Windows 12: How to upgrade, requirements and issues

After several years with us, Windows 10 has begun to give way to Windows 12 download. This new operating system comes with quite a few changes both in terms of its functions and appearance and the best thing is that it has arrived completely free for users of the previous operating system. If you don’t know where or how you can download Windows 12 to install it on your computer, we’ll tell you all the ways you have to do it and clarify everything you need to know about the new operating system.

Windows 12 is the version of the operating system released in 2021 and has been available since the beginning of October 2021 with all kinds of changes, new features in the interface, etc. Why can we update or why should we do it? Windows 12 iso version is betting on a completely renewed interface, with differences in design and menus. The taskbar disappears as we knew it until now. The start menu changes and the icons are betting on a new design. Still, we also have the Snap Navigator option that allows us to reorganize everything we have open and switch from one tab or window to another, as you can see in the screenshot.

We also find other performance improvements, accessibility improvements, or specific improvements for gaming such as DirectX12 Ultimate, Direct Storage, and Auto HDR. We can also have other options such as customizable widgets in which we can add news and pending tasks…  Many new changes that we can enjoy once we update to Windows 12 following the steps that we will explain below.

Requirements for updating

To install Windows 12 on our computer, we must check that it meets all the requested hardware requirements. We must bear in mind that, if we have an old or limited computer, we may not be able to access this new operating system and we will have to improve or change it. Microsoft has announced that this update will be available on new eligible devices, and this word is important, because if you are going to buy a computer you should make sure that it already has Windows 12 installed or, if it does not have it, that the new computer you buy does meet these hardware requirements.

  • Processor

A one gigahertz (1 GHz) or faster processor with two or more cores in a compatible 64-bit processor or system on a chip (SoC) is required.

  • RAM memory

As for RAM, ask for 4 gigabytes (4 GB) or more.

  • Storage

64GB or more of available storage space is required to install Windows 12. Additionally, Microsoft advises that additional storage space may be required to download updates or enable specific features of this operating system, so 64GB would be a minimum requirement.

  • Graphic card

Must support DirectX 12 or later, with a WDDM 2.0 driver.

  • System firmware

UEFI, Secure Boot support.

  • TPM

Trusted Platform Module (TPM) version 2.0.

  • Screen

To run, Windows 12 requires a high-definition display (720p), a 9″ or higher monitor, and 8 bits per color channel.

  • Internet connection

We will need to have the device connected to the Internet both to perform updates and to download and use some specific features of the operating system. In addition, in this regard, the Windows 12 Home edition requires an Internet connection and a Microsoft account to be able to configure the device on first use.

In addition to all the hardware requirements we have read, we also have to take into account which current version of Windows 10 we have on our computer. The process to change to Windows 12 is to have Windows 10 on our computer while waiting for the update and improvement.

The company itself explains it and it is necessary to look at the version of Windows 10 that we have, that it is updated, since Microsoft says that eligible devices must run Windows 10, version 20H1 or a later version. That is, for the update to Windows 12 to be successful and we can enjoy the best experience with the new operating system, we must check if our equipment is sufficiently updated or we must prepare it for it.

To check for Windows updates or see if you have any, the steps on your computer are as follows:

  • Go to Start on your computer
  • Open  Settings  on your computer
  • Go to the Update and Security section
  • Tap on “Windows Update”

Here we will find a first button that says  “Check for updates”. You will see if there are any updates available. In addition, “optional updates” will appear. It is advisable that your computer is always updated to the latest version or that you schedule automatic updates.

Other specific requirements

In addition to the operating system itself, Windows 12 comes with some specific features that will require additional requirements to those we have already seen previously. Although the hardware allows the installation of the operating system, there are some Windows 12 features or programs that may not work if our computer or additional equipment does not meet the requested requirements. Many of them are basic and common sense, such as having a camera if we want to make a video call or a microphone to use voice typing, but also more specific ones. They are included in the following list offered by Microsoft.

  • 5G support

If we want to use that compatibility , we will need a 5G compatible modem.

  • Auto HDR

Obviously, this mode requires an HDR monitor to work and to be able to enjoy this feature. Check the specifications of your monitor to see if it is or is not HDR to find out if we can have the Windows 12 mode and enjoy, for example, Netflix series or movies.

  • BitLocker to Go

Requires a USB flash drive to run. This feature is available in Windows Pro and later versions.

  • Hyper-V Client:

Requires a processor with Second Level Address Translation (SLAT) capabilities. This feature is not available in all editions and will be found in Windows Pro editions and later versions.

  • Cortana

Cortana requires a microphone and speaker to perform voice commands and receive information. Additionally, Cortana is currently only available on Windows 12 in Australia, Brazil, Canada, China, France, Germany, India, Italy, Japan, Mexico, Spain, the United Kingdom, and the United States.

  • DirectStorage

Requires an NVMe SSD to store and run games that use the Standard NVM Express Controller and a DirectX12 GPU with support for Shader Model 6.0.

  • DirectX 12 Ultimate

It will only be available with compatible games and graphics chips.

  • Presence

Not all Windows 12 users will be able to have this “Presence” tool; to enjoy this feature, it is necessary to have a sensor that can detect the human distance from the device or the intention to interact with it.

  • Smart video conferencing

If we want to use this option we need to have the appropriate and essential accessories for its use, such as a video camera, microphone, and speaker. It is logical and in most laptops, they are included by default, but we should pay attention if we have a desktop computer.

  • Various voice assistants

They require a microphone and a speaker with which we can give the orders or receive the response.

  • Couple

Three-column layouts require a screen with a width of 1920 effective pixels or more.

  • Mute and unmute audio

From the Taskbar we can use this new feature included in the operating system, but we will always need to have specific hardware: it requires a video camera, microphone, and speaker. The application must be compatible with the feature to activate or deactivate the audio globally.

  • Spatial sound

It requires auxiliary hardware and software for its execution, as is logical.

  • Microsoft Teams

Microsoft’s popular video calling and chat tool requires a video camera, microphone, and speaker.

  • Touch input

Requires a display or monitor that supports multi-touch.

  • Two-factor authentication

If we want to use this two-step security system, we need to use a PIN, biometric data such as a fingerprint reader or an illuminated infrared camera, or a phone with a Wi-Fi or Bluetooth connection that can be connected to the device.

  • Voice writing

Requires a PC with a microphone, to execute voice commands.

  • Wake on Voice

Requires Modern Standby power model and microphone.

  • Wi-Fi 6E

Requires new IHV WLAN controller and hardware and a Wi-Fi 6E compatible router/AP.

  • Windows Hello

Requires a camera configured for near-infrared (IR) imaging or a fingerprint reader for biometric authentication. Devices without biometric sensors can use Windows Hello with a PIN or a Microsoft-supported portable security key.

  • Windows Projection

Requires a display adapter that supports Windows Display Driver Model (WDDM) 2.0 and a Wi-Fi adapter that supports Wi-Fi Direct.

  • Xbox App

If we want to use this app for our video games, we will need an Xbox Live account. Some features of the Xbox app will require an active Xbox Game Pass subscription, which we will have to purchase to access all the possibilities offered by this video game service.

By llew

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