Some evidence suggests that Microsoft may be preparing to begin testing out next-gen Windows features.
According to
a well-known leaker, a big jump in build numbers for test versions of Windows is reportedly coming, jumping from 25346 to 25846, suggesting that big new features or, perhaps, the bones of Windows 12 may well be being tested in the coming days and months, if rumors are to be believed.
Famously, Microsoft said that Windows 10 was going to be the last version of Windows, opting instead to update Windows 10 for, well, forever. (Though, this was less than formal policy and did come as a comment from a Microsoft developer.) This did not come to pass, and Microsoft released
Windows 11 back in 2021. Since then, rumors about a next-gen version of Windows, Windows 12, have been slowly gaining more and more traction.
Windows 11 released in 2021, Windows 10 released in 2015, Windows 7 released in 2009, so one could reasonably anticipate a possible Windows 12 launching somewhere around 2026, meaning that even if Microsoft is working on the next generation of Windows, we likely won’t see that for some time. However, paying close attention to new test builds of Windows that come out in the future may well give us insight into what Windows 12 will include.
Nonetheless, it’s important to still treat all this with a hearty dose of skepticism. Microsoft hasn’t officially announced Windows 12 even exists, and considering Windows 11 only came out two years ago, the company probably won’t be announcing it anytime soon. Of course, that may not be the case, but when it comes to leaks, rumors, and speculation, certainly anything is possible. If interested, make sure to keep an eye on future Windows test builds.
Plus, Windows test builds are also a great way of seeing what Microsoft has in store for Windows 11, which will inevitably be supported and updated for a while
