Steam Hardware Survey: The Great Windows 11 Exodus
Steam’s monthly hardware survey just dropped its February 2026 results, and the numbers tell a striking story. Windows 11 usage among Steam users fell by roughly 17% in a single month. In January, 70% of all Steam users were on Windows 11. By February, that number had plummeted to 58%.
So where did all those users go? The answer is surprisingly straightforward: they went back to Windows 10.
Windows 10 Makes an Unexpected Comeback
Windows 10’s share among Steam users jumped from 29% in January to 41% in February — a 12-point surge in just 30 days. The vast majority of users leaving Windows 11 went straight back to its predecessor.
Despite Microsoft’s plans to end Windows 10 support, a significant portion of gamers continue to prefer the older operating system. Performance concerns, compatibility issues, and dissatisfaction with Windows 11’s interface changes are among the most commonly cited reasons for the migration.
Linux and macOS Also Lost Ground
If you’ve been seeing “I switched to Linux” posts flooding your social media feeds lately, you might be surprised by the actual data. Linux dropped 1.15 points to 2.23%, while macOS fell 0.85 points to 1.16%.
In other words, it wasn’t Linux or macOS that absorbed the Windows 11 exodus — it was Windows 10. In fact, both Linux and macOS saw their own user bases shrink as well.
| Operating System | January 2026 | February 2026 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Windows 11 | ~70% | 56.28% | -10.43 pts |
| Windows 10 | ~29% | 40.25% | +12.46 pts |
| Linux | ~3.38% | 2.23% | -1.15 pts |
| macOS | ~2.01% | 1.16% | -0.85 pts |
Hardware Highlights
The survey’s hardware section also revealed some notable shifts:
- NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5070 climbed 6.40 points to reach a 9.12% share, signaling rapid adoption of next-gen GPUs.
- 32 GB RAM is now the standard — usage surged 18.91 points to 56.93% of all Steam users.
- 1920x1080 remains the most popular resolution but dropped 7.55 points, as more gamers move to higher resolutions.
What Does This Mean?
The Steam hardware survey is one of the most comprehensive snapshots of the PC gaming landscape. The February 2026 results make one thing clear: Windows 11 hasn’t fully won over the gaming community. Despite Microsoft’s push to sunset Windows 10, gamers’ preference for performance and stability keeps the older OS alive and well.