Windows 11 is coming. How long will users wait to upgrade?

Graeme BruceBusiness Data Journalist
June 28, 2021, 4:05 PM GMT+0

As Microsoft officially unveiled its latest operating system, 35% of Windows users plan to upgrade to Windows 11 as soon as they can, according to a survey conducted by YouGov immediately after the announcement on June 24.

Survey data shows one in five (20%) of current Windows users plan to update within six months and 7% within 12 months. 5% will wait a year or longer before upgrading and 13% do not plan to update their operating system.

Windows 11 — featuring an updated user interface, widgets, and Android app integration — will be available later in 2021 and will be a free upgrade for current Windows 10 users. Microsoft has already stated support for Windows 10 will end in October 2025.

After the official announcement – and several leaks beforehand of what the OS will look like – 35% of US adults had heard at least a little about Microsoft’s forthcoming operating system while 63% had heard nothing at all.

Even many of those Windows users unaware of the announcement of Windows 11 were keen to upgrade, with 29% saying they will do so as soon as they can.

According to survey data 8% of MacOS users are somewhat or very likely to switch to Windows in the next year, although a similar proportion of Windows users say they’re likely to switch to MacOS (7%).

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Methodology: YouGov polled 1,200 US adults online on June 24, 2021 between 12:09 p.m. and 1:17 p.m. ET. The survey was carried out through YouGov Direct. Data is weighted by age, gender, education level, political affiliation, and ethnicity. Results are nationally representative of adults in the United States. The margin of error is 3.7% for the overall sample. Learn more about YouGov Direct.

Image: Microsoft