Despite some reluctance among PC users, particularly gamers, to transition to Windows 11, recent data from Steam reveals a notable shift. According to the latest Steam survey, Windows 11 has surpassed Windows 10 in terms of usage among Steam players, with 49.17 percent of the installed base now on Windows 11 compared to 47.09 percent on Windows 10 as of August 2024.
This milestone is significant for Microsoft, as it highlights Windows 11’s growing acceptance in a key user group. While we don’t have detailed figures on whether users are upgrading from Windows 10 or purchasing new PCs with Windows 11 pre-installed, the fact that Windows 11 reached this point in nearly three years contrasts sharply with the less than one year it took Windows 10 to achieve similar numbers.
As Windows 10 approaches its official end-of-service date within the next year, it’s expected that the operating system will continue to hold a sizable share of the market. This trend mirrors the slow decline of older systems like Windows 8 (0.07 percent) and Windows 7 (0.37 percent). Unlike Windows 10, which replaced a less popular version, Windows 11 faces the challenge of convincing users to switch from a still-viable Windows 10.
Microsoft is under pressure to accelerate the adoption of Windows 11, and forthcoming updates aimed at improving performance on the latest processors may play a crucial role in this effort.
