You can finally test Microsoft's controversial Recall feature - here's how
After multiple delays, Microsoft has finally begun rolling out a preview of its controversial Recall feature for testing by members of the Windows Insider Program.
The feature, which promises a "photographic memory" for Windows 11 PCs, was originally announced as part of the rollout of the new AI-powered Copilot+ in June. After a brutal firestorm of criticism from security experts, the company delayed the feature so that sweeping privacy changes could be implemented.
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That schedule change was followed by additional delays, with a rollout of the Recall preview pushed back to October. (For a detailed timeline, see "As Microsoft breaks awkward silence around its controversial Recall feature, privacy questions remain.") As October ended, the launch was delayed one more time, with the company citing the need for additional time to deliver "a secure and trusted experience."
Today's announcement comes in a lengthy post on the Windows Insider Blog that includes details on how to sign up for the Insider program and how to use Recall. Pointedly, the announcement recognizes "the contributions of researchers and the security community in shaping Recall." It also includes this detailed description of how the feature is implemented in the new Windows 11 preview:
Insiders and Recall users, we want you to know your snapshots are truly yours. We do not send your snapshots off your PC to Microsoft or third parties, and don't use them for training purposes. Microsoft can't access the keys to view your encrypted data, so we can't restore your snapshots if you remove Windows Hello or restore your snapshots if you need to reset your PC or move to a new PC. We will in future updates provide ways for you to store a backup of your keys for these cases. For now, your Copilot + PC only releases the keys to use Recall if you show your face, fingerprint, or PIN.
In this release, Microsoft says, it programmed Recall to detect "sensitive information like credit card details, passwords, and personal identification numbers" and block snapshots containing that information from being saved or stored. Testers can exclude specific apps and sites from being saved under any circumstances, and an option in Settings, which is off by default, allows testers to anonymously share details of apps and sites they prefer to be excluded from Recall.
The Recall feature is included in Preview Build 26120.2415 (KB5046723), which is rolling out to users who are signed up for the Windows Insider Dev Channel.
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For now, the feature is only available on Snapdragon-powered Copilot+ PCs; support for Copilot+ PCs based on AMD and Intel processors will be available later, Microsoft says. For this preview, the only supported languages are Chinese (simplified), English, French, German, Japanese, and Spanish.
On PCs running Windows 11 Enterprise edition and on PCs managed by an IT administrator on work and school networks, the Recall feature will be removed by default. On those managed networks, employees who have enrolled in Windows Hello using biometric authentication can opt into the Recall feature. Administrators can block use of Recall completely or can use management tools to prevent saving snapshots from specific apps and websites. On managed networks, enterprises cannot access Recall data saved by an employee.
In this build, Recall also includes the Click to Do feature, which adds AI-powered automated actions to text and images. The feature offers the ability to search, save, and edit text with a preferred app and to manipulate images using AI tools in the Photos and Paint apps.
The blog post includes a lengthy list of known issues that testers are likely to encounter. The feature requires Secure Boot to be enabled, for example, and Microsoft recommends updating Microsoft 365 apps to the latest version before using Recall. Some users might experience lengthy delays in saving screenshots or a spurious error message; either issue can be resolved with a reboot.
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Recall can be enabled or disabled using the "Turn Windows features on or off" dialog; in this build, disabling the feature caches the binaries that control the feature. In a future update, Microsoft says, it will completely remove the feature when the option to turn it off is selected.
Given the rocky nature of the initial announcement, Microsoft executives are likely holding their breath awaiting reactions from testers and the security community. That feedback will no doubt dictate the eventual release schedule, sometime in 2025.