Skip to main content
  1. Home
  2. Computing
  3. News

Study finds that 32% of Windows users plan to upgrade to Windows 11

Arif Bacchus
By

Microsoft just released the first official Windows 11 build and despite some controversy around the minimum hardware requirements, there’s a group of people who just can’t wait to upgrade.

That is all according to a new study from the firm YouGov, which found that 35% of users plan to upgrade to Windows 11 as soon as they can.

Windows 11 on screen
Image used with permission by copyright holder

The survey of 1,200 people was conducted right after Microsoft’s June 24 event, and the results show that 20% of current Windows users plan to upgrade from an older version of Windows within six months. Another 7% plan to update within 12 months, and 5% within a year or longer. Of the total surveyed, 14% do not plan to upgrade at all.

Recommended Videos

There are a lot of factors that could be pushing the “want to upgrade” numbers so high. Windows 11 comes with some much-needed visual improvements, as well as new multitasking tools.

Related

Microsoft even worked to improve the Microsoft Store in Windows 10, so that it comes with support for Android apps like TikTok. These are some hotly anticipated features.

YouGov’s survey also found that 35% of U.S. adults know about Windows 11, while 63% do not. That could be because Microsoft invested a lot of time marketing Windows 11, especially on social media. It spent a couple of days teasing the event with YouTube videos and tweets, only to have it spoiled by a leak that revealed an early version of Windows 11.

As for people who aren’t on Windows, YouGov finds that 8% of MacOS users are likely to switch operating systems within the next year. It’s unclear what drives those numbers, but the centered Taskbar and Start Menu in Windows 11 are reminiscent of what Apple has done in MacOS. And bringing Android mobile phone apps to Windows is similar to what Apple has accomplished with bringing iPhone apps to its M1 Macs.

Windows 11 isn’t set for an official release until the second half of this year, and will continue its rollout out into 2022. New PCs with Windows 11 should start shipping this holiday season.

If you’re eager to update, you can do so via the Windows Insider program in just a few clicks. Just be aware that there will be a lot of bugs and other issues, as Microsoft is still looking for feedback on Windows 11 before pushing it to a final state.

Editors' Recommendations

Topics
Arif Bacchus
Arif Bacchus
Computing Writer
Arif Bacchus is a native New Yorker and a fan of all things technology. Arif works as a freelance writer at Digital Trends…
Windows 11 24H2 or Windows 12? Here’s what’s coming soon
A laptop running Windows 11.

Windows 11 is more than a few years old and it is getting feature drops called "moments" every so often, as well as yearly updates. But what about the whole new Windows release that will come after Windows 11?

Earlier leaks from Intel and Qualcomm made mention of Windows 12, leading some to believe that Windows 12 might be in development at Microsoft and could come in 2024.

Read more
The Windows 11 Android app dream is dead
A photo of the TikTok app running on a Windows 11 laptop

Microsoft first brought over the option to run Android apps natively in Windows 11 in 2021, but the dream is coming to an end after just a few years. Today, the company quietly updated its documentation for the Windows Subsystem for Android (WSA) to indicate that it will be ending support for the feature on March 5, 2025. Amazon has also published updated guidance for the same issue about its Amazon App Store on Windows 11, which powers the WSA.

What's causing this change is unknown, as Microsoft did not dive into specific details. Left to speculate, we can assume it's due to either lack of use or licensing issues, but until we hear more, it's left ambiguous.

Read more
Microsoft may fix the most frustrating thing about Windows updates
Windows 11 updates are moving to once a year.

Most Windows users will agree that one of the most annoying things about the operating system is the updates. While Windows Updates are necessary, they often tend to come up at the worst possible time, interrupting work and gaming sessions with persistent reminders that the system needs to reboot. Microsoft might be fixing that problem in the upcoming Windows 11 24H2 build, but it's still too early to bid farewell to those ill-timed reboots.

As spotted in the latest Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 26058, Microsoft is testing "hot patching" for some Windows 11 updates. Hot patching refers to a dynamic method of updating that often doesn't change the software version and may not even need a restart. In the context of Windows 11, it's pretty straightforward -- Windows will install the update, and you won't have to reboot your system.

Read more