Microsoft’s controversial Recall feature will get security improvements, can be uninstalled

After delaying Recall earlier this year, Microsoft announced several updates to the feature to improve security, which mostly revolve around ways people can avoid using Recall altogether.

For those unfamiliar with the feature, Recall works by capturing screenshots of what people do on their Copilot Plus PCs to create a searchable database of activity. Microsoft’s pitch was that people would be able to look back through a history of their work and web browsing on a PC and find documents, apps, websites, conversations, and more. Recall leverages AI and the neural processing unit (NPU) featured in devices from Microsoft and PC makers with Copilot Plus PC branding.

Microsoft announced the feature in May alongside the first Copilot Plus PC devices but delayed the launch in June following significant criticism over the feature’s impact on privacy and security. Concerns centred on how Recall captures screenshots of what people do on their PCs, which could potentially capture sensitive and personal data, as well as how Recall stores the screenshots.

The company says that Recall requires users to opt-in and that the feature won’t gather anything until they do so. Moreover, Recall will now require biometric authentication whenever people use the feature to increase security. Microsoft said that the feature won’t capture sensitive information or websites as Recall detects them. This can include passwords, credit card numbers, and health or financial websites. Finally, the company said Recall would store screenshots securely on-device.

While much of the above sounds like what Microsoft promised when announcing Recall in May, several U.S. publications shared more details about what’s actually changing with Recall. For example, Gizmodo noted there will be a new splash screen asking users if they want to “Unlock [their] photographic memory with Recall,” which prompts people to select either “Yes, save” or “No, don’t save” screenshots.

As before, when users turn on Recall, there will be an icon in the taskbar with quick access to controls, including the ability to pause Recall or delete content based on a specific range of time or that’s from a specific app or website.

Additionally, Recall won’t capture content within incognito-style privacy modes, such as those found in popular web browsers like Microsoft’s own Edge, Chrome, Firefox and Opera. Chromium-based browsers will allow deeper, website-level blocking as well.

Moreover, people who don’t want Recall on their PC will be able to uninstall it. Interestingly, people previously noticed that Recall could be uninstalled, but Microsoft claimed it was a bug.

Another notable change is that Recall will now only work on certified Copilot Plus PCs, meaning users won’t be able to sideload it onto other hardware like before.

Unfortunately, it’s still unclear when Microsoft will launch Recall, though the company still plans to preview the feature with Windows Insiders in October. When the feature does become available, I’ll be excited to hear what security experts say about the improved Recall.

Header image credit: Microsoft