Windows 7 experienced a dramatic global resurgence in September 2025, with its market share tripling from 3.59% to 9.61% according to StatCounter data. The abandoned operating system, which received its final security update in January 2020, saw particularly explosive growth across Asian markets where usage jumped from 5.64% to 18.67% in a single month.
Unprecedented Market Share Surge
The September 2025 data reveals one of the most significant monthly increases for any operating system in recent history. Windows 7’s global market share nearly tripled within 30 days, representing millions of additional devices running the unsupported platform. During the same period, Windows 10 dropped from 45.53% to 40.5% while Windows 11 saw a minor decline from 49.08% to 48.94%. The sudden reversal contradicts years of steady decline for Windows 7, which had maintained approximately 3-4% market share throughout most of 2025 before the September spike.
StatCounter’s global operating system data shows this represents the largest single-month gain for any Windows version since Windows 11’s initial launch period. The timing is particularly noteworthy given Microsoft’s official end of support for Windows 7 occurred nearly six years ago, leaving users vulnerable to modern security threats. Industry analysts are scrambling to explain the anomaly, with some suggesting potential measurement errors while others point to specific regional factors driving the unexpected adoption.
Asian Markets Drive Unexpected Revival
Asia emerged as the epicenter of Windows 7’s surprising comeback, with the region showing an even more dramatic increase than global averages. Windows 7 usage in Asian markets skyrocketed from 5.64% in August to 18.67% in September, following an already substantial jump from 2.32% in July. This represents more than an eightfold increase over three months in a region that typically shows faster adoption of newer technologies.
The concentrated growth suggests localized factors rather than a global trend. According to the International Data Corporation, several Asian economies have experienced recent hardware shortages that may have forced organizations to redeploy older equipment. Additionally, some manufacturing and industrial systems in the region still rely on Windows 7 for compatibility with specialized software that hasn’t been updated for modern operating systems. The
regional breakdown from Statista indicates similar patterns emerged in specific industrial sectors during previous hardware supply chain disruptions.
Security Implications of Running Unsupported Software
The security implications of this sudden Windows 7 resurgence are significant, according to cybersecurity experts. Microsoft’s final security update in January 2020 means all Windows 7 systems lack protection against vulnerabilities discovered since then. The Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency maintains a catalog of known exploited vulnerabilities that specifically highlights risks associated with unsupported software.
Kevin Beaumont, a cybersecurity researcher who has extensively documented Windows security issues, warned that “running Windows 7 in 2025 is essentially leaving your digital front door unlocked with a welcome mat for attackers.” The SANS Institute security blog notes that organizations continuing to use Windows 7 typically face 3-5 times more security incidents than those using supported operating systems. Without security updates, these systems become increasingly vulnerable to ransomware, data theft, and other cyber threats that could compromise not only individual users but entire networks they connect to.
Potential Explanations and Industry Response
Several theories have emerged to explain the statistical anomaly, ranging from measurement errors to specific economic factors. Some analysts suggest StatCounter’s methodology may have captured an unusual sampling period or encountered technical issues in data collection. Others point to the global chip shortage’s lingering effects, which has forced some organizations to extend the life of older hardware rather than upgrading to systems that can run Windows 11.
Microsoft has maintained its position that users should transition to supported operating systems. A company spokesperson reiterated that “Windows 7 has reached end of support, and we recommend customers move to a modern operating system such as Windows 11 to ensure continued security updates.” The software giant’s Windows release information emphasizes the security advantages of current versions. Industry observers will be watching October’s data closely to determine whether September’s spike represents a temporary anomaly or the beginning of an unexpected trend.
