Draft:Windows 12

Windows 12 will be a major release of the Windows NT operating system by Microsoft. While Microsoft have not officially made any announcements, rumors predict that Windows 12 will come sometime in 2024 as it is believed Microsoft is returning to the 3-year release lifecycle of Windows.

Version prelude
At the Microsoft Ignite conference in 2022, a laptop was seen briefly with a new and never-seen before Windows UI with a floating taskbar, date, time and search bar at the top of the screen, and weather also at the top. This is believed to be the new Windows 12 UI.

At the Build 2023 developer conference, Microsoft gave further hints, revealing a session by Panos Panay titled: The next generation of Windows.

Cortana
Windows 12 will most likely have Cortana, Microsoft's personal productivity assistant that helps users save time and focus on what matters most. Cortana is already available in Windows 10 and Windows 11, and Microsoft has not announced any plans to remove or replace it in Windows 12. However, Cortana may undergo some changes or improvements in Windows 12, such as new features, integrations, or design. Cortana can be accessed by selecting the Cortana icon on the taskbar, or by saying "Hey Cortana".

Bing
Windows 12 will most likely have Bing as the default search engine and chat assistant. Bing can be accessed by selecting the Search icon or the Search bar on the taskbar, or by saying "Hey Bing".

SKUs
Windows 12 will have similar SKUs to Windows 10 and Windows 11, with some minor changes. According to sources, the SKUs for Windows 12 will be:
 * Windows 12 Home: This is the basic edition of Windows 12, designed for home users and consumers. It includes features such as Cortana, Microsoft Edge, Windows Hello, and Windows Update. It also supports S mode, which limits the installation of apps to the Microsoft Store.
 * Windows 12 Pro: This is the edition of Windows 12 for business users and professionals. It includes all the features of Windows 12 Home, plus additional features such as BitLocker, Remote Desktop, Hyper-V, and Windows Information Protection. It also supports joining a domain or Azure Active Directory.
 * Windows 12 Pro Education: This is a variant of Windows 12 Pro, designed for schools and educational institutions. It includes all the features of Windows 12 Pro, plus additional features such as Set Up School PCs, Take a Test, and Education Resources. It also removes some consumer features such as Cortana, Microsoft Store suggestions, and tips and tricks.
 * Windows 12 Pro for Workstations: This is a variant of Windows 12 Pro, designed for high-end workstations and advanced users. It includes all the features of Windows 12 Pro, plus additional features such as ReFS, SMB Direct, Persistent Memory, and support for up to 6 TB of RAM and 4 CPUs.
 * Windows 12 Enterprise: This is the edition of Windows 12 for large organizations and enterprises. It includes all the features of Windows 12 Pro, plus additional features such as AppLocker, Credential Guard, Device Guard, DirectAccess, and Windows Defender Advanced Threat Protection. It also supports Windows 10 Long Term Servicing Channel (LTSC), which provides security and quality updates for up to 10 years, without any feature updates.
 * Windows 12 Education: This is a variant of Windows 12 Enterprise, designed for schools and educational institutions. It includes all the features of Windows 12 Enterprise, plus additional features such as Set Up School PCs, Take a Test, and Education Resources. It also removes some consumer features such as Cortana, Microsoft Store suggestions, and tips and tricks.
 * Windows 12 IoT Enterprise: This is a variant of Windows 12 Enterprise, designed for embedded devices and IoT solutions. It includes all the features of Windows 12 Enterprise, plus additional features such as Write Filters, Unified Write Filter, Keyboard Filter, and Shell Launcher. It also supports Windows 10 IoT Core, which is a minimal version of Windows 12 for low-power devices.
 * Regional SKUs, such as the N and KN editions, which have media-related functionality removed

Microsoft will also introduce a new SKU for Windows 12, called Windows 365. This will be a subscription-based service that will allow users to access a cloud-based version of Windows 12 from any device.

System requirements

 * CPU architecture: x64 or ARM64
 * CPU speed and cores: 1 GHz or faster with 2 or more cores and appearing on the list of approved CPUs
 * RAM: 4 GB or more
 * Storage: 128 GB or larger storage device
 * System Firmware: UEFI and Secure Boot capable
 * Trusted Platform Module 2.0
 * Display: High resolution (720p), 8 bits per color channel, and more than 9 inches across

Windows Subsystem for Linux and Windows Mixed Reality may only be available on x86 and x64 CPUs. In addition, Hyper-V and Windows Sandbox may only be available on x64 CPUs.

Pricing
Windows 12 will most likely follow the same pricing as Windows 11, which means it will be a one-time purchase of $139 for Windows 12 Home and $199 for Windows 12 Pro. Microsoft has not indicated any plans to change its pricing strategy for Windows.

Category:Windows NT upcoming versions