After a series of delays, Microsoft is finally rolling out its Recall AI feature to Windows 11 users. Initially announced alongside Copilot Plus PCs earlier this year, Recall allows users to search their past activities with natural language queries. The feature captures screenshots of your on-screen actions, making it easier to retrace your steps or find that document you were working on last week.
The Recall preview is currently available to Windows Insiders in the Dev Channel who own a Qualcomm-powered Copilot Plus PC. Support for Intel and AMD-powered devices is expected to follow soon.
Recall is an opt-in feature that prioritizes user privacy. Snapshots are encrypted and stored locally on the device, and Microsoft assures users that it does not have access to this data nor is it used for AI model training. Sensitive information like passwords and credit card details are automatically detected and excluded from snapshots.
In addition to Recall, this preview also introduces “Click to Do,” a related feature that allows users to perform AI-powered actions on snapshots. For example, you can copy text or save images directly from a previous screenshot. Click to Do is expected to expand beyond Recall in the future, enabling users to perform visual searches on YouTube videos and other on-screen content.
The release of Recall marks a significant step in Microsoft’s integration of AI into Windows. However, the feature has faced scrutiny over privacy concerns, leading to its delayed launch. With this preview, Microsoft aims to address those concerns and gather feedback from users before a wider rollout.
