Windows 11 popularity jumps on Steam as we get closer to Windows 10 end of life
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It seems that Windows 11 use has rallied among Steam users, according to the latest Steam Hardware and Software survey, which shows Windows 11 comfortably in the top spot as the favoured operating system.
The April 2025 Steam Hardware and Software Survey has been released, and shows a trend that could be good news for Microsoft. It seems Microsoft's efforts to push users towards upgrading to Windows 11 have not been in vain, as Win11 now sits back on the top spot with 57.84% of Steam users running this OS. This is a 2.5% improvement over the previous survey result.
Windows 11 is on top, pulling away from Windows 10
Windows 10 has dropped to 38.09%. macOS 15.3.2 and 15.4.0 have also seen a small amount of growth. Among alternative operating systems, Arch Linux is the most popular, though popular is relative since Linux only holds 2.27% audience share altogether.
The resurgence of Windows 11 as the favoured OS comes after attempts by Microsoft to encourage users to upgrade. The percentage of Windows 10 users went up recently. This was likely due to a range of factors such as an influx of Chinese users drawn in by the launch of Black Myth: Wukong, who were using slightly older hardware.
Despite claims by Microsoft that Windows 11 offers a range of advantages compared to Windows 10, a lot of users remain reluctant to upgrade. Some struggle with the stringent hardware requirements of Windows 11, while others dislike the push for AI features such as Copilot.
Support for Windows 10 is ending soon. Microsoft has scheduled end of support for October 14th, 2025, so users who wish to keep their PC secure will have no choice but to move over to Windows 11 to take advantage of security updates. This has prompted Microsoft to urge users to upgrade, using blog posts and pop-ups detailing how Windows 11 can improve the experience.
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