Microsoft’s latest operating system, Windows 11, has achieved a significant milestone by reaching 1 billion users, surpassing its predecessor, Windows 10, in the speed of adoption. The milestone was announced by Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella during the company’s fiscal Q2, 2026 earnings call, highlighting a growth of over 45% year-over-year.
The accelerated adoption of Windows 11 can be attributed to Microsoft’s decision to end support for Windows 10, which consequently boosted the company’s Windows OEM revenues. Windows chief Pavan Davuluri previously mentioned that ‘nearly a billion people’ were already using Windows 11, indicating a strong user base leading up to the milestone.
Remarkably, Windows 11 achieved the 1 billion users mark in 1,576 days, faster than the 1,706 days it took Windows 10 to reach the same milestone. This timeline was extended for Windows 10 due to the discontinuation of Windows Phone.
Source: The Verge