Microsoft has announced that Windows 11 has officially reached the impressive milestone of 1 billion users. This achievement occurred during the recent holiday quarter, marking a faster adoption rate compared to Windows 10, which took nearly six years to reach the same number.
During the company's fiscal Q2 earnings call for 2026, CEO Satya Nadella shared, "Windows has achieved a significant milestone with 1 billion users, reflecting a growth of over 45 percent year-over-year." This surge in Windows 11 users can be attributed to the end of support for Windows 10, which has also positively influenced Microsoft's OEM revenues.
In December, Microsoft likely saw a strong influx of Windows 11 users, with Windows chief Pavan Davuluri mentioning at Microsoft Ignite on November 19 that "nearly a billion people" were utilizing Windows 11.
Notably, Windows 11 reached 1 billion users in just 1,576 days, a shorter timeframe than the 1,706 days it took for Windows 10 to achieve the same feat. Microsoft initially aimed to have Windows 10 operational on a billion devices within three years of its launch, but this timeline was extended following the discontinuation of Windows Phone.
