Microsoft's upgrade push fails as two-thirds prefer Windows 10, here's why

Microsoft is worried, and it should be! Users are not adopting the latest iteration of its OS, Windows 11, even after countless new features and marketing tactics.

Microsoft introduced AI-based Copilot in Windows 11, brought a new File Explorer, revamped the Settings app, allowed Generative Erase in the Photos app, and a lot more.

Last month, Microsoft sent out upgrade alerts. Now, the Redmond-based tech giant has plans to offer free Windows 11 invites to companies that rely on its services. But none of it is working!

Windows 10 continues to dominate the market even though it will reach the End of Support on October 14, 2025. That’s less than two years. Under a perfect scenario, most eligible users should have upgraded by now. So, something is certainly not right with Windows 11!

How do Windows 10 & 11 compare in terms of market share?

As per Statcounter, in Feb’24, Windows 10 has a 67.26% market share while Windows 11 lags behind at 28.16%. The surprising (concerning for Microsoft) part, Windows 10’s share increased more in the last month compared to the latest iteration.

This highlights a few critical points:

• Windows 11 market share is increasing but not at a pace Microsoft would like.
• Windows 10 remains the largest player, but the share keeps falling monthly, barring Feb’24.
• For most months, the increase/decrease between Windows 10 and Windows 11 roughly balances out, meaning users are not switching to other iterations.

These figures are corroborated by Steam’s February’24 survey. As per the available statistics, Windows 10 share increased by 2.76% while that of Windows 11 fell by 2.28%.

So, it’s clear, the latest iteration has witnessed a significant drop in recent while!

Why do users prefer Windows 10 over Windows 11?

• Basic system requirements: Windows 10, unlike the latest iteration, has quite basic system requirements. It doesn’t need Secure Boot or TPM 2.0, which most legacy PCs don’t support.
• The UI looks familiar: Microsoft didn’t make a lot of changes to Windows 10’s UI. It looks much like the previous iterations, and the standard interface increases ease of use.
• Fewer bugs: Windows 11, though out for almost 2.5 years, still has a lot of bugs affecting the experience. For instance, slow File Explorer, driver issues, and app crashes.
• Minimal update errors: Windows 11 update errors are frequent, higher than any previously released iteration. Updating Windows 10, on the other hand, is a seamless experience.
• Still supported: Many of us will continue with the OS until it reaches EoL (End of Life). The idea is, why fix something that isn’t broken?

Will Windows 11’s market share ever increase?

Yes, Windows 11 has had a stable increase in user base over the months, and it will follow the same curve for another year or so. Once Windows 10 goes out of support, there will be a significant uptick!

For Windows 11 incompatible PCs, Google is offering ChromeOS. So, indeed, a massive chunk will shift to ChromeOS or Linux, while some may continue with an unsupported Windows 10. Remember, millions are still using Windows XP, an OS that went out of support in Oct’14.

If stored files remain a concern, you can upgrade to Windows 11 without data loss. But Microsoft needs to address performance issues, instability, and incompatibility for more users to make the switch. It won’t happen otherwise, at least not at a pace they would want!

Which of the two, Windows 10 or Windows 11, would you pick? Share your thoughts in the comments section.