Windows 11 Market Share Drops in August as More Users Return to Windows 10
In July, Windows 11 finally surpassed Windows 10 in user numbers for the first time. However, fresh data from August shows a slight reversal, with some users switching back to the older operating system — though Windows 11 still maintains the lead overall.
According to data from Statcounter (via Neowin), Windows 11’s market share fell by over four percentage points in August, dropping from 53.51% in July to 49.08%. On the other hand, Windows 10 usage rose from 42.88% in July to 45.53% in August. The remaining 11% is split among legacy versions like Windows 7, Windows 8, and even Windows XP.
Since Microsoft doesn’t publish official Windows usage statistics, Statcounter’s data offers the closest insight into market trends. Still, these numbers should be taken with some caution.
One possible reason behind the shift is Microsoft’s recent policy change. Back in June, the company announced that Windows 10 security updates would continue beyond its original end-of-support date of October 14, 2025 — but only for users meeting certain criteria.
For instance:
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Users can extend Windows 10 support by paying $30 per PC for an extra year.
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Alternatively, Microsoft Reward points can be redeemed for additional time.
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Free access until October 2026 is also available if users opt in for Windows Backup.
These changes might have encouraged some users not to upgrade to Windows 11 yet — and even led others to revert to Windows 10 to maximize support before the official cutoff.
We’ll likely get September’s usage data from Statcounter in early October, which should reveal whether this trend of switching back to Windows 10 continues.
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