Quote:Microsoft has officially crossed a major milestone: Microsoft says Windows 11 is now active on more than 1 billion devices globally. Even more notable is how quickly it got there.

According to Microsoft, Windows 11 reached one billion users in 1,576 days, beating Windows 10, which took 1,706 days to hit the same mark. CEO Satya Nadella confirmed the achievement during the company’s latest earnings call, calling it a significant moment for the Windows platform.

Faster Growth Than Windows 10

When Windows 10 launched, Microsoft publicly set a goal of reaching one billion devices as fast as possible. While it eventually succeeded, it missed its original timeline. Windows 11, by contrast, has quietly surpassed that benchmark in less time—despite far more controversy at launch.

Windows 11 is approaching its fifth year on the market, which makes this adoption rate especially impressive in a PC ecosystem that no longer grows at the explosive pace it once did.

A Rocky Road to Mass Adoption

That success didn’t come easily. Windows 11’s rollout was immediately defined by its strict hardware requirements, including TPM 2.0 and newer CPUs. Those requirements locked out millions of Windows 10 users from upgrading, a decision that remains controversial today.

More recently, Microsoft’s heavy push into AI—along with a noticeable dip in update reliability and system stability—has fueled frustration among power users, developers, and IT administrators. Patch-related issues, forced changes, and concerns around trust have sparked ongoing criticism.

And yet, adoption has continued.

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