Windows 12: What to Expect from Microsoft’s Next OS


Windows 11 was released in October 2021, bringing a fresh design, new features and improved performance to millions of PCs around the world. But Microsoft is not resting on its laurels, and it is reportedly already working on the next major version of Windows, which could be called Windows 12.

Windows 12 is expected to launch in late 2024, according to credible reports, and it could bring some significant changes to the Windows experience. Here’s everything we know so far about Windows 12, and what we hope to see from Microsoft’s next OS.

Windows 12 Release Date: When Will It Be?

According to sources inside Microsoft, the company is planning to release Windows 12 in 2024, following a three-year release cycle for major Windows versions. This means that we could expect Windows 12 to arrive in the fall of 2024, or at least in the second half of the year.

However, this is not official information, and Microsoft could change its plans at any time. The company has not yet announced Windows 12 or its release date, and it may even choose a different name for the next version of Windows. For example, after Windows 8, many people expected Windows 9 to be the next version, but Microsoft surprised everyone by jumping straight to Windows 10 instead.

For now, Microsoft is focusing on updating and improving Windows 11 with smaller feature updates and bug fixes. The first major update for Windows 11, version 22H2, was released in September 2021, bringing new features like Start menu folders, touch gestures and File Explorer tabs. More updates are expected to roll out in 2023 and beyond, keeping Windows 11 fresh and secure.

Windows 12 Codename: What Is It Called Inside Microsoft?

The engineering codename for the next version of Windows is reportedly “Next Valley”, which makes sense as a successor to Windows 11’s codename “Sun Valley”. This suggests that Microsoft is continuing with the theme of natural landscapes for its Windows codenames.

However, this does not mean that Windows 12 will have anything to do with valleys in terms of its design or features. Codenames are usually just internal labels that help developers identify different projects, and they rarely reflect the final product name or appearance.

What Will Be New in Windows 12?

As of now, there is not much information available about what new features or changes will be included in Windows 12. Microsoft has not officially revealed anything about its next OS, and it may be too early for any leaks or rumors to surface.

However, there is one clue that Microsoft may have accidentally given us during its Ignite conference in October 2022. During the keynote presentation, Microsoft briefly showed an image of Microsoft Teams running on a Windows desktop that looked different from Windows 11. If you look closely, you can see some possible changes in the user interface:

  • A floating taskbar, rather than an edge-to-edge taskbar.
  • A floating search box on the top of the screen, in the middle.
  • System icons (like the system tray and notification icons) displayed on the top-right corner of the screen, over the desktop background.
  • The weather displayed on the top-left corner of the screen, over the desktop background.

This could be a prototype or a concept of a new Windows desktop design that Microsoft is testing for Windows 12. However, it could also be just an experimental mockup or a mistake that was not meant to be shown publicly. We don’t know for sure if this is what Windows 12 will look like, or if it will look like anything at all.

What We Want to See in Windows 12

While we wait for more official information about Windows 12, we can always dream about what we would like to see from Microsoft’s next OS. Here are some of our wishes and suggestions for Windows 12:

  • Better compatibility with older apps and hardware. One of the biggest complaints about Windows 11 is that it requires certain hardware specifications and security features that many older PCs don’t have. This means that many users are unable to upgrade to Windows 11 or run some of their favorite apps on it. We hope that Windows 12 will be more flexible and compatible with a wider range of devices and software.
  • More customization options. While Windows 11 has a sleek and modern design, it also limits some of the customization options that users had in previous versions of Windows. For example, you can’t change the size or position of the taskbar icons, or choose different colors for different parts of the interface. We hope that Windows 12 will give users more control over how they want their desktop to look and feel.
  • More integration with Android and iOS. Windows 11 introduced a new feature called Your Phone, which lets you access your Android phone’s apps, notifications, photos and messages on your PC. However, this feature is still limited and buggy, and it doesn’t work with iOS devices at all. We hope that Windows 12 will improve and expand this feature, making it easier and more reliable to connect your PC with your smartphone, regardless of the platform.
  • More innovation and creativity. Windows 11 was a welcome refresh for the Windows platform, but it didn’t introduce any groundbreaking or revolutionary features that really set it apart from other operating systems. It mostly refined and polished what was already there in Windows 10, with some minor additions and tweaks. We hope that Windows 12 will surprise and delight us with some new and exciting features that will make us want to use Windows more than ever.

Conclusion

Windows 12 is still a long way from being released, and we don’t know much about it yet. However, we are always curious and excited about what Microsoft has in store for its next OS, and we hope that it will be a great improvement over Windows 11. We will keep you updated with any news or rumors about Windows 12 as they emerge, so stay tuned for more.