In a major change to its roadmap, Microsoft is returning to its three-year plan for new Windows upgrades. The new plan means we might see Windows 12 as early as 2024.
According to a report by Windows Central, Microsoft's new roadmap means new versions of Windows will ship every three years.
In the past, Microsoft has also taken its time with new versions of the operating system — Windows 10 was released in 2015, and Windows 11 wasn't released until six years after in 2021. During this time, Microsoft shifted away from its initial three-year plan and instead focused on delivering consistent updates to Windows 10.
Its new plan also means that new features for existing Windows versions will ship more often. As detailed by Windows Central, starting with Windows 11 version 22H2, Microsoft will begin rolling out major updates for Windows 11 up to four times a year through its "Moments" program. This means more frequent updates for Windows — typically, Microsoft has only shipped updates once per year.
Windows 11, which released last year, introduced plenty of new features like Auto HDR gaming and snap layouts. IGN gave Windows 11 a 7/10 in our review of the operating system, praising its visual improvements but noting that there wasn't much more to push users to upgrade.
Amelia Zollner is a freelance writer at IGN who loves all things indie and Nintendo. Outside of IGN, they've contributed to sites like Polygon and Rock Paper Shotgun. Find them on Twitter: @ameliazollner.