If you've heard whispers of a brand-new version of the Windows operating system coming this year, you can take a deep breath. The report, originally published by PCWorld, painted a picture of a completely revamped operating system built around Artificial Intelligence (AI), with a fancy new modular design called CorePC.
It spread like wildfire on Reddit, racking up more than 12,000 upvotes and sparking thousands of furious comments from users already fed up with Microsoft's push to introduce a slew of AI features to its software. The article suggested this new Windows would require special AI chips in your computer and even a subscription fee.
Turns out, none of it was true, and the original report has been taken down.
The vigilant team over at Windows Central has thoroughly dismantled the claims, citing anonymous contacts who know Microsoft's actual plans. According to their sources, there's no Windows 12 on the roadmap for this year.
With 1 billion users having just migrated to Windows 11 after the recent death of its predecessor, Windows 10, another new operating system being released so soon might be a lot to digest.
Some speculate that the first appearance of Windows 12 wouldn't occur until at least 2027
| MICROSOFT PRESS OFFICEIt appears the original information pointing to a potential Windows 12 upgrade was either created by AI or heavily researched using AI tools without proper fact-checking. It shows all the telltale signs of a system that's muddled up old rumours and online chatter, treating outdated information as if it were fresh news.
It also carried a codename called "Hudson Valley", but that name originally cropped up in 2023 and wasn't connected to Windows 12 at all. There was also a dramatic redesign reported, but it turned out to be just a leaked design concept from 2022 that Microsoft never actually approved.
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So what is Microsoft actually working on? The company's focus for 2026 is on making Windows 11 better, not replacing it.
Pavan Davuluri, who heads up Windows, has been pretty clear about this. He told The Verge earlier this year, "The feedback we're receiving from our community of passionate customers and Windows Insiders has been clear. We need to improve Windows in ways that are meaningful for people.
"This year, you will see us focus on addressing pain points we hear consistently from customers: improving system performance, reliability, and the overall experience of Windows."
If Windows 12 does eventually arrive, some speculate it won't be until 2027 at the very earliest. And when it does come, it certainly won't look anything like what that viral report described.
Windows 11 was originally released in 2021 and is the successor to Windows 10
| UNSPLASHRight now, there are several Windows 11 features you can take advantage of if you haven't already.
For instance, Microsoft has overhauled the iconic Start Menu with its latest Windows 11 update.
The new-look Start Menu lets you customise the applications featured in the menu. Not only that, it combines different categories into a larger scrollable layout for a cleaner, faster experience.
The tech firm also released one of its biggest updates to the operating system last autumn — including a refresh to your lock screen, a reimagined File Explorer, a new self-repair function, and more.
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