Windows 11 Achieves One Billion Users Milestone

Windows 11 has officially reached one billion users during the recent holiday quarter. This significant milestone was achieved faster than its predecessor, Windows 10, which took approximately six years to attain the same user count.

Growth Confirmed and Drivers Identified

Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella confirmed this achievement on the company's fiscal Q2, 2026 earnings call. He highlighted that Windows 11 users are "up over 45 percent year-over-year." This accelerated growth is linked to Microsoft's impending end of support for Windows 10, a factor that also contributed to an increase in Windows OEM revenues.

"Windows 11 users are up over 45 percent year-over-year."
— Satya Nadella, Microsoft CEO

Earlier, on November 19th, Windows chief Pavan Davuluri had indicated the approaching milestone. At Microsoft Ignite, he reported that "nearly a billion people" were already utilizing Windows 11.

Faster to the Billion Mark

Windows 11 attained the one billion user mark in just 1,576 days. This represents a quicker pace compared to Windows 10, which required 1,706 days to achieve the same user base. Interestingly, Microsoft's initial target for Windows 10 was to reach a billion devices within three years. However, this timeline was later extended, partly due to the cancellation of Windows Phone.