Statcounter estimated Windows 11 at 71.5% of Windows usage and Windows 10 at 27.77% in figures reported on October 5, 2026. At the same time, commercial Windows 10 Extended Security Updates (ESU) rise from $61 per device in year one to $122 in year two, according to The Register. The market-share figures are estimates, not a census of installed PCs, and the ESU price is not a bill every Windows 10 user must pay.
What the reported market-share figures show
The Register’s October 5, 2026 report cites Statcounter estimates of 71.5% for Windows 11 and 27.77% for Windows 10. Microsoft does not publish official Windows 10 and Windows 11 usage statistics, according to the report. Statcounter’s estimates are based on tracking code installed on more than one million websites worldwide, so they indicate Windows-version usage across that measurement sample rather than directly counting every Windows PC.
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A separate Statcounter chart result showed September 2026 estimates of 71.44% for Windows 11 and 27.82% for Windows 10. The chart page, when opened, displayed August data instead. These are distinct reported snapshots; the small differences should not be treated as proof of a meaningful month-to-month shift.
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1Fix the driver behind crashes, sound loss and screen glitches2Repair Windows errors before they cause bigger problems3Scan for outdated or missing drivers - takes under a minuteHow the commercial Windows 10 ESU price changes
Windows 10 left support on October 14, 2025. Organizations that keep eligible devices in service can use the Extended Security Updates program to continue receiving security updates after the end of support. The Register reports commercial ESU pricing of $61 per device for the first year and $122 per device for the second year. The annual price doubles in each consecutive year, for up to three years.
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The increase matters most when an organization is deciding whether to renew coverage for a device or bring its replacement forward. The relevant comparison is not just one year of ESU against the price of a new PC: it is the expected ESU cost over the period the old device will remain in use, weighed against replacement, migration and operational costs.
Why the increase does not mean every Windows 10 PC must be replaced
The Register’s report describes several cases where the commercial per-device price may not apply, and where continued use can still make practical sense. The terms and eligibility can vary by user and region, so check Microsoft’s current ESU terms before relying on an exception or planning enrollment.
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- Consumer arrangements: The report says some consumers may receive free updates by redeeming Microsoft Rewards Points or syncing settings through Windows Backup.
- European Economic Area: The report says EEA consumers receive security updates without strings attached.
- Windows 365: Windows 365 users are described as exempt from the charge discussed in the report.
- Hardware and software dependencies: A device may be tied to peripherals or applications that are difficult to replace or migrate.
- Refresh timing: An organization’s planned hardware-refresh cycle may not line up with the end of Windows 10 support.
Lansweeper principal technology evangelist Esben Dochy told The Register that remaining devices are often ones for which paying ESU is cheaper or simpler than replacing the equipment they are connected to. That is a specific operational trade-off, not a general recommendation to keep unsupported devices indefinitely.
How to decide whether to renew ESU or replace a device
- Identify who uses the device and which terms apply. Determine whether it is covered by commercial ESU, a consumer arrangement, an EEA rule or the Windows 365 exemption; verify current eligibility with Microsoft.
- Set the support period you actually need. Compare the applicable ESU renewal years with the date the device can be retired or replaced.
- Check dependencies before scheduling replacement. Confirm that required applications, peripherals and connected equipment will work with a replacement system, and account for migration effort.
- Compare total costs and disruption. Weigh ESU for the intended period against replacement and migration costs, while considering whether a refresh can be moved forward without disrupting work.
The Register quotes Dochy saying the second-year ESU price makes the case for replacing some “we’ll get to it” machines easier. For devices that cannot yet be replaced without greater cost or disruption, the same report notes that ESU may remain the simpler cost of keeping them in service.
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