Microsoft's goal behind killing support for its most popular operating system is working

It wasn't very long ago that Microsoft announced it was killing support for its most popular operating system, Windows 10, which was a clear bid to move users from the older operating systems onto the company's newer versions.

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Now, Valve has released Steam's latest hardware survey that showcases trends from December 2023, which shows users are moving away from Windows 10, Microsoft's currently most popular operating system, to Windows 11. While Steam's hardware survey does show a shift toward Microsoft's latest operating system, the wider market hasn't responded as quickly as Windows 10 still dominates, with a 67% market share compared to Windows 11 at just 26%.

However, looking at Steam's hardware survey for December we can see Windows 11 is used by 44% of surveyed users, compared to Windows 10 with 51%. A move of 4% represents millions of gamers shifting operating following Microsoft's end-of-support announcement for the operating system, which will occur on October 14, 2025.

Notably, after Microsoft ends support for Windows 10, up to 240 million PCs may be sent to landfills as a result of Windows 11's strict hardware requirements, according to technology firm Canalys.