Operating system statistics look different depending on what is being measured. In August 2026, Android led worldwide operating-system usage at 38.66%, while Windows held 26.49% and iOS 19.02%. These StatCounter figures are browser-based internet usage shares, not installed-base counts. The sections below separate device categories, regions, websites, and Steam participants so the comparisons remain clear.
Table of contents
- Worldwide operating-system share
- Mobile operating systems by region
- Desktop systems in North America and Europe
- Tablet operating systems
- Operating systems used by websites
- Steam users and PC operating systems
Worldwide operating-system share
StatCounter’s worldwide operating-system table for August 2026 shows a mixed ecosystem in which mobile platforms occupy the largest individual positions, but desktop-oriented systems remain substantial.
| Operating system | Worldwide share, August 2026 |
|---|---|
| Android | 38.66% |
| Windows | 26.49% |
| iOS | 19.02% |
| macOS | 6.47% |
| OS X | 4.90% |
| Linux | 3.76% |
Android’s 38.66% was the largest listed worldwide share. Windows followed at 26.49%, while iOS reached 19.02%. macOS accounted for 6.47%, OS X for 4.90%, and Linux for 3.76%. The source labels macOS and OS X separately, so these figures should not be silently combined. Operating System Market Share Worldwide | StatCounter Global Stats
The category matters because a worldwide operating-system figure describes browser activity across device types, not the number of computers or phones installed in homes and businesses. A platform can therefore have a large share of observed internet usage without that percentage representing its share of all physical devices.
Mobile operating systems by region
Mobile results show a strong geographic contrast. Worldwide in August 2026, Android held 67.61% of mobile operating-system share, compared with 32.36% for iOS. Linux was listed at 0.01%. Mobile Operating System Market Share Worldwide | StatCounter Global Stats
Asia was more Android-oriented than the worldwide mobile picture. Android held 78.13% of mobile operating-system share in Asia, while iOS held 21.83% and Linux 0.02%. These are browser-based usage shares for August 2026, not estimates of installed smartphones. Mobile Operating System Market Share Asia | StatCounter Global Stats
North America presented the reverse leading order. iOS held 60.22% of mobile operating-system share in August 2026, and Android held 39.75%. KaiOS registered 0.01%. Mobile Operating System Market Share North America | StatCounter Global Stats
| Mobile market | Android | iOS | Other listed systems |
|---|---|---|---|
| Worldwide | 67.61% | 32.36% | Linux 0.01% |
| Asia | 78.13% | 21.83% | Linux 0.02% |
| North America | 39.75% | 60.22% | KaiOS 0.01% |
The regional difference is important for anyone interpreting operating-system statistics for software documentation, testing, or audience planning. A mobile experience optimized around the worldwide ranking may not reflect the leading platform in North America, while an Asia-focused audience shows a substantially stronger Android share.
Desktop systems in North America and Europe
Desktop operating-system usage also differed between North America and Europe in August 2026. North America recorded Windows at 53.68%, OS X at 17.76%, Linux at 16.00%, macOS at 9.88%, and Chrome OS at 2.69%. FreeBSD registered 0% in the StatCounter table. Desktop Operating System Market Share North America | StatCounter Global Stats
Europe showed a higher Windows share and a lower Linux share. Windows held 68.52%, OS X 12.92%, macOS 10.18%, Linux 6.44%, Chrome OS 1.93%, and FreeBSD 0.01%. Desktop Operating System Market Share Europe | StatCounter Global Stats
| Desktop operating system | North America | Europe |
|---|---|---|
| Windows | 53.68% | 68.52% |
| OS X | 17.76% | 12.92% |
| Linux | 16.00% | 6.44% |
| macOS | 9.88% | 10.18% |
| Chrome OS | 2.69% | 1.93% |
| FreeBSD | 0% | 0.01% |
The StatCounter labels remain distinct here as well: OS X and macOS appear as separate rows in the source tables. The North American table’s 16.00% Linux share is notably higher than Europe’s 6.44%, while Europe’s Windows share is 14.84 percentage points higher than North America’s. That difference is a direct comparison of the reported percentages, not an estimate of installed desktop computers.
