Skip to main content

Windows 11 adoption is slowing, but it’s not a failure yet

Windows 11 released last fall and promised to be a new and refreshing update that tries to rid itself of the past. Unfortunately, it seems that Windows 11 adoption has been slowing in lieu of Windows 10 updates. That’s not always a bad thing and doesn’t necessarily mean Windows 11 is a failure, though.

AdDuplex, an ad network, released statistics on Windows 11 adoption based on their sampling of 60,000 computers running the software.  The percentage of users who installed the Windows 10 21H2 update is at 21%. By contrast, almost 20% of Windows PCs have been updated to Windows 11 since its October release.

Split screen feature on Windows 11.

Comparing January to February 2022, Windows 11 usage went from 16.1% to 19.3%. That’s not a terrible percentage, but Microsoft was likely hoping for higher at this point. The company probably doesn’t have anything to worry about if history is any indication. According to Statista, Windows 10 reached 27% adoption across North America, Western Europe, and Asia Pacific in 2017, two years after Windows 10 released.

It has to be said that Windows 10 has proven to be incredibly popular, while Windows 11 has dealt with some controversy since its announcement. Microsoft wanted to increase the security posture of Windows 11 by requiring computers to support Trusted Platform Module (TPM) 2.0 encryption technology. This frustrated PC owners whose motherboards did not support TPM 2.0 despite having components well above the minimum specification required.

Outside of the security requirements, many people may not see any real reason to upgrade in the first place. Windows 10 will be officially supported until 2025 and doesn’t have the same system requirements as Windows 11. Though looks are subjective, some people may simply not like the newer design of Windows 11.

If your hardware does support it, there are plenty of reasons to upgrade to Windows 11 from Windows 10. Microsoft has increased the productivity features with a redesigned File Explorer, and new Snap Layouts truly come in handy when multitasking. There are also a bunch of quality of life improvements, like a sleeker Quick Settings and remembering where your apps were when you plug your PC into a monitor — not to mention the ability to install Android apps using the Amazon App Store.

Windows 11 isn’t even half a year old, so making doom and gloom predictions is premature at this stage.

Editors' Recommendations

David Matthews
David is a freelance journalist based just outside of Washington D.C. specializing in consumer technology and gaming. He has…
The Windows Copilot puts Bing Chat in every Windows 11 computer
Copilot in Windows being used in the side panel.

Announced at Microsoft Build 2023, Windows will now have its own dedicated AI "copilot" that can be docked right into a side panel that can stay persistent while using other applications and aspects of the operating system.

Microsoft has been highly invested in AI over these recent months, and it was only a matter of time before it came to Windows. The time is now -- and it's coming in a big way.

Read more
Windows 11 just gained one of the primary reasons to buy a Mac
The Phone Link app being used on a phone and laptop screen.

The Apple ecosystem is the reason many people flock to the Mac over Windows devices. They already own an iPhone, so buying a Mac that works easily with it seems like an obvious next step.

Now, however, the highly requested Phone Link app for Windows 11 finally supports iPhone, finally making some of those ecosystem features a bit more cross-platform. The update to the app was announced in late April but is available to use today.

Read more
Windows 11 is finally going to play nice with your iPhone
Phone Link for iOS will be available for Windows 11 starting in mid-May.

Microsoft will soon begin support for iPhones on its Phone Link app in Windows 11.

The brand announced on its blog Wednesday that it will begin its global rollout of Microsoft Phone Link for iOS in 39 languages across 85 markets in mid-May. This support will allow iPhone users to make and receive phone calls, send and receive text messages, view notifications, and access contacts directly on their PCs.

Read more