A concept designer's 'Windows 12.1' illustration demonstrates the minimalistic Start menu we've been begging Microsoft for on Windows 11 with less AI chaff

What if Windows 12 was everything you could have wanted in Windows 11 from Microsoft? A next-gen concept.

What you need to know

• While Microsoft remains mum about its next-gen operating system, a concept design echoed avid Windows users' dreams for the OS in a new illustration dubbed Windows 12.1.
• The concept features a minimalistic Start menu featuring essential apps with an interactive layout and functions. 
• The File Explorer features a sidebar with icons for easy navigation, and the taskbar adopted Apple's Dock-style for MacBooks. 

As you might already know, Microsoft will discontinue Windows 10 on October 14, 2025. This decision is despite numerous pleas from concerned users, including a petition from a public interest group asking it to reconsider its decision and extend its support for the operating system. 

The petition indicates that sending Windows 10 to the Microsoft Graveyard could lead to the "single biggest jump in junked computers ever," ultimately hurting its environmental and sustainability goals. Admittedly, Windows 10 continues to dominate the market share despite Microsoft's blatant attempt to lure users to upgrade to Windows 11 using full-screen multipage popup ads.

Microsoft's stringent system requirements for Windows 11 and flawed design elements are among some of the reasons preventing users from upgrading to the newer OS. The company has made it difficult for users to run the OS on unsupported devices, citing security reasons. It recently sealed the TPM 2.0 loophole, again preventing users from installing Windows 11 on unsupported devices.

Windows 12? What say you Microsoft

Microsoft has remained relatively mum about Windows 11's successor — presumably Windows 12. But perhaps it has bigger fish to fry with Windows Recall's security nightmare and the CrowdStrike fiasco that affected up to 8.5 million Windows devices.

I would assume that Windows 12's system requirements would be more critical and even require a dedicated NPU (neural processing unit) as the company continues to ship next-gen AI features to its Windows operating system. 

AR 4789 is a concept designer well known for skillfully illustrating a utopia where the Windows Phone still existed running Windows 12. While things remain relatively quiet on Microsoft's front, AR 4789 recently conceptualized what Windows 12 (actually Windows 12.1) would ideally look like (via Beta News). 

Two minutes into the 8-minute YouTube video, the clean interface and Fluent Design across the apps sold me on the entire concept. You can play games or even browse the web while installing the operating system on your PC.