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Windows 12 isn't coming this year - here's the timeline I'm betting on.
You'll likely need AI-optimized hardware, and your old apps might not work.
I expect paid subscriptions will be required for advanced features.
We are at a rare moment in Microsoft history, when the company that defined the modern PC is supporting a single version of its flagship operating system. Windows 10 is officially unsupported as of October 2025. Windows 11 now stands alone in the market, with a billion active users, according to Microsoft's most recent quarterly earnings report. In October 2026, Windows 11 will celebrate its fifth anniversary -- which is traditionally the halfway point in Microsoft's 10-year support lifecycle.
Also: 3 ways I safely retire every Windows PC - and why you shouldn't skip these critical steps
That all suggests the next version of Windows -- let's call it Windows 12 -- will be here before you know it, ready or not. In fact, earlier this month, PCWorld, a reliable source of technology news, published a startling report (translated from its German counterpart, PC-Welt) claiming that Windows 12 would arrive in 2026. On Reddit, a post discussing the article went viral, gathering 18,000 upvotes and inspiring nearly 7,000 comments.
Then, a few hours later, executive editor Brad Chacos posted an apology and a retraction: "This article ... does not meet PCWorld's standards and should not have been published." (Full disclosure: I was once managing editor of PC World, when it was a print magazine. Having to write that sort of retraction would have been my worst nightmare.)
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