Microsoft Windows Monthly Active Users Reach 1.6 Billion, Bing Surpasses 1 Billion for the First Time
During the latest quarterly earnings call, Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella revealed that Windows now has 1.6 billion monthly active users, while Bing's monthly active users have exceeded 1 billion for the first time. He also emphasized that Microsoft is refocusing its strategic priorities back on Windows, aiming to improve the system's basic experience and drive overall engagement with core products like the Edge browser and Bing search.
According to Microsoft's presentation during the earnings call, approximately 1.6 billion active devices currently run the Windows operating system each month. However, Microsoft did not break down this data by version, so it is not yet possible to determine whether the growth is due to the adoption of Windows 11 or migration effects as Windows 10 nears the end of its lifecycle. Microsoft also does not publicly release Windows market share data annually, and external observers typically rely on third-party statistics, which are not always completely accurate. As early as 2018, Microsoft stated that approximately 1.5 billion PCs ran Windows. Since then, the company has often used "billions of devices running Windows" to summarize the ecosystem's scale in its external communications. Now, this number has reached 1.6 billion, which is broadly consistent with Microsoft's previous statements.
Nadella stated during the call that Microsoft will "return to the fundamentals of Windows" and strive to "win back" Windows users, especially those who have questioned the performance and experience of Windows 11. Specifically, Microsoft will prioritize improving the system's basic capabilities, consolidating its core user base, and ensuring that the operating system remains smooth on low-memory PCs. He mentioned that Windows has recently introduced more changes regarding update control, as well as performance optimizations pushed to users in positive testing. Users can extend the system update pause time to a maximum of 35 days through a more flexible "pause updates" calendar. Nadella also said that the value of Windows will continue to extend towards "unlimited intelligence on the edge," meaning Microsoft hopes to establish a closer connection between local devices and cloud intelligence.
Notably, this time Microsoft rarely "celebrated" Windows at the consumer level, rather than simply treating it as a supporting platform for Azure and enterprise businesses. From Nadella's statements, Microsoft's consumer product strategy is undergoing a subtle shift. This renewed embrace of Windows users is seen as a positive for multiple product lines, including Windows, Edge, Xbox, and Bing.
In terms of search business, Bing's performance was also one of the highlights of the earnings call. Bing has long been burdened with the stereotype of being "almost unused," but the data provided by Microsoft this time shows that Bing's monthly active users have reached 1 billion for the first time, indicating that the number of users who actually rely on Bing in daily search scenarios is far greater than previously imagined. Nadella revealed that the Edge browser has achieved market share growth for 20 consecutive quarters, and Bing's active user numbers have risen in tandem. Bing is considered to have found a relatively balanced product form between AI capabilities and traditional web search experience, and has also improved user stickiness through interface design, interaction experience, and Microsoft Rewards mechanisms.
In addition to Windows and Bing, Microsoft also updated the scale data of its other key products during the earnings call. LinkedIn's total membership has climbed to 1.3 billion, and the company says that the "depth" of communication and interaction on the platform is also constantly increasing, further consolidating its position in B2B sales and advertising. Nadella said that LinkedIn has become one of the core channels for businesses of all sizes to conduct B2B sales and advertising. On the consumer subscription side, Microsoft 365 subscriptions for individuals and families are now approaching 95 million, and early feedback shows that user satisfaction has increased after Microsoft set Agent Mode as the default option.
Overall, the signals released by Microsoft during this earnings call are very clear: on the one hand, continue to strengthen Windows as the "foundation" of the operating system, making "subtractions" and "polishing" in terms of performance, update control, and low-configuration device experience; on the other hand, make "additions" to service-layer products such as Edge, Bing, LinkedIn, and Microsoft 365, expanding new growth space through AI and cloud services. The 1.6 billion Windows monthly active users and 1 billion Bing monthly active users have become key numerical footnotes in Microsoft's narrative of "returning to Windows, betting on AI and cloud collaboration."