Windows 12 is a potential future update to the Windows operating system. It is expected to be released in 2024, although there has been no official confirmation from Microsoft. Some potential features of the operating system include: Windows 11 New UI improvements, better Android app support, AI, and increased reliance on the Settings app.
When will Windows 12 be released?
We should start by saying that we can't yet verify that W12 is real. We don't think Microsoft will pull the plug on W9 and skip this release to W13—we haven't heard anything official from the company.
However, we believe it is coming. It is not clear when.
There is one rumor we have seen that points to an OS upgrade. Tom's Hardware spotted a reference from the German site Deskmodder.de. Until Microsoft You will start working on Windows 12Remarkably, this was in February 2022, less than six months after Windows 11 was first made available to the public!
We're not sure if this source is reliable, but whether or not this version is in development, Windows 12 won't arrive for much longer, considering how close we are to the launch of Windows 11.
Given the last several major Windows releases, there's no firm timeline we can use to gauge when Windows 12 will appear. But we can still guess.
starting from Windows 7 In 2009:
- Windows 8 arrived three years later (2012)
- Arrive Windows 10 Three Years Later (2015)
- Arrive Windows 11 Six Years Later (2021)
- Windows 12 may arrive in three years (2024)
repeats Windows Central This timeline (which also claims W12 is called Next Valley internally):
According to my sources familiar with these plans, Microsoft now intends to ship “major” versions of the Windows client every three years, with the next release currently scheduled for 2024, three years after Windows 11 ships in 2021.
Before its public release, Windows 12 will likely follow a similar release structure to other versions of Windows. For example, the first Windows 11 Insider Preview build was available just days after Microsoft announced the operating system and several months before its public release.
A similar timeline is expected for this release, so you should be able to access a pre-release build of Windows 12 through Windows Insider Program When that time comes.
Lifewire Release Date Estimate
We believe Microsoft will release Windows 12 in 2024, at the earliest. If there's another significant gap, as happened between the last two major releases, we could be looking at 2026 or later.
Windows 12 Price Rumors
There's a good chance that Windows 12 will be offered as an optional, free update to Windows 11 users, and possibly to Windows 10 users, who have a valid copy of Windows.
If you need a new license, we believe you will be able to obtain a digital copy from the Microsoft website, or through other retailers on a USB device.
The company will likely price it the same way it does Windows 11:
- $139.99 for Windows 12 Home
- $199.99 for Windows 12 Pro
Windows 12 features
As with any major operating system update, there will almost certainly be countless minor updates and changes under the hood. This should translate to things like better overall performance, new icons and animations, and additional settings you can tweak.
Nothing has been confirmed, and won't be for a while, but here are some of the bigger ideas that could make their way to Windows 12:
New user interface
The 2022 Microsoft Ignite keynote may have given us a glimpse of the Windows 12 user interface.
A new Windows UI design concept made a brief appearance during the Ignite keynote yesterday. Here's what we know about it: https://t.co/hW6TfgSfci
— Windows Central (@WindowsCentral) October 13, 2022
You can see that it has a floating taskbar at the bottom, a floating search bar at the top, and many other icons in any of the corners of the screen.
The taskbar is slightly different from the current one we've grown accustomed to over the years, as it hovers slightly above the bottom of the screen. However, the search bar has never been so prominent at the top, and it's certainly never been completely separated from the taskbar.
Windows Central claims there are plans for other UI changes as well, such as a new (hopefully more useful) lock screen and notification center, all in an effort to create a consistent interface across Microsoft's product line that will work for both touch and keyboard users. This is to be expected with any major release.
Here's a great look at what Windows 12 could look like from Concept Central. It shows a new Start menu, an idea for a built-in messaging client called Windows Messenger, a redesigned storage hub, and new desktop UI elements. We also like: This W12 concept is from designer Avdan..
Artificial intelligence
Via Microsoft invests billions of dollars in OpenAI It is very realistic for a company to use some form of Artificial intelligence In its operating system.
There's already a shortcut for Bing AI on the Windows 11 taskbar, but Windows 12 will certainly go further, such as using AI in your email and photo editing improvements. It could easily extend to everything else you can do in Windows, like video conferencing, search, and everything in between.
I have Petri IT Knowledgebase A great video discussing this relationship between AI and Windows 12.
Core PC
according to Windows Central CorePC is the code name for a project “designed to be a modular and customizable variant of Windows for Microsoft to take advantage of different form factors.”
CorePC is state-separated, so it allows for faster updates, and because it uses read-only partitions, it also supports a more secure overall system.
No more control panel
We also expect a further shift (possibly a complete withdrawal) away from Control Panel Settings was introduced back in Windows 8 and was intended to replace the Control Panel, but the utility is still available today.
If Windows 12 does get rid of the Control Panel entirely, all Control Panel apps may be moved to Settings. We've already seen this happen, as with Windows Update , which has not been available through the Control Panel since Windows 8.
Animated Wallpapers
Our phones can use live wallpapers, but Windows is forever stuck with static images. This is already possible through third-party apps like Desktop Live Wallpapers, but it would be great to be able to add live wallpapers directly into Windows.
Android APK Installations
You can already Get Android apps on Windows 11 But you're stuck using the Amazon Appstore, so you're limited to the options available through that store. Windows 12 could improve this by allowing us to install Android apps via APK file their own.
There are many online stores that allow you to download these files. Windows just needs to allow us to play them directly from the download so we don't have to open them through third-party programs like BlueStacks.
Good to know: Best Android Emulators for Windows 10.
MSN Messenger is back
Another Windows 12 rumor (first seen on TechRadar) we've seen is that Teams and Skype will merge into a new MSN Messenger. If you're unfamiliar, MSN Messenger was an instant messaging client from Microsoft that existed in the early 2013s but was eventually discontinued in XNUMX.
Bookmark this page! We'll update it with all confirmed and rumored Windows 12 features as soon as they become available.
Windows 12 system requirements
To install Windows 12, your computer must meet the minimum system requirements. These requirements will likely be similar or identical. Minimum system requirements for Windows 11.
We expect something like this, as your computer must have at least the following to be compatible with Windows 12:
- 8 GB of RAM
- 64GB of storage
- 64-bit processor
- 1 GHz CPU clock speed
- Internet connection and Microsoft account (for initial setup)
Windows 11 introduced some specialized requirements that weren't present in previous versions of Windows. These include TPM 2.0 and UEFI with Secure Boot. We believe Windows 12 will perform similarly.
Most likely, if your computer can run W 11, there's a good chance it can also install W 12. But we won't know for sure until we hear something from Microsoft.
Download Windows 12
W 12 is not available from Microsoft. It is not available in beta form, and there are no pre-release versions. At least not yet.
This means it is too early to find W-12 files. ISO Genuine, so anything you see online that claims to be W12 — even if it's called an MS leak or labeled "Windows 12 Beta" or "Windows 12 Dev Build," etc. — is actually not the real deal.
If this operating system is indeed released, the official place to get it will be from Microsoft. Like many older versions of Windows, this version will likely be available as a free update for Windows 11 users. You'll get it by updating via Windows Update, and as with previous Windows versions, Microsoft will likely host an upgrade utility and official ISO files on its website.
Of course, brand new devices, such as Microsoft Surface computers, will ship with Windows 12 preinstalled.
We'll update this page with full details on how to get Windows 12 as soon as Microsoft reveals those details.
