Poll: 72% Of Graphic Designers Use Windows As Their Operating System

• September 22, 2022
• Nick Saporito
• 2 comments

Have you ever wondered which operating system graphic designers use most? Personally, I’ve always just assumed that designers use Mac exclusively. After all, it’s what most studios and agencies are equipped with, and Apple devices have always seemed especially popular among the design and branding crowd.

Speculation isn’t enough. So I polled my YouTube subscribers on the Design Made Simple channel to find out which operating system they use. Needless to say, the results may be surprising:

Which Operating System Graphic Designers Use Most 883 subscribers to the Design Made Simple YouTube channel were polled and asked them which operating system they primarily use for graphic design. The results are as follows: Windows 72% MacOS 23% Mobile/iPad 3% Linux 2% Source: Design Made Simple on YouTube

According to the results of the poll, 72% of graphic designers use Windows as their preferred operating system. MacOS, on the other hand, only represents 23% of surveyed users. Mobile devices (such as phones, tablets and iPads) came in third at 3%, and Linux came in last, representing only 2% of graphic design users.

That said, it’s important to put these results into context. At face value it may appear as if Windows is the preferred operating system among designers, but there are some factors that should be taken into consideration before jumping to that conclusion.

Why Graphic Designers Prefer Windows

As someone who uses both Windows and Mac on a daily basis, I can see the value in each. Here are some reasons why a graphic designer may prefer Windows over Mac though:

• Windows devices tend to be cheaper, making them more accessible to the general public.
• Windows devices can be custom-built to your needs. This makes them a wiser choice for designers who may also be into other computer tasks where Mac comes up short, such as gaming and 3D design.
• Windows provides access to every non design-related application and software suite you need, which cannot be said for Mac or Linux (you can learn more about the OS requirements of all the major design apps here.)
• Inertia. Those of us who have used Windows devices our entire lives may as well stick with what’s most familiar.

There’s many reasons why a graphic designer would choose one operating system over another. If privacy and Open Source values are important to you then Linux would likely be most suitable. If you’re more of an artist who does a lot of sketching then the mobile environment is clearly the best option. And if you plan to seek employment as a graphic designer someday then familiarizing yourself with the Apple ecosystem is a must.

I’d love to hear what you think though! Are you a graphic designer, or more of a casual user? Which operating system do you prefer, and most importantly, why? Let me know in the comments!