Windows operating systems market share of desktop PCs worldwide 2017-2025

Windows 11 is the most popular Windows desktop operating system, accounting for a market share of around ** percent as of October 2025. The share of devices running the older Windows 10 has slipped over the past year, with it now running on around ** percent of devices. 

A global dominance in computer operating systems

Microsoft’s Windows is the most widely used computer (desktop, tablet, and console) operating system (OS) in the world with more than ** percent of the market share. It's closest competitors — Apple's macOS and iOS — hold a combined less than ** percent of the market. Despite its dominance in the computer OS market, Microsoft has been unable to have the same impact on the mobile OS market, where Google’s Android and Apple’s iOS split the market with a combined share of over ** percent.

Operating systems

Operating systems are the underlying platforms connecting computer hardware and software. They provide users with the graphical interface that enables them to issue commands and perform tasks on electronic devices. Almost every device today — from smartphones and desktop computers, to graphical calculators — requires an operating system to function.