Windows 11 has finally overtaken Windows 10 in market share — at least when it comes to PC gamers. In a new survey conducted by the folks at Steam, the video game platform and storefront run by Valve, some 50.81% of users have adopted Windows 11 as of last month. Jumping in use by 3.36% from July to August helped the newest flavor of Windows take the lead from Windows 10.
Over the same two months, Windows 10 saw its slice of Steam users drop by 3.29%. The percentage numbers show that the surge in Windows 11 came largely from people jumping from Windows 10 to 11. That may indicate that they find more value in Windows 11 for gaming or simply that they’re in the mood to upgrade before Windows 10 loses support from Microsoft.
Also: Still have a Windows 10 PC? You have 5 options before support ends next year
Both Windows 10 and 11 offer a gaming mode that optimizes your PC for game playing. Both also offer a Game Bar that lets you connect a game controller, record your gameplay, and chat with fellow gamers. Based on these options, the two operating systems seem about on par for playing video games, though some gamers give the nod to Windows 11 simply because it’s a newer OS with the latest features.
The more pressing reason for the growth in Windows 11 among gamers may be the limited future left for Windows 10. Come October 2025, Microsoft will cut off support for the now nine-year-old version of Windows. In just one short year, Windows 10 will no longer receive free software updates, security patches, bug fixes, or technical support. As that will leave the OS more vulnerable, more people are likely starting to see the need to move to Windows 11.
Though Steam’s survey focuses strictly on video game users rather than general consumers and businesses, the growth is significant.
Also: How to upgrade your ‘incompatible’ Windows 10 PC to Windows 11
Since its debut almost three years ago, Windows 11 has struggled to catch up to its predecessor in popularity and market share. Part of the reason is undoubtedly due to the stricter hardware conditions for running the OS. To handle Windows 11, Microsoft requires that your PC run Trusted Platform Module (TPM) version 2.0 and Secure Boot, two limitations that leave many older PCs out of the running.
But with time running out for Windows 10, people are likely feeling more motivated to upgrade. By default, Windows 11 is the version installed on new PCs. If your computer qualifies, Windows 11 is a free and (relatively) smooth upgrade from Windows 10.
Also: This secret Windows 11 setting lets you kill unresponsive apps much faster
The overall Windows market is following a trend similar to that reported by Steam. The latest stats from StatCounter show a gradual but fairly steady rise for Windows 11 and a decline for Windows 10. Windows 11 saw its slice of the Windows market grow to 31.63% in August 2024 from 23.2% in July 2023.
Over the same time, Windows 10 saw its share drop to 64.14% from 71.84%. Though Windows 10 is still far in the lead, Windows 11 should continue to climb in popularity as we get closer to the support cutoff date for its predecessor.
