Windows 11 has now achieved the remarkable feat of attracting 1 billion users, as confirmed by Microsoft during the recent holiday season. This accomplishment marks a significant milestone in the tech giant’s history, with Windows 11 surpassing the pace set by its predecessor, Windows 10, nearly six years ago.

Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella proudly announced this milestone during the company’s fiscal Q2, 2026 earnings call, stating, “Windows reached a big milestone, 1 billion Windows 11 users, up over 45 percent year-over-year.” This impressive growth can be attributed, in part, to Microsoft’s decision to end support for Windows 10, a move that also bolstered the company’s Windows OEM revenues.

The surge in Windows 11 users was already evident by December, as noted by Windows chief Pavan Davuluri at the Microsoft Ignite event on November 19th. At that time, he revealed that the number of people using Windows 11 was approaching the billion mark.

What makes this achievement particularly noteworthy is the speed at which Windows 11 has reached 1 billion users. It took just 1,576 days to hit this milestone, compared to the 1,706 days it took for Windows 10 to achieve the same feat. Initially, Microsoft aimed to have Windows 10 on a billion devices within three years of its launch, but the cancellation of Windows Phone led to an extended timeline.