Microsoft quietly implies Windows has LOST almost half a billion users since Windows 11 debut — bleak outlook suggests Windows is haemorrhaging users

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Microsoft appears to have implicitly acknowledged a decline in Windows’ market share. According to ZDNet, a recent blog post indicates that Windows is now being used on more than a billion devices, but this figure represents a substantial drop compared to the number reported shortly after the launch of Windows 11 in 2022.

In 2022, Microsoft reported that Windows was being used on approximately 1.4 billion devices. More recently, however, there appears to be a decrease of nearly half a billion users. This reduction raises questions: Could this be due to a rounding error in Microsoft’s reporting, which would be a significant and awkward mistake? If the decline is accurate, one might wonder where approximately 400 million Windows users have vanished in the last three years, and whether this trend should be causing concern for Microsoft and its shareholders.

It appears that as Windows 10’s support nears its end, users seem to be opting to discard their outdated computers rather than upgrading to a new one. This is because, for many individuals, smartphones and tablets have become more than sufficient for their daily needs. Even professionals who require a PC can consider alternatives such as Mac and ChromeOS in 2025, as these options are increasingly becoming viable choices. Furthermore, according to StatCounter, Windows has experienced a decline of approximately 15% of its userbase over the past decade.

It’s important to note that people are not abandoning Windows 11, but since 2023, it seems like the Windows platform has slowed down in development, which may contribute to a decrease in users. There was a great deal of excitement surrounding Windows from 2020 to 2023, with Windows 10X eventually evolving into Windows 11 and marking the beginning of a new chapter for the Windows desktop.

It appears that the development for some aspects of Windows 11 was halted prematurely. Some features are in a state of incompleteness, with missing functionalities and flawed user experiences. One such example is the dark mode, which is essential on contemporary platforms yet remains largely non-functional on Windows 11. For reasons unknown, Microsoft appears to be placing less emphasis on addressing issues like this, opting instead to focus on projects like Copilot, AI, and what seems to be a broad degradation of quality.

Copilot+ failed to boost the market

In 2024, Microsoft aimed to invigorate the computer market by introducing a fresh class of AI-enhanced Windows 11 devices called Copilot+ PCs, banking on the idea that artificial intelligence would persuade users to upgrade to these new machines. However, the features associated with Copilot+ PCs have been generally met with disfavor.

It seems as though Microsoft has seized numerous chances over the past few years to degrade the quality of Windows in a manner that appears excessive and sometimes directly hostile to users. An unusual aspect of Windows 11 is that it demands an online user account just for setting up a PC, which no other desktop or mobile platform currently requires.

Additionally, you’ll find an influx of advertisements and unnecessary features that are now common with Windows 11, which were initially absent when it was first released. Over time, the platform has gradually deteriorated as Microsoft seeks out new methods to generate income from users who opt for the upgrade. Nowadays, ads for Microsoft services can be found across various interfaces such as the lock screen, Start menu, search functionality, and even the Settings app. Essentially, it’s omnipresent.

If you can customize many of these features, that’s true, but when the overall experience is lackluster, why would a user go through the trouble? Just like macOS, Windows has ads, but because Mac users value the platform, they’re willing to invest time in disabling popups if necessary. It seems that many people might not genuinely enjoy Windows and prefer to switch to another system rather than spend time adjusting it to their preference. This predicament is largely Microsoft’s fault for not creating a user experience compelling enough to foster love for the platform.

Today, Windows doesn’t enjoy a favorable public image. Despite my belief that Windows 11 represents the best Windows has ever offered, it seems that this opinion doesn’t carry much weight, as users have already formed their judgments. To many, Windows isn’t perceived as an exciting product or platform at the moment.

Observing the current trend, Windows 11 is steadily growing in popularity, potentially overtaking Windows 10 as the dominant Windows platform within the next year. Yet, it seems increasingly probable that Windows 11 may never reach the peak of popularity that Windows 10 once held, primarily due to an increasing number of users opting for alternative systems.

via Tom’s Hardware

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2025-06-30 16:39