Skip to main content

14 million people downloaded Windows 10 on its first day, and it could have been higher

14 million day one windows 10 w10launch0
Image used with permission by copyright holder
Within its first day of release, Microsoft’s Windows 10 has become one of the most quickly downloaded desktop operating systems in the world. Although still far behind its predecessors, in just one day it netted a full 14 million users, with many people taking advantage of the free upgrade which allows those with valid Windows 7 and 8 licenses to update to the new OS without charge.

This is a positive start for Microsoft, which has made a big drive to try and bring as many people on board with Windows 10 as possible. Not only has it made the upgrade as simple  as it can, but it’s been marketing the new OS heavily and even giving every Windows user a prompt in their taskbar to let them know that they can now update for free.

Recommended Videos

Fortunately for the software giant, reviews and consumer reports have been largely positive, with praise being heaped on the much more streamlined implementation of the Windows 8 tabs features, with the more traditional desktop experience.

Please enable Javascript to view this content

The firm did what it could to push things along with big launch parties throughout the 29th held in Nairobi, London and New York, among other cities, as the midnight launch rolled around.

With all the hype there has been, there are now people that want to upgrade – but can’t yet. To avoid the problems faced by many big game makers and other online service providers, Microsoft has been rolling out the upgrade procedure to different territories on a staggered basis. This way those that can download it can do so at a reasonable speed.

Although Microsoft has said it wants to preserve the “quality of the upgrade experience,” it said in an update that it was pushing to make Windows 10 available to all those that reserved it within the next few days.

Have you upgraded to Windows 10 yet? If so, what do you think?

Jon Martindale
Jon Martindale is a freelance evergreen writer and occasional section coordinator, covering how to guides, best-of lists, and…
The best Windows 10 keyboard shortcuts
Close up of Microsoft Surface Pro 6 keyboard.

Keyboard shortcuts can speed up even the most mundane of Windows 10 tasks. Learning the best of them can make your PC experience faster, more efficient, and, in some cases, even more enjoyable.

These are the essential Windows 10 shortcuts that can make you feel more like a PC wizard. A master of the keys, so to speak.

Read more
Windows 11 has been causing problems with Intel graphics for months, and no one said a word
A Windows 11 device sits on a table.

If you're using Intel integrated graphics and you've been having some issues with DirectX apps, we may know the reason why -- outdated drivers paired with a recent Windows update.

According to Microsoft, a Windows 11 update may have caused some errors in Intel graphics. The update is not recent at all, so even if you haven't updated in the last few weeks, you may be affected.

Read more
It’s not just you: Microsoft confirms Windows 11 is having gaming issues
Acer Predator Orion 7000 sitting on a table.

Microsoft has confirmed that the latest update to Windows 11 is causing performance issues in some games, along with a host of other problems. Stuttering might be noticeable in some apps as well.

Microsoft has put a hold on its Windows 11 22H2 update on devices affected by this issue; however, it is still possible to install the update manually. If you haven’t updated yet, it’s best to wait until you get a notification that an update is available.

Read more