Windows 11 Recall Feature Returns: What Has Microsoft Changed?
Microsoft's Windows 11 Recall feature is back with big changes. But is it safe now? Find out what's new, what’s been fixed, and what might still worry users.
Microsoft brings back the Windows 11 Recall feature in a new way
Microsoft is once again adding its Recall feature to Windows 11. This time, the company has added it quietly to the Release Preview Channel for Copilot+ PCs, which means it could be available to regular users very soon.
Recall was first shown in May 2024 during Microsoft’s Build developer conference. The feature takes screenshots of your screen every few seconds and saves them in a local database. Later, you can look through those screenshots to remember what you were doing—whether it was work or something else.
Why was it criticized?
Microsoft said this AI feature would be turned on by default and would keep records of websites, apps, chats, keystrokes, and more. This worried many users and security experts. People feared that if their PC got hacked or stolen, someone else could see what they had done earlier.
Microsoft responded by saying the AI would hide private information like passwords and financial data—but only if the user was using the Edge browser.
TotalRecall tool showed security problems
Security researcher Alex Hagenah created a tool called TotalRecall that could pull data from the Recall database. This raised even more concerns, and Microsoft stopped the feature in June 2024.
What’s new now?
Recently, Microsoft shared Windows 11 Build 26100.3902 in the Release Preview Channel, and Recall is again included in it. But this time, it is turned off by default and users will have to turn it on manually.
Microsoft says Recall will be available in most markets in early 2025. Users in the European Economic Area may get it a bit later.
What has Microsoft changed?
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Recall will now work only on Copilot+ PCs.
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All data will stay saved on your own device and will be encrypted.
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To view your screenshots, you must use Windows Hello for security.
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It now works with Edge, Chrome, Firefox, and Opera browsers.
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You can delete screenshots, pause the feature, or turn it off any time.
Microsoft also says that it won’t send any data to Microsoft or other companies and that users must give permission for every step.
Microsoft has made some changes, which may satisfy some people. But many users still may not feel safe with a feature that records everything they do, even if the data stays on the device.
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