Microsoft's Windows 12 plans revealed
Adoption of Windows 11 may well be much slower than Microsoft would have hoped or expected, but this isn't stopping the company forging ahead with its successor. The project is currently dubbed CorePC, but it is being referred to by many as -- naturally -- Windows 12.
What can be expected from Windows 12? Leaks from sources close to the company mean that plans for the next generation of the operating system have been exposed. Predictably, Microsoft is said to be leaning heavily on AI as it looks to modernize Windows. There is also a strong focus on security and faster delivery of updates on the cards.
Microsoft has hidden Cloud PC references in Windows 11 as a hint of future Windows 12 features
The Windows Insider program is one of the best places to gain access to the latest features and options, but there are sometimes some hidden gems that serves as signposts of what's to come. The latest Dev build is a good case in point.
References were spotted in Windows 11 build 23419 to Cloud PC thanks to the arrival of the settingshandlers_cloudpc.dll file. There are even entries in Settings that make it clear that Microsoft is betting big on Cloud PC, but it remains to be seen whether this ends up in Windows 11 or Windows 12.
Sorry, but it looks as though Microsoft is keeping the Windows 11 taskbar fixed at the bottom of the screen
A few days ago, news started to spread that Microsoft appeared to be working on a much-requested feature for Windows 11 -- the ability to move the taskbar to somewhere other than the bottom of the screen.
But it seems that this is not actually the case. The very same source that served as a catalyst for excitement has now poured water on the flames of anticipation. What appears to have happened is that Microsoft accidentally left code in place in a recent build of Windows 11 that made the taskbar movable; there remains no evidence that the option to reposition the taskbar will ever arrive.
Forget all the talk about Windows 12, could Windows 11.1 Pro win you over?
Although Windows 11 hasn’t been out that long -- it was only released towards the end of 2021 -- there is already a lot of talk about its successor, presumed to be called Windows 12 (although you never know with Microsoft). If you want to find out what to expect from that OS, you can read about it here.
But even if Microsoft is planning Windows 12, it won’t be out for at least a year or two, and that leaves plenty of time for the company to turn Windows 11 into a raging success. Could Windows 11.1 be the answer?
Microsoft is launching a new Canary Channel for exceptionally experimental builds of Windows 11 (and Windows 12?) in a major Windows Insider Program overhaul
Microsoft has detailed some of what it has planned for Windows 11 over the coming year, including big changes to the Windows Insider Program. As well as "rebooting the Dev Channel from the ground up", the company is also launching a new Canary Channel where we could see the first signs of Windows 12.
The idea of Canary builds will be familiar to many web browser users who like to be on the cutting edge. The likes of Google Chrome and Microsoft Edge have Beta, Dev and Canary builds offering varying degrees of stability and experimentation. Now Microsoft is updating the Windows Insider Program so it will have four channels -- Release Preview, Beta (22000 series), Dev (23000 series), and Canary (25000 series).
Windows 12: What we know and don't know about it, and what could happen
Is Microsoft working on the next version of Windows? Will it be Windows 12? If the answer is yes, how will it look like and differ from Windows 11?
There is quite a bit of uncertainty regarding Windows right now. Microsoft ended support for the popular Windows 7 and the not-so popular Windows 8 operating systems in January 2023, and in less than 3 years, Windows 10 is added to the list of operating systems that are no longer supported. This would leave Windows 11 as the sole version of Windows that is available and supported officially.
Adaptive wallpapers could bring the Windows 12 desktop to life
Although Windows 10 is the leading desktop operating system by some way, Microsoft will be praying that Windows 11 starts to gain more users throughout 2023.
While the new OS does have some features that set it apart from its predecessor, most notably a centered taskbar, for many users the differences don’t go for enough, and they’ll be hoping that Windows 12 will step things up significantly.
We wanted to know what features Windows 12 might have to offer, so we asked an AI
Windows 12 will offer a number of improvements that will make it better than its predecessor, Windows 11. One of the biggest advantages of Windows 12 is that it will offer improved security. Microsoft is introducing multiple new features to better protect user data, such as a new secure kernel, a secure boot process, and a new sandbox security model.
In addition, Windows 12 will offer improved performance, with better memory management and faster start-up times. The new version of Windows will also provide better support for multi-core processors, and it will introduce new graphics APIs such as DirectX 12 and Vulkan, which will provide improved performance in gaming and multimedia applications.
Forget buggy Windows 11, Windows 12 is the operating system we want
Windows 11 is a good operating system, for the most part, but it’s not without its problems. It seems every new update Microsoft rolls out these days introduces fresh annoyances. No wonder the vast majority of users are sticking with Windows 10.
Although Windows 11 has only been out for just over a year, talk of its successor, Windows 12, has been bubbling in the background for a few months now and if you were wondering how it might look when released, we have the answer.
Windows 12 is the 'most refined Windows ever' and everything Windows 11 should be
Although Windows 11 has been out for over a year, and we’ve already received the first 'moment' (feature update) for it, Windows 11 2022 Update (22H2), it really isn’t doing as well as it could be, and there is already talk of its successor, Windows 12.
What does Microsoft need to do to make its next OS more appealing? Bringing back some of the features missing from Windows 10 would be a start, but there are plenty of other modern ideas.
You need much longer to test the new Windows 11 2022 Update (22H2) -- this secret trick will let you massively extend the rollback time
Microsoft recently released the Windows 11 2022 Update (22H2) followed by a 'moment' update which introduced new features to the OS, including tabs in File Explorer.
If you’ve been reading our coverage of the problems that users have found with the Windows 11 2022 Update you might be concerned about installing it, but don’t worry you can roll back the operating system to your previous build. There’s just one problem -- Microsoft only gives you 10 days to do this, which is hardly any time at all. We think you need longer, much longer, so we’ll show you how to extend this allowance to 60 days.
Windows 23 (2023) could be the perfect Microsoft operating system
Microsoft recently began rolling out the Windows 11 2022 Update, which makes the current operating system a lot more useful.
That doesn’t mean that people aren’t looking to the future, and what comes next for Windows. Late last year we heard that the software giant was already beginning work on Windows 11’s successor and if you were wondering how it might look, we have the answer.
Leak suggests Microsoft going to borrow design ideas from macOS for Windows 12
No matter how recently Microsoft has launched a new version of Windows or released a significant update, talk about "the next version of Windows" is always babbling in the background. At the recent Microsoft Ignite conference, however, the company gave good reason for people to start looking to and talking about the future by seemingly leaking an update look for Windows -- Windows 12, maybe?
There is not a huge amount to go on, but a still from the video of the opening keynote speech from Ignite shows a version of Windows with a different look. A version of Windows that looks heavily inspired by macOS. A version of Windows with a floating taskbar and a macOS-style menu bar at the top of the screen.
Windows 12 wallpapers created by AI -- download them now
Windows 11 hasn’t been with us very long, but you’ve probably seen reports that Microsoft is already working on its successor, Windows 12.
While there aren’t any screenshots, or anything else, to view of Windows 12 just yet, we asked an AI text-to-image tool to give us its take on what the future operating system might look like.
Get the amazing 'Windows 12' wallpapers in light and dark here
Although Windows 12 likely won’t be making an appearance any time soon, that hasn’t stopped designer Addy Visuals from sharing his take on Microsoft's future operating system.
If you haven’t viewed it yet, you can watch his video in our post here. Now Addy has made the wallpapers from his Windows 12 concept available to download for free.
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