For C programmers, desktop statistics can help frame compatibility discussions, but they do not replace testing on the actual compiler, runtime, distribution, browser, or hardware environment used by a project. These figures describe observed browser usage and should be read within that scope.
Tablet operating systems
Tablet shares were close globally but changed by region. Worldwide in August 2026, iOS held 52.33% of tablet operating-system share and Android held 47.53%. Linux accounted for 0.14%, while Windows registered 0%. Tablet Operating System Market Share Worldwide | StatCounter Global Stats
Europe had Android at 52.33% and iOS at 47.60%. Linux held 0.06%, while Windows, BlackBerry OS, and Samsung each registered 0% in the source table. Tablet Operating System Market Share Europe | StatCounter Global Stats
North America again favored iOS: iOS held 57.08% and Android 42.82% of tablet operating-system share in August 2026. Tablet Operating System Market Share North America | StatCounter Global Stats
| Tablet market | iOS | Android | Other listed systems |
|---|---|---|---|
| Worldwide | 52.33% | 47.53% | Linux 0.14%; Windows 0% |
| Europe | 47.60% | 52.33% | Linux 0.06%; Windows 0% |
| North America | 57.08% | 42.82% | Not listed in the supplied comparison |
The tablet figures illustrate why a global average can hide a near-even contest. iOS led worldwide and in North America, while Android led Europe. The recorded zeros should be treated as the source’s displayed values, not proof that no device using those systems exists.
Operating systems used by websites
Website operating-system statistics measure something different from visitor-device statistics. W3Techs reported figures for websites whose operating system was known on September 30, 2026. Across known-OS websites, Linux was used by 62.6% and Windows by 8.1%. Linux vs. Windows usage statistics, September 2026
The distribution changed among higher-ranked sites. In the top 1,000,000 websites by the source’s ranking, Linux was used by 56.9% of known-OS websites and Windows by 19.5%. Among the top 100,000, Linux was at 53.3% and Windows at 22.7%. Among the top 10,000, Linux was at 50.5% and Windows at 19.4%.
| Website group | Linux | Windows |
|---|---|---|
| All known-OS websites | 62.6% | 8.1% |
| Top 1,000,000 known-OS websites | 56.9% | 19.5% |
| Top 100,000 known-OS websites | 53.3% | 22.7% |
| Top 10,000 known-OS websites | 50.5% | 19.4% |
W3Techs figures describe the operating systems used by websites whose operating system was known. They should not be read as shares of end-user devices, desktop computers, or mobile phones. The ranking groups also represent different website populations, so the percentages should be compared as reported rather than treated as a trend forecast.
For developers, this distinction separates server-side environment choices from client-side usage. A website may run on Linux while serving visitors using Android, iOS, Windows, macOS, or another platform. The two measurements answer different questions.
Steam users and PC operating systems
Valve’s Steam Hardware & Software Survey for August 2026 reported Windows on 93.95% of participating Steam survey respondents. Windows 11 64-bit represented 70.97%, Windows 10 64-bit 22.90%, and Windows 7 64-bit 0.06%. Steam Hardware & Software Survey: August 2026
The same survey listed OSX at 2.14% and Linux at 3.90%. Within the reported Linux-related entries, SteamOS Holo 64-bit represented 0.82%, CachyOS 0.60%, and Arch Linux 0.34%. macOS 26.5.2 64-bit represented 0.66%. The source uses its own labels and categories, so the entries should not be reclassified beyond what the survey reports.
| Steam operating-system entry | Share, August 2026 |
|---|---|
| Windows, all listed versions | 93.95% |
| Windows 11 64-bit | 70.97% |
| Windows 10 64-bit | 22.90% |
| Windows 7 64-bit | 0.06% |
| OSX | 2.14% |
| macOS 26.5.2 64-bit | 0.66% |
| Linux | 3.90% |
| SteamOS Holo 64-bit | 0.82% |
| CachyOS | 0.60% |
| Arch Linux | 0.34% |
Steam’s monthly survey is optional and anonymous. Its percentages therefore describe participating Steam customers rather than all PC users. The results are useful for understanding the platform mix inside that gaming audience, but they should not be substituted for worldwide desktop shares or general computer ownership statistics. For software projects aimed at gamers, the survey provides a focused audience snapshot with an explicitly limited scope.