Microsoft unveiled Windows 11 in 2021, and since then, the tech major has released several significant updates and new features to the operating system. A media report has now revealed that Windows 11 is powering more than 400 million monthly active devices. The latest operating system is said to reach 500 million active devices by 2024. This is a significantly slower adoption rate than the old Windows 10. Windows 11 touched 400 million active devices just over a year after its release.
A report by Windows Central, citing Microsoft’s internal data, states that Windows 11 is now in use on over 400 million monthly active devices and it will hit 500 million monthly active devices by early 2024. The adoption pace of Windows 11 seems to be notably slower than Windows 10. However, the report notes that Microsoft has set a “modest” expectation for the Windows 11 usage base and the company has consistently blown past these internal goals. Windows 11 has been reportedly more successful than the company expected from a user-base standpoint.
Windows 11 was unveiled in July 2021 with notable design changes including a new boot screen, startup sound, and upgraded widgets. Microsoft took two years to reach 400 million monthly active devices with Windows 11, whereas Windows 10, which debuted in June 2015, hit 400 million monthly active devices in just over a year. It reached 1 billion users by early 2020.
Windows 10 was introduced as a limited free upgrade from Windows 7 and Windows 8. Windows 11 operating system on the other hand was only supported on CPUs released from 2018 onwards due to the Trusted Platform Module (TPM) requirement. The sluggish adoption rate of the Windows 11 can be attributed to these strict hardware requirements.
Windows 11 received a couple of updates in recent months. The tech giant added its AI personal assistant, Copilot, to the operating system. Microsoft’s Windows 12 is expected to be released in 2024 as the next major Windows operating system.