As Windows 10 nears its end of support in just over a year, Windows 11 has made modest strides, reaching 33.37% market share by the end of September 2024, compared to Windows 10’s 62.79%, according to Statcounter.

This growth, while steady, still lags behind the early success of its predecessor. Windows 11’s adoption has been hampered by stringent hardware requirements, leaving many users unable to upgrade and comfortable with Windows 10.

For context, Windows 10 had a much stronger hold on the market at the same point in its lifecycle. A year before Windows 8.1 support ended, Windows 10 commanded over 80% of the market.

The situation is different with Windows 11, which has struggled to match this performance, particularly due to its hardware limitations. This has left businesses in a bind as they weigh the need for new hardware against sticking with Windows 10 and opting for extended security updates.

As support for Windows 10 winds down, corporate IT departments face tough decisions. The next 12 months could see a sharper uptick in Windows 11 adoption, driven by forced hardware upgrades. Alternatively, organizations may explore other operating systems, seeking cost-effective solutions beyond Microsoft’s ecosystem.