Windows 11 Adoption Continues to Rise Among PC Gamers

Since its launch in 2021, Windows 11 has experienced a gradual adoption curve, only surpassing Windows 10 in user numbers nearly four years after release and reaching the milestone of 1 billion users in 2026. Recent data from Valve’s Steam Hardware and Software Survey for May 2026 indicates that Windows 11’s popularity among PC gamers is still on the rise. The survey shows a 2.02% increase in the number of Steam users running Windows 11, while Windows 10 saw a decline of 1.64% and Linux dropped by 0.53%. This trend persists despite ongoing development of SteamOS and continued enthusiasm for Linux as a desktop gaming platform.

In the broader context, these shifts have resulted in only modest changes to the overall operating system landscape on Steam. Windows as a whole gained 0.38% of the user share, while macOS saw a slight increase of 0.15%. It is important to note that English-language users were somewhat overrepresented in this particular survey, with a 2.71% increase compared to the previous month. Such demographic shifts can influence survey outcomes, as user preferences and hardware choices often vary by region and language.

Beyond operating system statistics, the rest of the Steam Hardware and Software Survey results remain largely consistent with previous months. The majority of users continue to have 16 GB of RAM installed, and 1080p monitor resolution remains the most common display setting, despite a negligible decrease in its market share. In terms of graphics hardware, the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3060 retains its position as the most popular GPU among Steam users.

Notably, the survey also reflects improvements in hardware detection, particularly for AMD graphics cards. Following the release of a fix for Steam’s previous issues with identifying Radeon GPUs, the AMD Radeon RX 9070 XT has seen a 1.24% increase in user share, suggesting that more accurate reporting is now in place.

Overall, while Windows 11 adoption is steadily increasing among PC gamers, the broader hardware and software landscape on Steam remains stable, with only incremental changes in user preferences and configurations.