Windows 11 is still miles behind Windows 10 - could Microsoft 365 Copilot be the answer?

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Copilot release could give Windows 11 a major boost in market share

A laptop on a desk with the Windows 11 background on its screen.
(Image credit: Microsoft)

Windows 11 has been out for almost two years now, but is still struggling to win over many users, new figures have suggested.

The latest statistics from Statcounter shows Windows 10 remains the choice for many, with its market share actually growing by almost 1% since June 2023, despite Windows ending support for some versions earlier this year.

Despite seeing a steady growth in adoption since last year, rising from 13% to 23%, Windows 11 has seen a downward trend with users potentially migrating back to the trusty 10.

Windows Copilot - an AI lifeline for Windows 11?

The latest Windows endeavour to make 11 more attractive is Copilot - an AI companion that seeks to enhance productivity and creativity by collating a number of individual Windows tools into a single AI application.

Unlike previous Windows assistants such as Cortana or Bing Chat, Copilot will come as part of the Windows 11 operating system enhancing its ability to seamlessly open apps, find documents, and change system settings such as dark mode.

The demo video released in anticipation of this update shows Copilot performing tasks such as organizing open windows, summarizing web pages, and even putting on a Spotify playlist.

But for many, the most attractive feature released in this update concerns Paint. Yes, MS Paint. 

38 years since its release, Windows will FINALLY introduce support for layers and transparency. Not only that, but Paint will also integrate DALL-E AI allowing users to generate realistic images and artwork from text prompts. These features will transform Paint from a simple procrastination tool during long meetings, to a highly functional design program.

Alongside these impressive features, Windows will also provide a number of updates to Photos, such as background blurring and content searching, and Snipping Tool will include features such as text extraction from images and text redaction to hide sensitive information.

The reception to this latest Windows 11 update remains to be seen, but is it enough to boost its adoption and establish itself ahead of the ever dominant Windows 10?

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Benedict Collins
Benedict Collins
Staff Writer (Security)

Benedict has been writing about security issues for over 7 years, first focusing on geopolitics and international relations while at the University of Buckingham. During this time he studied BA Politics with Journalism, for which he received a second-class honours (upper division),  then continuing his studies at a postgraduate level, achieving a distinction in MA Security, Intelligence and Diplomacy. Upon joining TechRadar Pro as a Staff Writer, Benedict transitioned his focus towards cybersecurity, exploring state-sponsored threat actors, malware, social engineering, and national security. Benedict is also an expert on B2B security products, including firewalls, antivirus, endpoint security, and password management.