This is how you should use Microsoft Recall, the most controversial tool in Windows

Microsoft Recall has arrived to revolutionize the way users interact with their computers, taking us a step further in the integration of Artificial intelligence in the Windows 11 environment. Since its initial announcement, this feature has not been without controversy, especially due to issues related to privacy and security data.

However, after a long evolution, Recall is presented as an innovative tool, designed specifically for the Copilot+ computers, which promises that we will never forget anything we have seen or done on our PC. I tell you qué es y para qué sirve, vamos a ello.

What is Microsoft Recall and how does it work?

Recall It is one of the Microsoft's big bets for its Copilot+ PC. This is a feature powered by artificial intelligence que realiza periodic screenshots The user's memory, thus creating a complete visual and contextual memory of everything that has happened on the device. It's like having a visual "timeline" where you can refer to any document, web page, image, or application you've used, even if you don't remember where you saved it or what it was called exactly.

This tool analyzes the content of snapshots using AI, both images and texts, and allows users to search semantically: you can write what you remember (“that vegan restaurant in Madrid” or “the pizza recipe I saw yesterday”) and Recall will show matches, both by text and by related visual content.

The experience is similar to having a digital photographic memory at the click of a button, organized by a navigable timeline or using the semantic search engine. This way, you can return to the exact moment you viewed an important piece of information, repeated a process, or simply want to retrieve information you didn't properly archive at the time.

Recall also integrates a function called Click to Do, which adds a layer of intelligent interoperability; for example, If you see a photo of a garment in a snapshot, you can search for it on the web., copy text, open images in your favorite app, or activate other quick actions, all from Recall's own memory.

Essential requirements to use Recall

It should be made clear from the outset that Recall is not available for any PC. Only devices recognized as such can be used. Copilot+ PC and meet strict hardware and security standards. These are the minimum requirements to enjoy the feature:

• PC Copilot+ with Secured-core standard activated
• NPU (Neural Processing Unit) processor of at least 40 TOPs
• Un mínimo de 16 GB of RAM
• Al menos 8 procesadores lógicos
• 256 GB of storage (with a minimum of 50 GB free)
• Storage must be encrypted with Device Encryption or BitLocker
• The user must have Windows Hello enabled, with biometric authentication (fingerprint or facial and Enhanced Sign-in Security)

In case the device drops below 25 GB of free space, Recall automatically pauses snapshot capture so as not to saturate the disk and always prioritizes information protection and system maintenance.

Currently, Recall is being rolled out gradually, starting with devices with chips Qualcomm Snapdragon X, although Microsoft has already confirmed that Copilot+ will be available for PCs with Intel and AMD processors later.

Activating and downloading Recall: how to get started

Recall is not available activado por defecto When installing Windows 11 on a Copilot+ PC, the user must explicitly accept the feature's activation, ensuring consent and private data management from the outset.

If you want to access Recall, you have two main options:

• Ir directamente a Windows Configuration > Privacy and security > Memories and snapshots and activate the saving of snapshots with the corresponding button.
• The first time you open Recall, you will be asked if you allow it to start storing snapshots of your activity.

On Windows Insider, Dev ChannelParticipating users can download Recall with the latest builds (starting with 26100.3902 or higher). In these cases, the download will occur in the background while installing the new version of Windows 11.

For users in business organizations or educational environments, Recall remains disabled by default, and only administrators will be able to enable it for managed computers, never without explicit consent from the end user.

What exactly does Recall do? Features and user experience

The essence of Recall is its ability to Record, analyze, and search for any past activity on the PCLet's look at its main functions:

• Periodic capture: Takes screenshots of the active window every few seconds, storing both the image and contextual metadata (date, application, content type, etc.).
• Indexing and analysis with AI: Locally processes snapshots, applying text recognition (OCR) so you can search both written words and images.
• Búsqueda semántica: allows you to perform advanced searches with natural descriptions, retrieving results even if you don't remember the exact phrase.
• Exploratory timeline: You can browse all your past activities by segment, viewing previous thumbnails and accessing any point in your digital day at a glance.
• Text and visual matches: Distinguishes between literal, approximate, and related matches, showing you the closest matches to your search first.
• Click to Do: On any snapshot, activate a “smart” cursor to interact with images, copy text, search the web, open content in other applications (such as Paint, Photos, Notepad) or perform visual searches thanks to the integration with Bing.
• Quick action: Return to the exact website, app, or document you were using when the snapshot was taken, thanks to deep links in the UserActivity API.
• Deleting and managing snapshots: Delete individual snapshots, from a specific app or website, or all at once; you can also pause or resume the feature manually.

