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Desktop OS market share, 2009 to 2026

Windows held 75.2% of desktop web traffic in January to October 2026, down from 94.9% in 2009, with macOS at 17.9% and Linux at 5.2%.

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What the data shows

  • In 2026, Windows ranks #1 with 75.2%, ahead of macOS (17.9%) and Linux (5.2%).
  • Windows holds #1 for the whole period, 2009 to 2026.
  • ChromeOS wasn't on the board in 2009 but is in the top 5 by 2026.

About this chart

Windows still accounts for about three-quarters of desktop web traffic, 75.2% in January to October 2026, but that is down from 94.9% in 2009. The data is StatCounter's share of page views from desktop devices, not installed base or sales. Windows' lowest yearly share was 73.1% in 2023, the same year macOS hit its high of 20.0%.

macOS, which combines StatCounter's OS X and macOS labels, went from 4.3% in 2009 to 17.9% in the first ten months of 2026. Linux rose from 0.7% to 5.2%, its highest yearly share in the series. ChromeOS peaked at 3.7% in 2023 and was 1.8% in 2026. Shares sum to slightly under 100 because small other systems are omitted, and StatCounter's monthly desktop split is noisy in 2026. Data: StatCounter Global Stats, CC BY-SA 3.0.

The data

Source: StatCounter Global Stats, Desktop Operating System Market Share Worldwide (CC BY-SA 3.0); yearly averages. Retrieved November 4, 2026. Data: StatCounter Global Stats, licensed CC BY-SA 3.0; attribution required. Shares are of web page views from desktop devices, not installed base. 'macOS' combines StatCounter's 'OS X' and 'macOS' labels. Windows, macOS, Linux and ChromeOS shown; remaining share (under 1%, mostly unknown/other) omitted, so rows sum to slightly under 100. 2026 covers January-October 2026 only. StatCounter's monthly desktop split is noisy in 2026.

Desktop OS market share, Share of desktop web traffic by OS, worldwide, 2009-2026, 2009–2026
DateWindowsmacOSLinuxChromeOS
200994.9%4.3%0.7%0.0%
201093.1%5.8%0.8%0.0%
201191.6%6.6%0.8%0.0%
201290.0%7.5%0.9%0.0%
201390.8%7.7%1.1%0.0%
201489.5%8.8%1.3%0.2%
201588.5%9.5%1.7%0.4%
201687.5%10.4%1.6%0.6%
201785.3%12.2%1.7%0.8%
201883.9%13.4%1.7%1.0%
201982.0%15.0%1.8%1.3%
202078.8%18.1%1.8%1.3%
202178.6%16.9%2.3%2.2%
202279.0%15.9%2.7%2.4%
202373.1%20.0%3.2%3.7%
202477.3%16.1%4.4%2.2%
202577.8%16.4%4.1%1.7%
202675.2%17.9%5.2%1.8%

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Frequently asked questions

What is the most used desktop operating system?

Windows, with 75.2% of worldwide desktop web traffic in January to October 2026 according to StatCounter. macOS was second at 17.9% and Linux third at 5.2%.

What is Linux's share of desktop computers?

Linux accounted for 5.2% of desktop web traffic in January to October 2026, its highest yearly share in the series and up from 0.7% in 2009. The measure is share of page views, not the number of installed machines.

Where does this data come from?

StatCounter Global Stats, Desktop Operating System Market Share Worldwide (CC BY-SA 3.0); yearly averages. Retrieved November 4, 2026. Data: StatCounter Global Stats, licensed CC BY-SA 3.0; attribution required. Shares are of web page views from desktop devices, not installed base. 'macOS' combines StatCounter's 'OS X' and 'macOS' labels. Windows, macOS, Linux and ChromeOS shown; remaining share (under 1%, mostly unknown/other) omitted, so rows sum to slightly under 100. 2026 covers January-October 2026 only. StatCounter's monthly desktop split is noisy in 2026. You can download the full table as a CSV from this page.

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