Forum Discussion
I think Windows 12 is indeed coming this fall -- Here's Why
Firstly, last year Microsoft presented the Windows 365 Link, a small computer which runs a very unique OS called Windows WNC.
This new OS features an UX design that is a departure from what we have today, with rounder corners, dialog boxes, and so on and so forth.
Although WNC/CPC/NXT is a stripped down, Thin-Client thing, its UI design is clearly a preview of what is coming soon to full desktop Windows.
This was confirmed last week when MSFT released build 26120.3281 of Windows 11 to insiders in the Dev Channel... the Recall app has been redesigned with the same rounder and more glassy appearance we first saw in WNC.
The Insider Dev Channel is set to begin testing builds from the SE_RELEASE development branch, which are not Win11 24H2 builds (according to phantomocean3 on X/Twitter).
Instead they are Selenium platform-based builds, which should be in the 27xxx range like the ones in Canary now, but unlike the builds in Canary, these will include user facing features and changes. I believe among these changes, we'll start seeing a lot more of that rounder cleaner interface on several elements of the UI as development progresses.
Its even possible that this week's Dev build, if they release one, will already include the new context menus.
And of course, just like in late 2020 and early 2021, Microsoft is developing the next version of Windows under wraps, and will not mention anything about it anywhere until they are ready to formally announce it in June or July 2025. This is why they said "2025 is the year of Windows 11 PC Refresh".
3 Replies
Microsoft didn't give any clues about Windows 12 at CES 2026, but I still expect a new major version in the next handful of years. Continued development on the Copilot, Copilot+ PC, and Windows on Arm fronts is a given. In fact, Microsoft released a good number of related features for Windows in 2025.
They can call Windows any version they want, it doesn't mean its going to be some great leap in O/S technology. It will in all likelihood be just more of the same with small tweaks here and there since AI's are doing a lot of the heavy lifting in writing code for Microsoft anymore.
I also think so beacause i use insider Dev and I saw new features in the preview feature update recently and the dev channel will be in those new previews which are very likely tests for Windows 12 and when they made Windows 11 that they told to the public when they were ready and I think that it will be also like that for Windows 12 and Windows is currently testing on insiders Dev and the futuristic design that they presented its very likely that it will be the new Windows 12
