- Windows 11 share falls again according to Statcounter, while Windows 7 skyrockets
- Windows 10 drops too as support cutoff looms, but not as much as you'd expect
- Windows 7’s sudden September 10x surge came mostly from Asia
In news I’m fairly certain no one saw coming, Windows 7 is making a comeback - at least in terms of market share.
The latest Statcounter figures claim the operating system many thought was long dead (Microsoft stopped supporting it at the start of 2020), has suddenly found a new lease of life as Windows 10 nears its support cutoff and Windows 11 continues to slide.
Yes, it was once again bad news for Microsoft’s current OS. Its share fell for the second time in a row in September 2025, accounting for 48.94% of desktop use compared with 49.08% in August and well off its July high of 53.51% - a 4.57 percentage point plunge in just two months.
It's me, Windows 7 - I'm back!
As expected, Windows 10 usage also shrank, dropping from 45.53% in August to 40.5% in September.
Considering Windows 10 only has two more weeks of Microsoft support left, it’s clear people aren’t rushing to move away from the well-established platform.
But the biggest surprise in September was Windows 7, once nearly gone from Statcounter’s charts, it jumped from 0.88% in July to 3.35% in August before soaring to 9.61% in September.
That is a 6.26 percentage point increase in one month, equal to a 186.9% jump compared with its August share.
The numbers show that Asian markets drove most of that surge, with market share there going from 2.32% in July to 5.64% in August, then skyrocketed to 18.67% in September. Germany also saw a surprising rise, from 2.08% in August to 3.92% in September.
The sudden return of Windows 7 is extremely odd given its age and lack of support. A possible explanation is that users in regions with less access to newer hardware are opting for older systems, or businesses are sticking with software they know rather than rushing into upgrades.
The looming end of Windows 10 may also be encouraging some to sit tight.
The increase could also be driven by crypto activity on outdated PCs, and from botnets exploiting Windows 7’s lack of security updates. It will be interesting to see what October’s figures reveal.
For Windows 11, the picture looks far from rosy. After a burst of growth in July when it rose by 5.53 percentage points to 53.51%, its market share has since fallen back under half.
It should surge this month, when Windows 10 finally bows out, but by how much remains to be seen.
You might also like
- These are the best laptops for programming
- Take a look at our pick of the best laptops available
- Windows 11 share slips worryingly - as Windows 7 and Windows 10 see surprising growth
You must confirm your public display name before commenting
Please logout and then login again, you will then be prompted to enter your display name.