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".
Also, if you read last week's Dev Channel release notes for 26120.3281, you'll notice this:
Notice how they didn't explicitly say "future Windows 11 releases" or "future updates to Windows 11"?
I think this makes it very clear that they do not intend to keep Win11 around forever.
Releasing a Windows 12 this year makes a lot of sense since W10 is running out of support, and from experience, Microsoft always supports two different Windows releases at a time (the current release + the prior one).
So my opinion based on all of this is that yes, there is a Windows 12, it is currently under heavy development at Microsoft, and its design will take cues from the Windows WNC interface.
I may be wrong, but I do very much hope I'm right!
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".
Also, if you read last week's Dev Channel release notes for 26120.3281, you'll notice this:
Notice how they didn't explicitly say "future Windows 11 releases" or "future updates to Windows 11"?
I think this makes it very clear that they do not intend to keep Win11 around forever.
Releasing a Windows 12 this year makes a lot of sense since W10 is running out of support, and from experience, Microsoft always supports two different Windows releases at a time (the current release + the prior one).
So my opinion based on all of this is that yes, there is a Windows 12, it is currently under heavy development at Microsoft, and its design will take cues from the Windows WNC interface.
I may be wrong, but I do very much hope I'm right!
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