Microsoft is preparing to relaunch the controversial Recall feature, which continually takes screenshots in order to help users search for and find items they’ve previously seen and saved on their PCs.
The feature, which is one of the key experiences Microsoft is pushing for its Copilot+ PCs, will soon roll out to compatible models with Microsoft making plenty of promises to reassure users concerned about their privacy.
Microsoft is today sharing more about how the feature will work as a privacy-focused experience that will be entirely optional to use, ahead of a roll out at a yet-to-be-specified date this autumn.
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In a blog post, the company says that during set up of the Copilot+ PC users will be asked whether they want to opt into the so-called “photographic memory” feature. Users will be able to choose “Yes, save” or “No, don’t save.”
If you don’t proactively turn the feature on, it will be off, Microsoft says today. And, if you wish, you can remove the feature completely via the settings.
Microsoft says that if you do want to use the feature, but don’t at certain times, Recall can be paused. You’ll also be able to delete data featuring certain apps and websites too. And it won’t capture data when you’re using web browsers’ incognito modes.
Here are the options, detailed by Microsoft today:
- In-private browsing in supported browsers is never saved.
- Users can filter out specific apps or websites viewed in supported browsers.
- Users can control how long Recall content is retained and how much disk space is allocated to snapshots.
- Sensitive content filtering is on by default and helps reduce passwords, national ID numbers and credit card numbers from being stored in Recall. The same library powers Microsoft’s Purview information protection product, which is deployed in enterprises globally.
- Find something you didn’t mean to save? You can delete a time range, all content from an app or website or anything and everything found in Recall search.
- An icon in the system tray will help you know when snapshots are being saved and makes it easy to quickly pause saving snapshots.
Does the above make you feel more comfortable about potentially using Recall for a Copilot+ PC? Let us know @trustedreviews on X.
