Windows 11 adoption struggles despite free upgrade option

Windows 11, although available for computers for over two years, has captured just under 30 percent of the market. Even though the system can be installed for free as an update to Windows 10 (as long as hardware requirements are met), the popularity of the latest Windows might be surprising.

One might assume that these are not the statistics Microsoft was hoping for when Windows 11 hit the market—a system that is essentially a refreshed Windows 10, which will lose further support next year. According to the latest statistics from StatCounter, Windows 11 operates on only 29.7 percent of all Windows systems globally.

These statistics might be surprising when you consider that Windows 11 has been available for over two years, is likely available on every new computer or at least most of those on the primary market, and can be installed for free by current Windows 10 users.

In many cases, the problem may be incompatibility with the requirements, notably the well-known issue with the TPM 2.0 module, which prevents many people from using the free upgrade. Thus, Windows 10 remains the latest Microsoft system that can officially operate on a given device.

This is a big problem for users who want to maintain full security. Starting in October 2025, Windows 10 will no longer receive security updates. Certainly, not everyone will be able to afford a new PC by then.