According to the latest data, Linux officially has more than 4% desktop market share, a marked acceleration of its adoption.

StatCounter reports that Linux now has 4.03% of the desktop market, as of February 2024, up from 3.77% in January.

Linux made headlines in mid-2023 when it crossed the 3% mark for desktop market share for the first time in its history. The Linux kernel was originally released in 1991, meaning the operating system took just under 32 years to reach 3% desktop share.

The fact that Linux managed to gain another percentage point just eight months later underscores Linux’s rising popularity. As we highlighted last year, there are a number of factors boosting Linux adoption, including the popularity of the Steam Deck, Windows 11’s unpopularity, and Windows 10’s impending abandonment.

Given that Linux is free, open-source, private, secure, powerful, and efficient, it’s good to see if finally gaining the market share it deserves.

Those interested in making the switch to Linux can learn more in our Linux Distro Reviews series.