Microsoft is set to roll out a revised version of its Recall feature to Windows Insider PCs starting in October, following an update to the company’s earlier blog post addressing the Recall controversy. While specific changes remain under wraps, the announcement builds on details shared in June.
Understanding Recall
For those unfamiliar with Recall, it is a background service designed for compatible PCs that captures screenshots of user activity. Utilizing optical character recognition (OCR), Recall scans these images and compiles the text into a vast searchable database stored locally on the device. The primary intention behind this feature is to assist users in retracing their digital footsteps, allowing them to recover information about past activities on their PCs.
However, the initial implementation raised significant privacy concerns. Users discovered that anyone sharing the same PC, or even attackers with physical or remote access, could easily access and export these screenshots and the associated OCR database. The lack of encryption and adequate protection for this sensitive information was a glaring oversight.
Originally intended as a highlight of the Copilot+ PC launch in July, Recall’s debut was postponed to allow for necessary revisions. The feature will now undergo testing with Windows Insiders before a broader release.
Enhancements and Security Measures
Among the improvements Microsoft plans to implement are:
- Encryption: The database will be encrypted at rest, ensuring that unauthorized users cannot easily access the stored information.
- Authentication: Access to the Recall database will require authentication through Windows Hello, along with periodic reauthentication to bolster security.
- Default Settings: Unlike the original plan to enable Recall by default, the feature will now be turned off initially, requiring users to opt-in through the Settings menu.
“Security continues to be our top priority, and when Recall is available for Windows Insiders in October, we will publish a blog with more details,” stated Pavan Davuluri, Corporate Vice President of Microsoft Windows and Devices.
Testing Requirements
Windows Insiders interested in testing the Recall preview will need to do so on PCs that meet Microsoft’s stringent Copilot+ system requirements. These specifications include:
- A processor equipped with a neural processing unit (NPU) capable of at least 40 trillion operations per second (TOPS).
- A minimum of 16GB of RAM.
- At least 256GB of storage.
Currently, x86 builds of Windows for Intel and AMD processors do not support Copilot+ features, but this limitation is expected to change later this year. Notably, security researchers and journalists who identified vulnerabilities in the original Recall version were able to do so on unsupported PCs, raising the possibility that users may eventually find ways to enable Recall and other Copilot+ features on devices that do not meet the official requirements.
