Windows 11 is almost 5 years old now, but it's just subtly gaining broad adoption, which can arguably be attributed to Microsoft's unpopular decision to pull the plug on Windows 10 last year, on October 14.
As a result, Windows 11's market share is steadily growing despite user complaints about Microsoft's stringent hardware requirements and flawed design elements.
In 2022, my colleague, Zac Bowden, broke the story about Microsoft transitioning to a new engineering schedule for Windows, returning to a three-year release cadence for major versions of the operating system and feature drops in between.
With this in mind, users naturally started speculating when the tech giant would ship Windows 11's successor, potentially Windows 12. Microsoft has remained quiet about development of Windows 12, but subtle hints and rumors have slipped through the cracks.
While a recent report claimed that Microsoft is planning to ship Windows 12 later this year as a modular and AI-powered OS, the report appears to be a tad far-fetched. Admittedly, the company did highlight its plans to evolve Windows 11 into an agentic OS with AI-powered capabilities that let your PC take control and complete tasks on your behalf.
Bowden's sources dismissed the claims about Microsoft shipping Windows 12, further revealing that the company's roadmap for Windows this year mainly revolves around fixing Windows 11 pain points highlighted by users and reevaluating its AI strategy, which may include streamlining its user experience across its ecosystem and even removing Copilot in apps like Notepad and Paint.
While Microsoft is doubling down on its efforts to improve the general user sentiment around Windows 11, it's hard to discount that "Windows 12" could actually happen in the future. Perhaps next year at the earliest.
That said, as a longtime Windows user and enthusiast, there are some key features and experiences I'd like to see ship as part of Windows 12, whenever that is. And here's what that would look like...
Give me more customization options with less Copilot in Windows 12 ... they already exist in the wild
I use a Windows 11 PC as my daily driver, and my experience has been pretty decent thus far. However, Microsoft's big push for AI across the operating system has been rather distasteful. I feel like the Copilot, but on the Taskbar, pretty much does the job, but that's just me.
Microsoft's obsession and aggressive AI campaign can be traced back to its mega OpenAI investment. While the tech giant continues to inject billions of dollars into data centers and AI infrastructure, investors remain wary about growth in Azure and Microsoft 365.
CEO Satya Nadella claims 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 folks behind Start11 and the Files app have developed solid alternatives to Windows 11 stock apps, that is, 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, that let users tailor the 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) as it features retro-classic themes like Windows 7 with more subtle Copilot marketing.
Interestingly, former Microsoft engineer Dave Plummer (aka Dave's Garage) shared some interesting insights about the current state of Windows and how he'd 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 fronted the idea of a Windows Pro Mode, stripping away ads, nags, and consumer-focused fluff from the user experience of power users.
Plummer's Pro Mode potentially addresses 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.
But hey ... Microsoft is making good on its promise
A better future for Windows could be right before our eyes. 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?
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