June 30, 2025 – Last week, Yusuf Mehdi, Microsoft’s Executive Vice President, revealed in a blog post that Windows is currently running on over 1 billion active devices worldwide. While this figure might seem impressive at first glance, a deeper look into Microsoft’s 2022 annual financial report tells a different story. Back then, the number of devices using Windows 10 and 11 exceeded 1.4 billion. Given that these official documents undergo rigorous legal scrutiny, it’s safe to assume that the Windows user base has actually been shrinking quietly over the past three years, with an estimated loss of around 400 million users.
This decline could be one of the reasons why Microsoft has been actively encouraging users to upgrade to Windows 11 in recent years. As support for older operating systems gradually comes to an end, the company is hoping to persuade users to install the latest version of Windows on their existing computers.
Although Apple’s macOS does pose a threat to Windows, especially after the introduction of Apple Silicon, it’s not accurate to say that all 400 million lost users have switched to Macs. In fact, Mac sales had already started to decline by 2023. According to Statista, this product line, which once accounted for over 85% of Apple’s revenue, now only makes up about 7.7%.
In reality, many people are moving away from traditional computers and embracing increasingly powerful smartphones and tablets. Today, the main consumer markets for Windows PCs are gamers and professionals who rely on specific Windows software. Although the COVID-19 pandemic led to a three-year surge in PC sales, the overall trend shows a continued decline in PC demand.
Moreover, with Windows 10 soon to officially reach its end of support, a new wave of enterprise purchases is expected. Companies need the latest software to ensure system security. However, for ordinary consumers, this isn’t necessarily a strong incentive. After all, even without updates, their Windows 10 computers can still function normally, although they may be more vulnerable to security threats.
