When we checked in on Windows adoption rates last month, things weren’t looking great for Microsoft’s most recent operating system. Windows 7 was actually gaining traction faster than Windows 8, but the release of Windows 8.1 has led to a notable increase in Windows 8 users. According to Net Applications, Windows 8.1 now accounts for 1.72% of total computer usage after releasing just two weeks ago. This speedy adoption has brought the overall Windows 8.x market share (which includes both Windows 8 and 8.1) to 9.25%, a boon for Microsoft after a slow September for Windows 8. Unsurprisingly, Windows XP continues to fall off the charts, although its decline has slowed slightly from last month. This boost for Windows 8 is exactly what Microsoft needs heading into the holidays — the question is, will Microsoft be able to maintain this momentum?
Windows 8.1 picks up steam, drives adoption of Microsoft’s new OS
![Windows 8.1 Market Share Growth Windows 8.1 Market Share Growth](https://bgr.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/06/windows-8-1.png?w=1020&h=574&crop=1)
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