Microsoft has confirmed that “Windows 12” won’t be released in 2024. Instead, the Microsoft plans to give Windows 11 another upgrade with the rollout of version 24H2 during the second half of 2024, which means we’ll likely not get a brand new version of the operating system until at least the second half of 2025.One of the reasons for keeping the “Windows 11” branding is that there is currently a fragmentation of versions, and the software giant wants to stop the further division of devices based on product releases due to users’ slow pace of adoption. At this point, the operating system has around 1.4 billion active users, and only 400 million are running Windows 11. The remaining billion are still on Windows 10, primarily due to unsupported hardware that doesn’t allow users to upgrade.As a result, if the company rolls out Windows 12, the fragmentation will increase, and the adoption rate could drop even more.However, the next version of Windows 11 won’t be a minor update either. Actually, the software giant will offer a major refresh for its operating system, much like those feature updates we used to see that even required complete reinstallation. In other words, you can now expect everything we have heard about Windows 12 to arrive as Windows 11 24H2 instead.So, the next feature update for Windows 11 will focus heavily on AI integration, meaning that in 2024, you can expect Copilot and other AI features to be more integrated into the operating system.Windows 11 24H2 is set to introduce new features and several visual changes, including a more advanced version of Copilot that will enhance search, help you understand context, and help you jump-start a new project quickly. This update may also include features such as Timeline, Super Resolution, and desktop background powered by AI.The company plans to finalize the feature update sometime during the summer when many computer manufacturers will start introducing new devices with more capabilities focused on AI.In other words, the improvements and the new innovations on AI that we have been hearing about are still on the table to ship in 2024, but they will now roll out as an update for Windows 11 (version 24H2) instead of the company releasing the so-called “Windows 12.”
Via Google/ Pic/ archive
Microsoft has not announced any timeline for the release of Windows 12. Unlike Android, iOS, and macOS which see annual updates, Windows updates operate differently. Windows receives monthly security updates and other security updates as and when needed. For features, Windows receives an annual feature update, usually in the second half of the calendar year, housing new features and enhancements for the OS. In addition to this, Windows also sometimes receives some of these features through monthly security update releases. As evident, Windows has a much more continuous update cycle, which is best compared to the Google Pixel with the monthly security patches, the feature drops, and then the annual OS version upgrade. But in the case of Windows, the OS version upgrade has a significantly more expansive timeline.
Windows 11 was released over six years after the release of Windows 10, marking it as a surprising outlier in this fast-paced world. Before that, Microsoft had a bit more consistency in its release. Windows 7 was launched in 2009, Windows 8 in 2012, and Windows 10 in 2015. If Microsoft continues to follow its earlier timeline, we can expect to see Windows 12 launch sometime in 2024. As the company has not officially confirmed any timeline, this is our best guess based on past trends. We do not have an exact Windows 12 release date yet, but we will update the article when we receive credible information.
Is there going to be Windows 12?
Microsoft has neither confirmed nor denied that a Windows 12 update is coming. Given the popularity of Windows 11 and Microsoft’s market share of laptops and desktops, it is safe to presume that an update to Windows 11 will certainly arrive. What remains unknown is when the update will arrive and what it will be called.
Microsoft has not revealed anything about Windows’ next update, including its name.
We predict the update to be called “Windows 12” in line with past trends. But as Windows XP, Vista, and plenty of others before them are proof, Microsoft is not afraid to leave trends at the door. Windows 12 remains the best guess for the name of the next update until credible information suggests otherwise.
Techsupport riso, Pic Microsoft
Microsoft is preparing to launch Windows 12 in the fall of 2024, with a wider rollout in 2025 It is internally experimenting with several new design ideas, including a new desktop experience with a ‘floating’ taskbar. Microsoft wants to create a floating effect for the taskbar by separating it from the desktop and rounding off the edges.
Microsoft has yet to confirm the existence of Windows 12, but we know it is coming soon; at least, this appears to be the company’s current plan. Microsoft sticks to this new engineering process, we might get Windows 13 in 2027 or later, but the tech giant’s plans are always subject to change as they have in the past.
At the Build 2023 developer conference, Microsoft announced several exciting updates for Windows 11, such as Windows Copilot and AI integration in the desktop operating system. During the event, Microsoft also dropped a hint that it is working on a “next-gen Windows”, which seems to imply Microsoft plans to launch a new iteration of Windows – potentially Windows 12.
During one of the keynotes, we noticed a screenshot of one of the videos that included references to a session titled “Next-gen of Windows”. This session hadn’t been discussed, but the clear mention of “the next generation of Windows” suggests this could be an allusion to the next-generation Windows 12.
Read more: Microsoft hints at Windows 12, explores a new floating taskbar.