- Windows 10 still runs on two in five active desktops worldwide
- Companies delay updates with paid security extensions for critical systems
- Consumers keep older PCs active for light tasks and backups
Despite the end of free support for many versions of Windows 10, usage data still shows a slow transition to Windows 11.
Statcounter figures from November 2025 put Windows 11 at 53.7% of active Windows desktops, while Windows 10 still occupies 42.7%.
The data reflects both consumer and business devices and only shows a limited number of websites, which already limits confidence that adoption trends can be interpreted.
Updates to Windows 11 seem to be very slow
Even with this limitation, the persistence of Windows 10 seems difficult to rule out and the gap between the two systems is closing much more slowly than many hardware vendors expected.
Enterprise environments continue to take a more cautious approach to large-scale operating system changes.
Many businesses still running Windows 10 now rely on extended security updates as a structured delay mechanism rather than a permanent safe haven.
Analysts describe this approach as strategic and covers critical systems tied to legacy applications and specialized equipment without current support for Windows 11 drivers.
In many organizations, funds for large-scale computer replacement remain unallocated across broad swaths of active device fleets.
The cost of migration goes beyond licenses and hardware and includes compatibility testing, deployment planning, retraining, and disrupted workflows tied to office software transitions.
A major hurdle for Windows 11 is the absence of features that would force an immediate change in business purchasing behavior.
Aside from the expiration of free support, there has been little clear incentive to disrupt normal device replacement timelines.
Hardware vendors report that update activity is lagging far behind previous operating system transitions.
Dell executives publicly confirmed that Windows 11 adoption is trailing previous update cycles by double-digit margins at similar points after previous support deadlines.
In an uncertain economic climate, companies appear reluctant to absorb large unplanned upgrade programs closely tied to operating system timelines.
Consumer usage data further complicates overall adoption measurements.
Many Windows 11 device buyers continue to use older Windows 10 machines as secondary computers for limited tasks.
These persistent systems continue to generate traffic that feeds public usage statistics.
In some parts of Europe, consumers also continue to receive security updates without direct payment, further reducing the urgency of replacing working hardware.
Familiar workflows and attachment to existing productivity tools reinforce this lag among non-business users.
Available data suggests that Windows 11 growth reflects net additions rather than true replacements.
On paper, Windows 10 appears to be slowly declining, as data shows limited operational advantage in Windows 11.
Through The Registry
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