Microsoft tells us Windows 11 has hit a billion users — and if you're confused because you thought it was a failing OS, here's what's going on

• Windows 11 has reached 1 billion users
• It achieved this four months faster than Windows 10
• You might be confused as to how this has happened, given other recent stats, and the online negativity around Windows 11 – but there are clear enough reasons here

Windows 11 has hit a billion users, Microsoft has announced, and its newest operating system achieved that feat considerably faster than Windows 10.

The Verge reports that the revelation was made by CEO Satya Nadella, who in an earnings call boasted: "Windows reached a big milestone, 1 billion Windows 11 users."

That is indeed a major milestone, and one that you might think has kind of come out of nowhere – though it's not actually a surprise, even given some of the more negative stats that have been aired around Windows 11 adoption of late. I'll come back to why ...