Windows 12 is expected to take a tiered approach, separating "Windows 12 runs" requirements from "Windows 12 AI features work" requirements, giving users a clearer understanding of what they will actually get on their specific hardware.
Tier 1: Base Installation Requirements
Processor
64-bit processor, minimum 2 cores, minimum 1 GHz. Based on partner documents, Intel 8th Gen (Coffee Lake) and AMD Ryzen 2000 series are the expected minimum — matching the Windows 11 compatibility floor.
RAM
Minimum: 8 GB (up from Windows 11's 4 GB). This increase reflects the memory overhead of the always-resident SLM-Win AI model (~420 MB), the AI Context Broker service (~180 MB), and the expanded Fluent UI 3 compositor. On a machine with only 4 GB, running these services with a browser and productivity apps would cause continuous memory pressure.
Storage
Minimum: 64 GB. However, the clean installation footprint of Windows 12 with default features enabled is approximately 28–32 GB — larger than Windows 11's 20–22 GB due to pre-installed AI models and the Fluent UI 3 asset library. Microsoft strongly recommends 128 GB for comfortable day-to-day use.
Firmware, TPM, Graphics
UEFI with Secure Boot required. TPM 2.0 required (same as Windows 11). DirectX 12 with WDDM 3.0 required (up from WDDM 2.0 for Windows 11) — needed for the new DWM compositor that powers Living Mica effects. All NVIDIA GTX 1000, AMD RX 500, and Intel Iris Xe (Gen 12) or later GPUs support WDDM 3.0.
Tier 2: Copilot+ PC Requirements (Full AI Features)
- NPU: 40+ TOPS dedicated silicon
- RAM: 16 GB recommended (8 GB minimum with potential AI workload limitations)
- Storage: 256 GB minimum (AI Recall requires approximately 25 GB reserved for the encrypted snapshot store)
- Windows Hello: Required for AI Recall biometric gating
Can Your Current PC Run Windows 12?
- 2024–2025 Copilot+ PC (Snapdragon X, Intel Core Ultra 200V, AMD Ryzen AI 300): Full Windows 12 with all AI features ✅
- 2022–2024 Windows 11 PC without NPU: Windows 12 installs. No AI features ✅ Partial
- 2019–2021 PC that runs Windows 11 (Intel 8th–11th Gen, AMD Ryzen 3000/5000): Likely installs if on compatibility list. No AI features ⚠️ Verify
- Pre-2019 or Windows 11 incompatible: Will not install Windows 12 ❌