Statcounter reports massive Windows 11 market share increase

At the beginning of each month, Statcounter publishes fresh data about operating systems, browsers, search engines, and other things, giving users an overview of the market. There is a separate section for Windows, and for the second month in a row, it shows Windows 11 making strides and increasing its market share quite rapidly.

According to the latest data by Statcounter, in February 2026, Windows 11's market share jumped from 62.41% to a whopping 72.57%, displaying a nearly identical increase to a month before (50.73% to 62.41%). Windows 10, on the other hand, is losing its market share proportionally, going from 35.77% to 26.45% in just one month. Similar jumps are observed in specific regions, with Windows 11 showing massive gains in Europe, the United States of America, India, the United Kingdom, and more.

Here is what the Windows market looks like according to Statcounter:

1. Windows 11: 72.57% (+10.16 points)
2. Windows 10: 26.45% (-9.32 points)
3. Windows 7: 0.62% (-0.43 points)
4. Windows XP: 0.2% (-0.23 points)

A 10-point increase is undoubtedly an odd one, especially considering that there were no major announcements from Microsoft or PC manufacturers that could have sparked a massive exodus. Also, Windows 10 is still supported in the Extended Security Updates program, so regular users are supported until October, while Microsoft has commercial users' backs for a few more years.

Statcounter often adjusts its data over time, so it is possible that the latest value will change in a couple of weeks. Recently, Statcounter reported a massive spike in Windows 7's market share, which was later corrected. Therefore, take this information with a fair share of skepticism.

Despite the odd report, Statcounter remains a useful service for approximate tracking, as Microsoft refuses to provide exact figures. However, Microsoft recently announced that Windows 11 had finally crossed the 1 billion users mark, and it did that faster than Windows 10, despite all the hate and flak the latest operating system keeps getting from the community.

Source: Statcounter

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Posted Monday 2 March 2026 at 5:47 am AEST (my time).

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