control.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Highlights: Windows 11 now leads the global desktop OS market, overtaking Windows 10 with over 51% market share. The shift comes ahead of Windows 10\u2019s official end of support on October 14, 2025. Adoption was initially slow due to strict hardware requirements and user resistance. Recent AI-enabled hardware and Microsoft&#8217;s upgrade pressure have driven a [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":3,"featured_media":5065,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_et_pb_use_builder":"","_et_pb_old_content":"","_et_gb_content_width":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[330],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-5060","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-news"],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO Premium plugin v22.4 (Yoast SEO v25.3) - https:\/\/yoast.com\/wordpress\/plugins\/seo\/ -->\n<title>Windows 11 Becomes the Most-Used OS as End of Windows 10 Support Nears<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"Windows 11 surpasses Windows 10 in global usage as support for the older OS nears its end. 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