Windows 11 first moved ahead of Windows 10 in Valve’s Steam Hardware & Software Survey in August 2024, with a reported 49.17% share among participating Steam users, compared with 47.09% for Windows 10. That was a narrow monthly lead—not a count of every PC gamer, or proof that Windows 11 performs better in games. By June 2026, Valve’s indexed figures showed a much wider gap: 74.86% for Windows 11 and 25.04% for Windows 10.
What the Steam figures actually show
Valve’s Steam Hardware & Software Survey collects hardware and software information monthly from Steam customers who choose to take part. Valve describes participation as voluntary and anonymous; it is not a census of all Steam accounts, PC gamers, or computers worldwide. The Windows-version percentages describe the survey population, not PC sales or a direct count of operating-system installations. Valve’s survey page
In the Windows Version category, the reported August 2024 figures were:
| Survey period | Windows 11 64-bit | Windows 10 64-bit | What it means |
|---|---|---|---|
| August 2024 | 49.17% | 47.09% | Windows 11 recorded its first reported monthly lead over Windows 10 in the Steam survey. Contemporary report |
| June 2026 | 74.86% | 25.04% | Windows 11’s later lead was substantially larger in Valve’s indexed survey data. Valve’s Windows-version data |
The August gap was 2.08 percentage points. It marked a crossover in that month’s reported data, but a one-month lead can be affected by sampling and reporting changes. A falling Windows 10 share does not establish that every lost percentage point represents someone upgrading directly to Windows 11.
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Why the Steam crossover mattered
Windows 11 launched on October 5, 2021, so it took almost three years to pass Windows 10 in this gaming-focused measure. Steam’s audience makes the survey useful for tracking operating-system adoption among active PC gamers, but the result records which systems participating customers used—not why they used them or how they felt about them.
New gaming PCs arriving with Windows 11, hardware replacement, and a growing base of newer systems are plausible contributors. The approaching Windows 10 support deadline may also have influenced some upgrades. The available figures do not establish how much any one factor contributed, and the survey does not measure preference, satisfaction, frame rates, latency, crashes, or game compatibility.
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Steam users and the wider Windows market were on different timelines
The Steam crossover was not evidence that Windows 11 had already become the leading Windows version across the general PC market. At the time, the contemporary report cited StatCounter figures of about 63.96% for Windows 10 and 32.41% for Windows 11 worldwide. Those figures concern a broader Windows-usage measure, not Steam customers, and should not be combined with Valve’s survey percentages as if they described one population. Notebookcheck’s August 2024 report
StatCounter’s worldwide Windows-version data later showed Windows 11 ahead in 2025; the reported July figures were roughly 52% for Windows 11 and around 44.5%–46.8% for Windows 10, depending on the snapshot and reporting date. That is a separate milestone in a separate dataset. TechSpot’s account of the broader-market crossover
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What Windows 10’s end of support means for gamers
Windows 10 support ended on October 14, 2025. Microsoft says that after this date Windows 10 no longer receives free software updates from Windows Update, technical assistance, or ordinary security fixes. The computer does not stop working on that date, but remaining on it means going without those standard security updates. Microsoft’s support and TPM guidance
The deadline was still more than a year away when Windows 11 first edged ahead on Steam, so it is context—not a proven explanation for the August 2024 crossover. Windows 10 also did not vanish when support ended. For gamers, the practical questions are whether their PC can run a supported operating system and whether their games, anti-cheat tools, drivers, launchers, and peripherals work on it.
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Decide whether to upgrade based on your PC and games
If your PC is eligible for Windows 11
- Check compatibility: Run Microsoft’s PC Health Check app or check Windows Update for the Windows 11 offer. PC Health Check reports device compatibility; it does not guarantee that every game or accessory will work as expected. Microsoft’s PC Health Check instructions
- Back up important files: Make a backup before changing the operating system. Microsoft’s upgrade FAQ also recommends deciding which device to upgrade, signing into a Microsoft account in Windows 10, and freeing disk space if needed. Microsoft’s Windows 11 upgrade FAQ
- Check the software you rely on: Look for compatibility information for your most-played games, anti-cheat software, controllers, audio devices, capture tools, mods, and other essential utilities.
- Upgrade through Windows Update if offered: Install available firmware, chipset, graphics-driver, and Windows updates, then test your games and devices after the upgrade. Keep a backup or recovery option available in case you need to restore your system.
If TPM 2.0 appears to be the obstacle
Windows 11 requires TPM 2.0 functionality. Some PCs support it but have the feature disabled in firmware. Microsoft notes that the setting may be labeled TPM, Intel PTT, AMD fTPM, Security Device Support, or something similar, depending on the PC or motherboard. You can check TPM status by running tpm.msc. Consult the PC or motherboard maker’s instructions before changing firmware settings; enabling TPM will not make an unsupported processor eligible. Microsoft’s TPM 2.0 guidance
If your PC is not eligible
- Consider replacement hardware if the processor or other requirements rule out Windows 11, especially if the PC is also struggling with current games. Compare the cost of replacement with the machine’s age and any graphics, storage, or other upgrades it needs; the Steam crossover alone is not a reason to buy a new PC.
- Investigate Microsoft’s Extended Security Updates terms if you need more time on Windows 10. Check Microsoft’s current eligibility and enrollment details rather than assuming coverage.
- Consider Linux only if it suits your games and setup. Steam Play and Proton run many games, but compatibility varies, particularly for some multiplayer anti-cheat systems, launchers, VR, mods, and peripheral utilities.
- Avoid treating unsupported Windows 11 installation methods as equivalent to an approved upgrade. They may carry update, driver, security, or support risks.
What the milestone does—and does not—tell developers
A growing Windows 11 share gives game developers and publishers a stronger reason to test releases on it. It does not, by itself, justify dropping Windows 10 support: the Steam survey is not a complete picture of a game’s audience, and compatibility decisions depend on the title, its requirements, and the developer’s support policy.
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Testing should account for the broader game setup, not just the operating-system label: older games, graphics drivers, anti-cheat, launchers, mods, capture software, and peripherals can each affect whether a particular configuration works. The survey offers an adoption signal, not a compatibility matrix or performance comparison.
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