Windows 12 Release Date 2023
Although Windows 12 is not yet available, this is when it might arrive and what changes to expect.
The Windows operating system may receive an update in the future called Windows 12. Although there has been no formal announcement from Microsoft, it is anticipated to be published in 2024. This Windows 11 replacement may contain features like improved Android app integration, AI, and a greater dependence on the Settings app, among other things.
What date will Windows 12 be available?
To begin with, let’s acknowledge that we are unable to confirm whether Windows 12 is in fact real. Not because we believe Microsoft will pull a Windows 9 and skip this release in favor of W13, but rather because we haven’t received any official word from the firm.
Despite this, we believe it will happen. Simply said, it’s unclear when.
One rumor that we’ve heard suggests an updated operating system. Tom’s Hardware discovered a mention of Microsoft starting development on Windows 12 on the German website Deskmodder.de. Surprisingly, that occurred in February 2022, fewer than six months after Windows 11 became generally accessible.
Although we are unsure if that source is trustworthy, given how close we are to the release of Windows 11, it seems likely that Windows 12 won’t be released for some time.
When comparing the release dates of the previous few significant Windows versions, we can’t establish a reliable timeline for Windows 12. However, we can still speculate.
Beginning in 2009 with Windows 7:
Three years later, Windows 8 was released (2012)
Three years later, Windows 10 was released (2015)
Six years later, Windows 11 was released (2021)
Windows 12 could release three years from now (2024)
Windows Central (which asserts that W12 is referred to as Next Valley internally) echoes the following timeline:
Microsoft now wants to issue “major” versions of the Windows client every three years, with the next release now scheduled for 2024, three years after Windows 11 was released in 2021, according to my sources who are acquainted with these plans.
Windows 12 will presumably adhere to a similar release schedule before being on sale to the general public. For instance, the initial Windows 11 Insider Preview build was accessible shortly after Microsoft unveiled the operating system and a few months before it was made generally available.
You should be able to access a pre-release preview of Windows 12 through the Windows Insider Program whenever that time arrives since a similar schedule is anticipated for this version.
Livewire’s Release Date Estimate
Lifewire thinks Microsoft will release Windows 12 in 2024, at the earliest. If another large gap occurs as it did between the last two major versions, we could look at 2026 or later. Watch for a mention of it at an upcoming Windows event.
Windows 12 Price Speculation
Will Windows 12 be a free update?
How much does Windows 12 cost?
It’s likely that Windows 11 and possibly Windows 10 users who have a legitimate copy of Windows will be given the option to download Windows 12 for free.
If you require a new license, we anticipate that you will be able to purchase the digital version on a USB device from Microsoft’s website or from other vendors.
The price will likely be similar to that of Windows 11 from the company:
Windows 12 Home costs $139.99.
Windows 12 Pro costs $199.99.
Features of Windows 12
There will undoubtedly be a ton of small tweaks and modifications made behind the scenes, as with each significant OS release. This should result in improved overall performance, fresh icons and animations, and more customizable settings.
Although nothing has been confirmed and won’t be for some time, the following major features could appear in Windows 12:
New UI
We may have gotten a sneak peek at the Windows 12 user interface during the keynote address at Microsoft Ignite in 2022.
You can see it has a floating taskbar dock at the bottom, a floating search bar at the top, and various other icons on either corner of the screen.
The taskbar is only a little different from the existing one we’ve grown familiar with over the years because it’s just slightly hovering over the bottom of the screen. The search bar, however, has never existed at the top like that, and definitely not entirely detached from the taskbar.
According to Windows Central, Microsoft is working to standardize the user interface across all of its product lines so that it will be usable by both touch and keyboard users. Other UI changes are also reportedly in the works, including a new lock screen (hopefully one that is more useful) and notification center. And with any significant release, that is to be expected.
Here is a nice preview of what Windows 12 might look like, courtesy of Concept Central. It displays a brand-new Start menu, a concept for Windows Messenger, a volume hub revamp, and desktop widgets. We also appreciate this W12 design by Avdan.
Artificial intelligence
It’s starting to sound more likely that Microsoft would include artificial intelligence in some capacity into their operating system with their anticipated $10 billion investment in OpenAI, which follows their prior $1 billion investment.
This connection between AI and Windows 12 is discussed in a fantastic video from Petri IT Knowledgebase.
Removed the Control Panel
We also anticipate that the Control Panel will continue to give way to Settings, potentially completely. Although the Control Panel was supposed to be replaced by Settings when it was first released in Windows 8, the tool is still accessible today.
If Control Panel is completely removed in Windows 12, all of the Control Panel applets might be relocated into Settings. This has already begun to occur, as evidenced by the fact that Windows Update is no longer accessible through the Control Panel since Windows 8.
Animated Backgrounds
While the wallpapers on our phones can be animated, Windows has always been limited to static graphics. Although adding live wallpapers is already available with third-party programs like Desktop Live Wallpapers, it would be fantastic if this functionality were included with Windows by default.
Installing Android APKs
Windows 11 already has the ability to download Android apps, but you are forced to use the Amazon Appstore, which restricts your selections to what is offered there. By enabling us to install Android apps using their APK files, Windows 12 could make this situation better.
You can download these files from a number of online retailers. To avoid using third-party programs like BlueStacks, Windows simply needs to enable the option for us to execute them directly from the download.
Return of MSN Messenger
The merging of Teams and Skype into a new MSN Messenger is another rumored Windows 12 feature (first saw on TechRadar). If you don’t know, Microsoft’s MSN Messenger was an instant messaging program that existed in the early 2000s and was eventually phased down in 2013.
Make a note of this page! As information on the various features of Windows 12 becomes available, we’ll update this post.
System requirements for Windows 12
Your machine must meet the minimum system requirements in order to install Windows 12. These specifications will probably be comparable to or same to the minimal system requirements for Windows 11.
We anticipate that your computer will need to have at least these components in order to be compatible with Windows 12:
- 8 GB of RAM
- 64 GB of storage
- 64-bit processor
- 1 GHz CPU clock speed
- An internet connection and a Microsoft account (for the initial setup)
Some unique needs that weren’t present in earlier versions of Windows were added with Windows 11. TPM 2.0 and UEFI with Secure Boot are examples of this. We anticipate Windows 12 to function similarly.
Most likely, if your PC can run Windows 11, you should have no trouble installing Windows 12. However, we won’t be certain until we hear from Microsoft.
Download Windows 12
Microsoft does not sell Windows 12. There are no beta versions or pre-release builds available for it. not yet, at least.
Since it’s too early to uncover authentic Windows 12 ISO files, anything you find online that purports to be W12—even if it’s referred to as a leak from Microsoft or is dubbed “Windows 12 Beta” or “Windows 12 Dev Build,” etc.—is in fact a fake.
The official source to obtain this OS, if it is ever made available, will be Microsoft. Similar to earlier versions of Windows, this one will probably be accessible to Windows 11 users as a free upgrade. You can update to it using Windows Update, and like with earlier versions of Windows, Microsoft is probably going to provide an upgrading tool and the official ISOs on their website.
Of course, new gadgets like the PCs in the Microsoft Surface series will come with Windows 12 already installed.
As soon as Microsoft releases information on how to obtain Windows 12, we’ll update this page.
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