StatCounter shares its latest data on Windows market shares, and to everyone’s surprise, Windows 7’s share has doubled since the operating system was officially retired in 2020. So, what explains this remarkable resurgence?
It is well-known that Microsoft is gradually phasing out support for its older operating systems. Next in line is Windows 10, which will soon no longer be supported, causing frustration among users and various coalitions. For Windows 7, support ended in 2020; however, at its launch, this version was highly appreciated.
Five years after its end, Windows 7 sees its user base double
According to StatCounter’s data, despite the looming end of Windows 10 pushing users towards Windows 11, whose version 25H2 is now available, Windows 7 has become a surprising topic. In July 2025, the operating system that was retired in 2020 only accounted for 2% of market share, despite not having received updates for five years. Nonetheless, users are at risk due to the lack of security updates.
However, this trend does not stop there. In August, this figure surged to 3.59%. In September, it confirmed the trend with 5.9% of users still on Windows 7, effectively doubling from July, a notable increase.
It is difficult to pinpoint the exact reasons behind this puzzling phenomenon. There might be a nostalgic revival for the operating system. Alternatively, with the cessation of updates for Windows 10, some users may prefer to revert to Windows 7, even if it means losing support.
It is worth noting that Windows 7 was quite popular at its launch, particularly in contrast to Windows 8. It wasn’t until Windows 10 that users began to appreciate a Microsoft operating system again. Today, Windows 11 is largely rejected, although it has gained more traction recently than its predecessor.
Of course, the statistics and data from StatCounter should be taken with caution. There could be inaccuracies, which may explain the doubling user count for Windows 7. Therefore, it’s essential to analyze these figures carefully. However, one thing is certain: Microsoft still struggles to win over users with Windows 11, despite its ongoing efforts.
