Microsoft has launched the Recall AI feature for users of Windows 11 Copilot+ PCs, following a lengthy delay due to security concerns. The tool is now available as part of the latest feature update, marking its exit from the beta phase.
Recall AI is designed to automatically capture screenshots of all user activity on a PC, storing these images and any extracted text within a searchable, encrypted local database. This allows users to quickly locate and revisit previous on-screen activities, such as documents or web pages. Users can employ natural language to search for files, with Recall AI retrieving relevant items based on screen visibility.
Recall AI’s long road to launch
Microsoft originally unveiled Recall in May 2024. However, the feature was criticised for potential privacy risks, as security experts expressed concerns about the possibilities of spying and data privacy breaches. Eventually, Microsoft postponed the launch to test it with Windows Insiders. Another attempt to release the feature in October 2024 was also cancelled.
Microsoft addressed these concerns by making Recall AI an opt-in feature with enhanced privacy controls. The revised version includes security measures such as Windows Hello sign-in, data encryption, and local data processing, ensuring that information is not transmitted to the cloud or shared with Microsoft or third parties.
For enterprise customers, Microsoft provides advanced IT controls with an active E3 subscription, allowing organisations to manage data access, user permissions, and security settings. This framework is intended to maintain a secure digital environment for businesses.
“You are always in control and can choose to remove Recall completely from your device,” the company said on its Windows Experience Blog. “[When] removing any feature, Windows may keep temporary copies of non-executable binaries of the feature that are eventually removed over time.”
In addition to Recall AI, Microsoft has introduced improved Windows search capabilities and the Click to Do feature for Copilot+ PCs. The enhanced search can interpret the contextual meaning of queries, leveraging the device’s neural processing unit to deliver faster and more intuitive search results. The local processing capability allows users to describe images, documents, or settings in their own words, with the system efficiently locating the desired files or data.
Click to Do offers contextual shortcuts for actions such as summarising or copying text and images.
Earlier this year, Microsoft introduced Majorana 1, a quantum chip featuring a Topological Core architecture. The company indicated that this development could enable quantum computers to solve complex industrial challenges more quickly than anticipated.
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