Windows 10 on 900 million devices, on pace for 1 billion in 2020

What you need to know

  • Windows 10 is now running on 900 million devices.
  • The operating system hit 800 million devices just over six months ago.
  • Windows 10 is on pace to run on 1 billion devices in 2020.

Windows 10 now runs on over 900 million devices, bringing it one major milestone closer to running on 1 billion devices. Microsoft's Corporate Vice President, Yusuf Mehdi, announced today that the operating system reached the new milestone (via The Verge). The operating system is on pace to run on 1 billion devices during 2020.

Microsoft's original goal was to have Windows 10 run on 1 billion devices within three years of the operating system's release. The company fell short of that goal in part because of the failure of Windows 10 Mobile, but Windows 10 is still on pace to run on 1 billion devices sometime in 2020. Mehdi highlighted that Windows 10 runs on a variety of devices including PCs, HoloLens headsets, Xbox One consoles, and Surface Hub devices.

As The Verge points out, it was only just over six months ago that Microsoft announced that Windows 10 hit the milestone of running on 800 million devices. That milestone came just six months after Windows 10 hit the 700 million device milestone. According to Microsoft, the last 12 months have seen more new Windows 10 devices than any previous year. If these trends continue, Windows 10 will easily run on 1 billion devices at some point in 2020.

Windows 10 continues to grow at a significant rate, and that will likely continue because Windows 7 support is being dropped by Microsoft in January 2020. This will cause many businesses to switch over to Windows 10. Additionally, new hardware continues to sell that runs Windows 10 and replace older hardware that hasn't been upgraded.

Microsoft's news post breaks down several other figures such as 18 billion Cortana inquiries since the assistant's launch.

Sean Endicott
News Writer and apps editor

Sean Endicott is a tech journalist at Windows Central, specializing in Windows, Microsoft software, AI, and PCs. He's covered major launches, from Windows 10 and 11 to the rise of AI tools like ChatGPT. Sean's journey began with the Lumia 740, leading to strong ties with app developers. Outside writing, he coaches American football, utilizing Microsoft services to manage his team. He studied broadcast journalism at Nottingham Trent University and is active on X @SeanEndicott_ and Threads @sean_endicott_.