Windows 12: Leaks, features & requirements speculation

Want to know what new features and upgrades Windows 12 will bring? We’ve rounded up all the rumored information about the upcoming Windows update to help you out.

Windows 11 hit the scene over two years ago, but its reception was lukewarm, to say the least. While Microsoft has been patching things up with updates, the OS still has its share of bugs and quirks.

However, if leaks and rumors are any indication the next big Windows update— Windows 12— will iron out the existing issues and add many new features.

Microsoft remains tight-lipped about Windows 12, but rumors swirl about a possible 2024 announcement. The new update could bring UI redesign and loads of new AI features. We dive deep into all the speculation around Windows 12’s rumored release date, features, and more.

Windows 12 release date speculation

Microsoft is reportedly hard at work developing Windows 12 but there’s no official release date as of now. For the longest time, reports have suggested that the latest version will be released sometime in 2024.

A recent report from a Taiwanese financial paper now claims that Windows 12 could be announced in June 2024. Although no direct quotes are provided, the publication attributes this to a statement by Quanta Chairman Lin Baili in 2023, who reportedly said:

“Next summer, when Microsoft launches a new generation of Windows operating systems, AI PCs will also be launched one after another.”

Qualcomm’s CEO, Cristiano Renno Amon, made a similar statement during the company’s earnings call, stating that the “next version of Microsoft Windows” is set to arrive in “mid-2024.”

This corroborates an earlier article from Windows Central, which claims Microsoft now intends to ship major Windows versions every three years, with the next release currently scheduled for the second half of 2024.

However, another report from Windows Central, released on January 18, 2024, suggests that Microsoft has had a change of heart. Windows “12” might not be on the horizon for 2024. Instead, there’s a possibility that a major Windows version, possibly the Windows 11 version 24H2, could be rolled out this year.

Windows 12 rumored features

Screenshot showing Windows 12’s possible UI redesign

Windows 12 could debut featuring several new standout features that should separate it from Windows 11. Some of these new features will reportedly include a new UI re-design that will appear similar to the UI elements from MacOS.

The new UI redesign is codenamed Next Valley. This redesign reportedly transfers the widgets tab and notification areas in the taskbar to dedicated areas at the top left and right corners of the screen, respectively. The taskbar itself transitions into a hovering design, allowing the desktop background to extend across the left, right, and bottom edges of the taskbar.

The search icon on the taskbar has apparently also been moved to the top center, freeing up space for more icons.

Apart from design changes, Microsoft is also reported to have introduced a bunch of new AI features. This shouldn’t be a surprise since the Redmond-based company has been devoted to integrating AI into its services.  

Microsoft has already added new AI features to Windows 11 with the recent 23H2 update. The new Copilot AI assistant takes the place of Cortana and works similarly to ChatGPT or Bard. There are also features in Paint that let you remove the background of a photo or generate an image with text inputs.

Windows 12 will take Microsoft’s AI efforts further. According to a report, the new version will be able to look at what you’re doing on your screen and suggest prompts to help you get started with projects or apps based on what you’re working on.

Windows may also be able to identify objects and text within images and let you easily cut out and paste those elements elsewhere. For example, if you have a photo of a document with text on it, Windows might be able to recognize the text and let you copy and paste it into another document.

Windows 12 system requirements

Your computer must meet certain minimum system requirements to be able to install Windows 12. These requirements are likely to be similar to, or the same as, the minimum system requirements for Windows 11.

Earlier this year, a Deskmodder report laid out a decent list of expected minimum requirements for Windows 12 installation. The new Windows will likely use the same TPM 2.0 Trusted Platform Module for its security crypto-processor.

Other hardware specifications might include 8GB of RAM, which would be a significant upgrade for Windows 12, doubling the capacity of Windows 11. The storage requirement could remain the same at 64GB. However, Microsoft could ditch hard disk drives (HDDs) in favor of solid-state drives (SSDs) for software installation.

Windows 12 is around the corner

While it looks like a new version of Windows is coming out next year, we don’t know much about it yet. Microsoft hasn’t even said if they’re going to call it Windows 12 or something else. But based on the leaks and rumors we’ve heard so far, it sounds like it’s going to be a pretty major update. Of course, you should take all of this with a grain of salt until Microsoft makes an official announcement.