Linux Just Hit a Big Milestone in the Desktop OS Race

Open-source operating system Linux may have lagged behind its better-known competitors like macOS and Windows for decades—but it looks like it may finally be getting its day in the sun.

According to StatCounter’s new market statistics, spotted by TechSpot, Linux now has a 5.38% share of the desktop operating system market, its highest-ever result. But though Linux is holding a bigger slice of the pie than ever before, OSes from tech giants like Apple and Microsoft still control the vast majority of the desktop OS market.

Windows maintains a clear lead with 63.2%, while Apple controls 24%, split between OS X at 16.57% and macOS at 7.72%. But this might be a story of Windows’ recent dip as much as Linux’s rise. According to StatCounter’s figures, it’s lost 5.1% of its market share since December 2024.

TechSpot posited a few explanations for Linux’s recent rise, noting issues like dissatisfaction with the Windows ecosystem. Windows 11 had much slower uptake among users than its predecessor, with issues like high performance requirements as a result of the Trusted Platform Module (TPM) security feature coming into play (which Microsoft insisted was necessary for security). Windows 11 Copilot+ has also been hit with controversies and regulatory scrutiny over alleged privacy concerns, attracting the eye of UK regulators. Windows 11 only overtook Windows 10 this month.

But Linux has also scored some significant wins, with Denmark’s government moving to adopt it for some of its IT systems, citing pragmatic issues like cost-cutting as well as “digital sovereignty.” It’s also been adopted by some high-profile consumer-facing tech like the handheld Steam Deck in recent years.

If you’re a lifelong Mac or Windows user and you’re a little bit intimidated about the prospect of trying Linux, check out PCMag’s guide to making the jump.

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About Will McCurdy

Contributor

I’m a reporter covering weekend news. Before joining PCMag in 2024, I picked up bylines in BBC News, The Guardian, The Times of London, The Daily Beast, Vice, Slate, Fast Company, The Evening Standard, The i, TechRadar, and Decrypt Media.

I’ve been a PC gamer since you had to install games from multiple CD-ROMs by hand. As a reporter, I’m passionate about the intersection of tech and human lives. I’ve covered everything from crypto scandals to the art world, as well as conspiracy theories, UK politics, and Russia and foreign affairs.

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