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Microsoft is rolling out Recall to Windows 11 Copilot+ PCs via an optional update

Microsoft is one step closer to bringing Recall to Windows 11. The controversial feature is currently being rolled out as part of a non-security preview update, KB5055627.

Recall acts as an assistant for users who wish to find specific information of their past activities, by searching for things using natural language. The tool captures snapshots of the screen frequently, and the AI analyzes the content and stores the data in a searchable database. Microsoft backed out of its plans to release the automatic-snapshot capturing tool for Windows 11 Copilot+ PCs in June last year, when it was called out by experts for the privacy and security risks it posed to users.

In September 2024, Microsoft revealed that it had improved Recall and that it would be opt-in, and offered better privacy, because it now requires users to authenticate via Windows Hello. Earlier this month, information about the AI-powered tool resurfaced when Microsoft published the change-log for a Release Preview Build 26100.3902. It is still in preview for Copilot+ PCs, and was expected to remain so for a while.

But things seem to be progressing faster than anticipated. Windows Recall is now being tested in the stable channel of Windows 11, through an optional preview update that users may choose to install. This update also ships with Improved Windows Search, which is another feature for Copilot+ PC that uses semantic indexing models and traditional lexical indexing, to find your files faster using natural language. Another AI-feature that this update integrates is Image Search, which is designed to help users find photos stored and saved in the cloud, directly from the Start Menu. Both of these features are available for AMD and Intel-powered Copilot+ PCs, along with some improvements to Narrator and Phone Link.

Microsoft VP for Security David Weston confirmed to PCMag that Recall is opt-in, and users can uninstall it if they don't want to use it. The tool will use end-to-end encryption to prevent others from accessing your files, and this includes Microsoft itself. He also stated that Recall stores the data locally on the user's PC, calling it the "most secure experience on Windows" as it is protected by Windows Hello's biometric authentication.

The next Patch Tuesday update for Windows 11 could bring Recall to your Copilot+ PC.

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