Quick Answer
How many people use Windows in 2025?
Windows runs on 1.6 billion active devices.
How many people use Windows in 2025?
Clue: a lot!
Admit it or not, we have all used Windows. In fact, the majority of us are still keeping the tradition until now.
While we do not get the nostalgic Windows opening salvo as we used to in the early 2000s, Microsoft’s operating systems have remained a reliable service provider over the years.
It has prevented billions of computers from going bonkers since its launch in 1985.
This explains why, despite many years gone, Windows still dominates the overall operating system market.
Windows Users: How Many People Use Windows in 2025?
Exactly how many people use Windows in 2025? In January 2022, Microsoft announced having 1.4 billion active devices running on Windows 10 and 11 monthly.
In the middle of 2020, the company successfully migrated about 80% of its customers to Windows’ newer version, particularly Windows 10.
On the other hand, there are still an estimated 200 million devices globally that are running on the earlier versions of Windows, most of these are reported to be using Windows 7.
This means Windows, new versions and otherwise, run on more or less 1.6 billion devices around the world.
It maintains a stronghold in the overall operating system market share which it dominated since its entrance in the 1980s.
Windows Operating Systems and their Penetration Rates
Windows operating systems’ penetration rates changed significantly over the years.
Take a look at this data detailing the rate of change in the period covering December 2015 to December 2019, as publicized by the US Digital Analytics Program.
Windows Vista/XP
- December 2015 – 5.9% of PCs run on this operating system during the period
- June 2017 – 2.3% of PCs run on this operating system during the period
- June 2018 – 1.3% of PCs run on this operating system during the period
- June 2019 – 0.7% of PCs run on this operating system during the period
- December 2019 – 0.6% of PCs run on this operating system during the period
Windows 8.x
- December 2015 – 14.7% of PCs run on this operating system during the period
- June 2017 – 7.4% of PCs run on this operating system during the period
- June 2018 – 5.9% of PCs run on this operating system during the period
- June 2019 – 4.9% of PCs run on this operating system during the period
- December 2019 – 4.6% of PCs run on this operating system during the period
Windows 7
- December 2015 – 64.2% of PCs run on this operating system during the period
- June 2017 – 51.8% of PCs run on this operating system during the period
- June 2018 – 39.4% of PCs run on this operating system during the period
- June 2019 – 26.0% of PCs run on this operating system during the period
- December 2019 – 18.9% of PCs run on this operating system during the period
Windows 10
- December 2015 – 15.3% of PCs run on this operating system during the period
- June 2017 – 38.6% of PCs run on this operating system during the period
- June 2018 – 53.4% of PCs run on this operating system during the period
- June 2019 – 68.4% of PCs run on this operating system during the period
- December 2019 – 75.8% of PCs run on this operating system during the period
By December 2019, 75.8% of all PCs running on Windows operating is using the then latest version, Windows 10.
During the same period, 18.9% are still on Windows 7, while only 0.6% of the total are using Windows Vista/XP.
Windows’ share in the operating systems market diminished from where it was nine years ago.
During the start of 2013, the Microsoft-owned enterprise captured 90.96% of the total market, making it a clear winner against its then only significant competitor, macOS, which held only 8% of the total.
Today, Windows is still the strongman in the operating systems market. Albeit, at an overly reduced market share from 2013 figures.
Below is the scene on the global operating systems market share as of June 2022.
- Windows – holds 76.33% of the global OS market
- macOS – holds 14.64% of the global OS market
- Linux – holds 2.42% of the global OS market
- Chrome – holds 1.71% of the global OS market
- Other service providers – unnamed/undetermined companies hold 4.82% of the global OS market
A Retrospect on Windows and its Beginnings
An operating system is software installed in a computer or any other type of computer-powered device that manages its host’s memory, storage, and processing capacity.
Windows 1.0 is Microsoft’s earliest OS, released in 1985. It came with a basic decent OS function such as file storage and running apps, among others.
It also featured some of the apps that still run on the latest Windows versions we have today namely Paint, Calculator, and Notepad.
By 1990, Microsoft has innovated and released Windows 3.0—the third installment on the company’s OS roster that features file and software icons for the first time.
These icons have been carried on until this day.
Windows in the New Millennium to Windows 11
During the start of the new millennium, Windows XP has been made available to the public.
This Windows OS enjoyed international success and massive adoption, which explains why its new version did not come until 2007.
In October 2021, Windows marked a beginning of a new chapter with the introduction of Windows 11.
Aside from the upgrades on design and interface, this new OS version came with a Widgets taskbar button that makes app access easier for users. The latest data shows that 1.44% of PCs globally are now running on Windows 11.
Conclusion
There is no question about Microsoft’s dominance in the PC operating systems market since Windows 1’s entrance in 1985.
It consistently left macOS with a meager share, keeping it limited to having only 14.64% of the total.
But the company has obviously failed to spot an opportunity in one aspect: smartphones.
Today, Alphabet’s Android which uses Linux Kernel juggles 72% of the total OS market for smartphones. It left the remaining 28% for iOS.
This means that although Apple Inc is not the dominant player on both occasions, it managed to keep its presence steady at the number two spot in the PC and smartphone operating system markets.
Thanks for reading our article about how many people use Windows in 2025.
