Microsoft Releases “Recall” for Copilot+ PCs
- Graziano Stefanelli
- 6 hours ago
- 2 min read
Microsoft has officially released the "Recall" feature to all Copilot+ PCs.
Originally announced in May 2024, Recall is designed to capture snapshots of user activity, allowing users to search and retrieve past content using natural language. The feature is now generally available after months of testing and significant privacy adjustments.
What Recall Does
Recall passively takes screenshots of user activity at regular intervals, indexing on-device content including documents, websites, images, and applications. Users can then type a query like “show me the article I was reading about AI yesterday,” and Recall will surface relevant screenshots with context-aware suggestions.
It functions similarly to a photographic memory for your device, aimed at helping users quickly return to past tasks or content without needing to remember file names, URLs, or timestamps.
Key Features
Natural Language Search: Users can search using plain English.
Time-based Navigation: Recall provides a timeline view to scroll through activities.
Snapshot History: Captures app content, web pages, and more, excluding sensitive content by default.
Privacy and Security
Microsoft initially faced pushback over Recall’s privacy implications. In response, the company implemented several safeguards, like...
Local-only storage: All data stays on the device; nothing is uploaded to the cloud.
Full encryption: Snapshots are encrypted and tied to Windows Hello authentication.
Opt-in model: Users must explicitly enable Recall. It is not turned on by default.
Sensitive content controls: Users can exclude specific apps or websites, such as banking or password managers.
Availability and Requirements
Recall is only available on Microsoft’s new Copilot+ PCs, which feature dedicated NPUs (Neural Processing Units) capable of handling local AI workloads. Older devices or those without NPU support will not receive this feature.
Verdict
Recall has the potential to transform productivity for users who deal with high information loads daily. However, its success hinges on user trust and transparency around privacy. With local storage, opt-in access, and encryption in place, Microsoft is signaling a cautious but firm push into AI-powered memory augmentation.
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