Windows 12 is coming in 2024

 

Windows 11 will be released on October 5th, 2021, over six years after Windows 10 made its debut. But according to what we’ve heard, the next thing on the cards could very well be Windows 12. It sounds like Microsoft is doing away with major annual updates, and instead, we’re going to get a big new version of Windows every three years, similar to what happened before Windows 10.

When will Windows 12 be released?

According to the reports we’ve heard, the next major version of Windows is going to launch at some point in 2024, roughly three years after the debut of Windows 11. That’s all we really have right now, and it might be a while before we have any more information on that front. If past releases are any indication, Windows 12 should arrive in the fall, or at least the second half of the year, but that’s not set in stone.

If you’re in the Windows Insider Program, you’re going to see Windows 12 features show up gradually over the next two years, though Microsoft will likely keep labelling them as Windows 11 features until we’re much closer to the release date. Insiders get to try new features early, and with a long release cycle like this, the program makes a lot more sense, too.

Will Windows 12 be a free upgrade?

One of the big questions you’re likely to have is whether you’ll have to pay to upgrade to Windows 12 when (and if) it's released, but thankfully, that’s unlikely. Microsoft has been set on offering major Windows updates for free to existing Windows users for a few years now, and it only makes sense for that to continue. Of course, Windows 12 itself likely won’t be free, so if you don’t have a Windows license at all, you’re still going to have to buy it.

What might get you to spend money is whether your PC is compatible with it, but that’s a different matter worthy of its own section.

Can my PC run Windows 12?

After Windows 11, which significantly raised the minimum system requirements compared to Windows 10, this is another great question to ponder. Will Windows 12 leave older PCs behind once again? It’s too early to say, but there’s certainly a chance that some PCs won’t be compatible for one reason or another. Windows 11 currently requires processors released from around 2018 onward, and while we currently don’t see a reason for the next Windows release to require more than that, it’s possible that will happen.

As for any other requirements, again, it’s hard to say. Windows 11 requires 4GB of RAM and 64GB of internal storage, so at the very least, Windows 12 will require just as much. You also shouldn’t expect Microsoft to walk back on things like TPM requirements, though you may still be able to install Windows 12 using an ISO file if you don’t meet some requirements.

What’s new in Windows 12?

It’s still very early to know all of the features that might be part of Windows 12. Right now, a lot of features are being tested as part of Windows 11 version 22H2, and those will be coming to Windows 11 users later this year. You can read about everything that’s new in Windows 11 22H2 if that’s what you’re interested in.

Aside from that, we can get a glimpse at what might be coming by looking at the Windows Insider Program. Windows Insiders get new builds every week, many of them with new features and changes, like the new search bar designs above. We expect a lot of these to be part of Windows 12, but a lot of them may also roll out to Windows 11 users, and some may never ship at all, so this is an ever-evolving list until Windows 12 is actually finalized.

You can check out all the Windows 11 features available in preview to know what Windows Insiders are testing right now. Some of those features may be exclusive to Windows 12, others may arrive earlier for Windows 11.