A leak from inside Microsoft indicates that Windows 12 could be released in 2024.

This could indicate that Microsoft has decided after releasing Windows 11 to abandon the final release but continually updated Windows 10 operating system plan. Microsoft appears to be returning to releasing a major update every three years. The OS development team is allegedly replacing service packs with “moments” in the OS product life cycle that will be used to release new features up to four times a year. Not long ago, Microsoft announced that it would be doing annual (Opens in a new window) updates for Windows 11 and its older Windows 10. And for Windows 10, the company previously had a semi-annual update schedule after declaring in 2015 that Windows 10 was the “last version of Windows.”

So Windows 12 in 2024?

This leak suggests that Microsoft plans to release Windows 12 in 2024, though no one knows what it looks like and what changes have been made to the newer version.

Whether Microsoft says annual, triennial, or monthly updates, the OS is being updated with significant new features, apps, and design elements whenever Microsoft feels they are ready, based on real-world testing with Windows Insiders. An example is the News and interests panel that appeared on the Windows 10 taskbar but not as part of any major update. Comparing Windows 10 in 2015 with Windows 10 in 2022 shows significant changes, though the major version remained Windows 10.