Microsoft has confirmed that Windows 11 has crossed one billion users worldwide. The milestone was revealed by CEO Satya Nadella during the company’s latest earnings call, where Microsoft also reported a strong quarterly performance. For an operating system that launched in October 2021 with mixed reactions, the achievement is both impressive and slightly unexpected.
What makes this milestone interesting is how Windows 11 compares to Windows 10. When Windows 10 launched in July 2015, Microsoft openly aimed to reach one billion users within two to three years. That target proved too optimistic. Windows 10 finally crossed the one billion mark in March 2020, taking around four years and eight months.
Windows 11, on the other hand, has reached the same number in about four years and four months. That means it has technically outpaced Windows 10 by a few months, even without Microsoft setting any public adoption goals this time.
This comes despite the rocky start Windows 11 had. Early reviews praised its modern design and some productivity improvements, but many users criticized the removed features, restrictive settings, and confusing user interface decisions. The strict hardware requirements, especially the need for TPM 2.0, also slowed adoption and left millions of older PCs stuck on Windows 10.
Even today, Windows 10 remains widely used. Although it has lost mainstream support, it is still available through Extended Security Updates. This suggests that the billion-user milestone for Windows 11 cannot be explained only by forced upgrades or Windows 10’s decline. Many users are still choosing to stay on the older operating system.
So why did Windows 11 still manage to reach this number faster? One major reason is the PC market itself. Most new laptops and desktops now ship with Windows 11 by default. As people replace older hardware, Windows 11 adoption grows naturally. Businesses have also started upgrading in larger numbers as Windows 10 approaches the end of its lifecycle.
At the same time, the milestone does not mean universal approval. Online discussions still show frustration around performance issues, removed customization options, and changes that affect power users. For some, Windows 11 feels like a step forward. For others, it still feels unfinished.
