No Windows 12? We're Reclaiming the '00s Era

The Evolution of Windows: From 11 to the Future

Windows 11 has been around for almost five years, but its adoption has been relatively slow. This can be partly attributed to Microsoft's decision to end support for Windows 10 on October 14, 2023. Despite this, the market share of Windows 11 continues to grow, even though users have expressed concerns about its hardware requirements and design flaws.

In 2022, a colleague, Zac Bowden, revealed that Microsoft is shifting to a new engineering schedule for Windows, returning to a three-year release cycle for major versions. This means that feature drops will come in between major updates. With this in mind, many users have started speculating about when Microsoft might release the successor to Windows 11, potentially called Windows 12. While Microsoft hasn't officially commented on the development of Windows 12, there have been some subtle hints and rumors.

A recent report suggested that Microsoft plans to launch Windows 12 later this year as a modular and AI-powered operating system. However, this claim seems a bit far-fetched. That said, Microsoft has indeed emphasized its vision for evolving Windows 11 into an agentic OS with AI capabilities that allow the PC to take control and complete tasks independently.

Bowden’s sources dismissed the claims about Windows 12, revealing that Microsoft’s current focus is on addressing user pain points in Windows 11 and reevaluating its AI strategy. This could involve streamlining the user experience across its ecosystem and possibly removing Copilot from apps like Notepad and Paint.

While Microsoft is working on improving the overall sentiment around Windows 11, it’s hard to ignore the possibility that "Windows 12" could eventually happen. It might not be until next year at the earliest.

As a long-time Windows user and enthusiast, I have some key features and experiences I would like to see in Windows 12. Here’s what I envision:

More Customization Options with Less Copilot

I use a Windows 11 PC as my daily driver, and my experience has been pretty decent so far. However, Microsoft’s push for AI across the operating system has been somewhat distasteful. I feel like the Copilot, which is now on the Taskbar, does the job, but that’s just me.

Microsoft’s obsession with AI can be traced back to its massive investment in OpenAI. While the company continues to invest billions into data centers and AI infrastructure, investors remain cautious about growth in Azure and Microsoft 365.

CEO Satya Nadella claims that Copilot is seeing massive use, growing "nearly 3x year-over-year." However, a separate report suggests that only 3.3% of Microsoft 365 and Office 365 users actually pay for Copilot.

AI aside, third-party developers like the creators of Start11 and the Files app have developed solid alternatives to Windows 11 stock apps, such as the Start menu and File Explorer. I’d love to see Microsoft offer a wide range of customization options, similar to those available in Start11 and the Files app, allowing users to tailor their Windows 11 experience to their individual needs.

Microsoft could easily make this happen right out of the gate, and these third-party apps prove it. We’ve also seen this dream being shared on concept videos and demos by designers.

I particularly like the Windows 12.2 concept from designer Abdi (AR 47 89), which features retro-classic themes like Windows 7 with more subtle Copilot marketing.

Interestingly, former Microsoft engineer Dave Plummer (aka Dave's Garage) shared some insights about the current state of Windows and how he would address some of the operating system's pain points. The engineer indicated that Windows doesn’t inherently suck, narrowing down the problem to clutter and Microsoft trying to be everything for everyone.

Plummer proposed the idea of a Windows Pro Mode, stripping away ads, nags, and consumer-focused fluff from the user experience for power users. This mode could potentially address the issues we've seen recently with Microsoft's botched Windows updates.

The engineer says the secret sauce behind these updates lies in the details, specifically cadence. Aside from the default scheduled Windows maintenance, Plummer noted that future updates would also provide straightforward explanations of the changes being made to the operating system. In addition, Windows Pro Mode would empower users by allowing them to roll back to previous updates with a single click.

A Better Future for Windows

Microsoft’s roadmap for Windows 11 this year centers on enhancing and refining the overall user experience. The tech giant has been put on the spot multiple times for its direction with Windows 11, including from former employees.

In 2024, a former Microsoft software engineer recently shared his frustrations with Windows 11 while using the Start menu, citing that it failed to register some keystrokes. This prompted him to say that the Start menu in Windows 11 is "comically bad" with performance issues.

Microsoft recently redesigned the Start menu on Windows 11, but the major interface changes have been received with mixed reactions. It’s hard to tell whether Microsoft shipped the update before it decided to focus on improving Windows 11's user experience.

The good news is that Microsoft is listening. Windows Central reported that the company plans to restore the ability to move and resize the Taskbar in Windows 11, a feature that should never have been removed when the OS first launched. Mikhail Parakhin, Microsoft’s former head of Advertising and Web Services, revealed that he had opposed the decision.

“I fought hard against the change,” he added.

It’ll be interesting to see what plans Microsoft has for Windows 11 through 2026 and beyond.

What Do You Want from the Next Era of Windows?

Microsoft may not be shipping Windows 12 in 2026, but that hasn’t stopped the community from dreaming up what the “0s” era should look like. Cleaner design, smarter features, better customization — the wishlist is already overflowing with ideas that feel more ambitious than anything Microsoft has hinted at. If the next version of Windows is going to define the decade, it needs to be shaped by the people who actually use it every day.

So let’s hear it. What’s on your Windows wishlist? What features, fixes, or bold ideas do you think Microsoft should steal for the next generation of the OS?