Around 500 million PCs are holding off upgrading to Windows 11, says Dell
Half a Billion PCs Capable of Windows 11 Are Still Running Windows 10, Dell Says
Windows 10 may have officially entered its end-of-support phase, but the decade-old operating system remains surprisingly popular among both consumers and businesses. According to new insights shared by Dell, around 500 million PCs that can upgrade to Windows 11 are still choosing to stay on Windows 10.
During Dell’s Q3 earnings call, COO Jeffrey Clarke explained that the broader PC market — not just Dell’s customer base — includes hundreds of millions of machines that technically meet the requirements for Windows 11 but haven’t made the switch.
A Billion PCs Split Between ‘Can Upgrade’ and ‘Cannot Upgrade’
Clarke also highlighted another major segment of the market:
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500 million PCs capable of running Windows 11 but not upgraded
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Another 500 million PCs, roughly four years old, that cannot run Windows 11
That second group remains stuck on Windows 10 due to Microsoft’s strict hardware requirements. When Windows 11 launched, Microsoft raised the minimum specifications — particularly CPU and TPM standards — leaving millions of devices behind.
Clarke believes this situation presents a major opportunity for PC manufacturers to push newer Windows 11 systems and AI-powered PCs. However, he also warned that the overall PC market may remain relatively flat throughout next year.
Windows 10 Proves “Stickier” Than Expected
Many expected users to hold on to Windows 10 if their devices couldn’t meet Windows 11’s requirements. But the new numbers show that even among PCs that are eligible, a huge portion of users are choosing not to upgrade. Windows 10’s familiarity and stability appear to be driving its continued usage across both consumer and enterprise environments.
This update follows recent comments from Microsoft’s Windows chief, Pavan Davuluri, who said that “nearly a billion people rely on Windows 11.” However, it remains unclear what metric Microsoft is using for that figure, as the company typically reports monthly active device numbers rather than broad usage statements.
