For anyone still dreaming of a shiny new Windows 12 arriving on a white horse—sorry, it’s time to wake up. Microsoft has officially popped the balloon: the next version of Windows is not 12, but Windows 11 version 25H2, coming in the second half of 2025.
Last Friday, Microsoft confirmed what many suspected and others desperately hoped wasn’t true. The 25H2 update is now available for Windows Insiders, with a wider public rollout to follow. But let’s be clear: from a technical standpoint, 25H2 is more like a light refresh than a major makeover.
In fact, it’s so minor that updating from 24H2 to 25H2 is basically like taking a power nap — quick reboot, and boom, you’re done. No full system overhaul, no long coffee breaks while your OS “prepares things.” Compared to the leap from 23H2 to 24H2 — which was closer to installing an entirely new operating system — this feels like swapping socks, not shoes.
While the Insider Preview build of 25H2 is out, Microsoft hasn’t revealed any earth-shattering new features. The changelog? Practically a copy-paste of 24H2’s Beta channel. However, new features are expected to land in the coming months — and they might even trickle back to older builds like 24H2 or even 23H2. Sharing is caring, right?
What’s interesting is the timing: Windows 11 25H2 is set to launch around the same time that Windows 10 reaches its end of official support in October 2025. That’s no coincidence. Microsoft clearly wants to give you a little push (read: shove) toward upgrading to Windows 11.
So while Windows 12 might still be lurking in the background somewhere, 2025 will be all about making Windows 11 feel just fresh enough to get more users on board.