Microsoft has remained tight-lipped regarding the anticipated Recall AI feature for Windows 11, despite multiple inquiries. While the company has confirmed that Recall has not been canceled, it appears that Microsoft is taking a cautious approach to address potential concerns surrounding the feature. Notably, recent builds of Windows 11 do not include any mention of Recall.
Recall has generated considerable buzz and debate among users. This unique feature distinguishes itself from other AI tools by capturing snapshots of the user’s screen every five seconds and processing them locally with compact language models. The primary aim of Recall is to facilitate content analysis, allowing users to search for information displayed on their screens.
You can pause Recall directly from the taskbar
Initially slated for public preview on June 18, alongside Copilot+ PCs, Microsoft announced a delay just days prior, on June 13. The company emphasized the need for thorough testing and security measures before rolling out this significant AI upgrade to consumers. In a blog update, Microsoft indicated that Recall would first be available to Windows Insiders before a broader release planned for later in the year.
As the weeks have progressed, however, there has been no further communication regarding the status of Recall, leaving many to wonder about its fate. While it remains unclear what may have transpired, speculation suggests that the feature is still in the pipeline, albeit with an uncertain timeline.
How does Recall AI work, and what went wrong?
Recall is designed to be an engaging tool with various practical applications, contingent on user perspective. Microsoft characterizes Recall as a “photographic memory” that continuously captures screen content and analyzes it using proprietary language models on the device itself, ensuring that data remains local rather than being processed in the cloud.
Recall is not activated by default; users must enable it during the Windows setup process. Once operational, Recall runs discreetly in the background, documenting user activity across various applications, including messaging platforms and web browsers. This functionality raises privacy concerns, as it can capture sensitive information, including passwords.
Operating offline, Recall is not reliant on cloud connectivity, which means it does not filter content. Users have the option to manually exclude specific applications or websites from being captured. To utilize Recall, a Copilot+ PC equipped with a neural processing unit (NPU) capable of 40+ TOPS, along with 16GB of RAM and 256GB of storage, is required.
The interface of Recall resembles a timeline of user activities, featuring a search bar that allows users to locate specific documents or information. For instance, if a user seeks details about a project discussed with a friend, Recall can sift through its captured screenshots to pinpoint relevant conversations.
All screenshots are processed locally, with extracted data stored in a SQLite database, accessible to anyone with physical access to the device. Microsoft has asserted that Recall’s data is encrypted using BitLocker; however, cybersecurity experts have raised concerns about the effectiveness of this protection, noting that physical access to a device could still compromise data security.
As it stands, the future of Recall remains uncertain, with no recent references in preview builds and a notable absence of updates from Microsoft.
