Sizeable number of users yet to make Windows 11 leap

The channel has been waiting for the adoption of Windows 11 to pick up, but significant numbers of customers are still yet to make the upgrade.

Along with the introduction of AI-capable PCs, the upgrade path to the latest version of Windows was highlighted as one of the main factors driving recovery in the hardware market. The positive news is that there have been signs of improvement in the POC market, with plenty of room for customer upgrading left.

According to digital experience player ControlUp, which uses Edge DX, its Windows 11 Readiness tool, 82% of those it sampled had yet to make the move to the latest aversion.

The firm found that 18% are running the latest Microsoft OS, and the majority (88%) of devices yet to make the move are in a position to simply make the switch. There is a portion of the market (11%) where the devices customers are currently using cannot be upgraded and have to be replaced.

“The clock is ticking for enterprises to adopt the more secure and capable Windows 11, yet many organisations are stuck, unsure about their environment’s readiness,” said Simon Townsend, field CTO at ControlUp.

He added that sitting on hands was not an option for customers anymore because of the problems that would mount by continuing to delay the upgrade.

“Doing nothing is not an option. With more than four in five devices still needing to make the switch, now is the time to fully assess Windows 11 readiness to ensure a seamless transition with less downtime and disruption,” he added.

Microsoft has indicated that it is winding up support for Windows 10 in October next year and the latest OS requires specific system requirements that might maker legacy hardware unsuitable.

ControlUp and others in the market are pointing to the October 2025 deadline and encouraging customers to move early, starting with an assessment of the devices to establish just how much work needs to be done to migrate.

Older operating systems face end-of-life support and increasing security risks adding to the pressure on customers to make a move off legacy options.

“The past few years have forced organisations to continually re-evaluate their endpoints,” said Shannon Kalvar, IDC research director.

“With the Windows 10 end-of-support date approaching, it’s imperative for organisations to plan their move into the next generation of operating systems and consider enabling AI on endpoints. Understanding an organisation’s posture around this event, amidst the broader digital landscape changes, is critical to advancing their digital strategy.”