New usage data suggests Windows 11 is still struggling to decisively replace Windows 10, even after free support for many Windows 10 versions has ended.
According to Statcounter figures for November 2025, Windows 11 accounts for 53.7% of active Windows desktop usage, while Windows 10 continues to hold a substantial 42.7% share. The data reflects a mix of consumer and enterprise systems and is based on traffic from a defined sample of websites.
While this sampling limits absolute certainty, the scale of Windows 10 persistence is difficult to ignore.
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Enterprise upgrades continue at a cautious pace
Business environments remain a major factor slowing the transition. Many organizations still rely on Windows 10 under Extended Security Update programs, using them as a temporary buffer rather than committing to immediate migration.
This approach allows enterprises to keep critical systems running while avoiding disruption to legacy applications, specialist hardware, and workflows that lack Windows 11 driver or software support.
Budget constraints also play a role. Large scale device replacement requires funding not only for new hardware, but also for compatibility testing, staged deployment, staff retraining, and downtime linked to office software changes.
For many organizations, those costs remain unapproved or deprioritized.
Lack of compelling incentives slows adoption
Outside of support deadlines, Windows 11 has offered few features that force urgent purchasing decisions.
Analysts note that earlier Windows transitions were driven by clear functional advantages or operational requirements. In contrast, Windows 11 has not introduced changes that materially outweigh the disruption of migration for many businesses.
Hardware vendors have publicly acknowledged this slowdown. Dell executives recently confirmed Windows 11 adoption is trailing previous operating system upgrade cycles by double digit margins at comparable stages.
In a fragile economic climate, enterprises appear unwilling to accelerate refresh cycles purely to meet operating system timelines.
Consumer behavior complicates usage data
Consumer usage patterns further blur the picture. Many households now operate multiple PCs, often keeping older Windows 10 machines for secondary tasks such as browsing, printing, or basic productivity.
These systems continue generating measurable traffic, inflating Windows 10 usage figures even as new Windows 11 devices are added.
In several European regions, extended access to security updates has also reduced urgency among home users to replace functioning hardware.
Familiar interfaces, stable workflows, and attachment to existing productivity tools reinforce this resistance to change.
Growth reflects additions, not replacements
Taken together, the data suggests Windows 11 growth is driven more by new device sales than by active replacement of Windows 10 systems.
Windows 10 usage appears to be declining slowly rather than collapsing, indicating that many users see little immediate operational advantage in upgrading.
For Microsoft and its hardware partners, this pattern suggests a prolonged transition period rather than a decisive generational shift.
