Microsoft is preparing to release its long-awaited Recall feature, powered by artificial intelligence, for Windows 11 PCs. Initially announced in May alongside its Copilot+ AI PCs, Recall will debut as part of the Windows Insider program for developers.
Recall captures screenshots of tasks you perform—whether browsing, writing, or researching—allowing you to search and revisit these “Snapshots” later. For example, if you were planning a trip or working on a project and closed your browser, Recall enables you to search for related screenshots and resume your tasks.
Additionally, Microsoft’s Click to Do feature allows users to take actions directly on these Snapshots, such as copying text, revisiting websites, or editing images. While Recall enhances productivity, it has raised concerns about privacy and security. Critics worry that hackers could access sensitive data through the saved screenshots.
To address these concerns, Microsoft made several changes:
- Opt-in only: Users must actively enable Recall.
- Encryption: Snapshots are secured with Windows Hello authentication.
- Selective saving: Users can choose which websites Recall saves.
- Sensitive data protection: Recall pauses when detecting inputs like credit card numbers.
- Administrator control: Work or school-managed PCs will automatically disable Recall.
Initially, Recall will only be available on Windows 11 laptops with Qualcomm’s Snapdragon processors. Devices using Intel or AMD processors will follow later.
This rollout is part of Microsoft’s broader Copilot+ initiative, aiming to integrate AI into PCs. Competing tech giants like Apple and Google are also leveraging AI in their products. Whether these innovations will resonate with users remains to be seen.