Remember: all of this happens locally, without sending data to the Microsoft cloud, and the user always maintains control over what is saved, what is deleted, and what is filtered.

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Privacy and security options: the controversy and its resolution

One of the biggest criticisms of Recall since its announcement was precisely the concern over privacy. Initially, screenshots were stored unencrypted, and there was fear that sensitive information (such as passwords, banking details, or private conversations) could be exposed through unauthorized access or cyberattacks.

Microsoft has responded by adopting a series of very strict measures:

• Snapshots and the entire database are encrypt locally, using the same security system as BitLocker and Device Encryption.
• Access to any capture requires biometric authentication through Windows Hello Enhanced Sign-in Security, so only the logged-in user can access their memories.
• All Recall activity is executed within security enclaves (VBS Secure Enclave), which isolates the information from any other process or user.
• It is possible to filter applications, websites and even confidential information (cards, passwords, IDs) so that Recall doesn't save any related snapshots. This detection is achieved through the NPU and integration with Microsoft Purview.
• No snapshots are shared with Microsoft or any third party. Content is only transferred outside your computer if you, as a user, voluntarily choose to send something (for example, to search Bing Visual Search or open it in Paint).
• In managed environments, administrators can never enable snapshot saving without consent, nor can they access user memories. Data is encrypted per user and protected with individual keys managed by the TPM.

The company has added a mechanism called leaking of confidential information which, by default, blocks the saving of screenshots if it detects sensitive data on the screen. Even if you manually disable this filter, that data will never leave the device or be sent to the cloud.

Advanced settings and policies for businesses

Recall's configuration options allow you to customize the experience for both individuals and businesses:

• Storage space: You can limit how many GBs Recall can use (options from 10 to 150 GB), with automation to delete older captures when the limit is reached.
• Duración de conservación: You can set the length of time snapshots are kept for between 30 and 180 days. If not defined, they are only deleted when the maximum reserved space is filled.
• Filtering applications and websites: You can add custom lists of apps or URLs to exclude from saving, both at the user level and through group policy in enterprises.
• Desactivación total: Recall can be completely uninstalled from the Windows Features options, removing all associated traps and stopping functionality until further activation.
• Control on managed devices: Admins can set policies to prevent storage, clear Recall from the system, limit the amount of space used, or define default filters to protect corporate information.

At all times, the user has access to the management of these options and can decide to what extent they participate and how they want Recall to behave in their daily life.

Compatibility, deployment and territorial limitations

Recall is currently in a phased rollout, first for Snapdragon X-equipped devices and then for all other eligible processors. However, there are important geographic restrictions: en el Espacio Económico Europeo (EU countries plus Iceland, Liechtenstein, and Norway), the feature is not yet available, presumably due to privacy regulatory concerns. Microsoft expects to enable it sometime in 2025.

In the rest of the world, activation and deployment are adjusted to the progress of Insider versions and agreements with hardware manufacturers that certify the Copilot+ standard.

As for browsers, Recall can filter activity and websites on Microsoft Edge, Firefox, Opera y Google ChromeChromium-based browsers with versions 124 or later filter only private activity, not specific sites.

Interaction and usability: How to navigate and search in Recall

Recall's usability has been designed so that anyone, from home users to IT experts, can retrieve information immediately. Key actions include:

• Quick access: open Recall with the shortcut Windows + J or by selecting it from Start > All apps or from the icon in the taskbar.
• Semantic and voice search: Enter a description (“online order for white sneakers”) or dictate what you remember. Recall understands vague searches and displays approximate, related results.
• Timeline: Visually navigate through all the time blocks of your activity, hovering to preview and clicking to open any specific time.
• Resultados agrupados: Distinguishes between text and visual matches, always showing the most relevant matches first based on your query.
• Filtros de aplicaciones: You can limit your search to a specific app or view results from across the entire system.
• Click to Do: Smart cursor that distinguishes data types and suggests actions (copy, edit, open with another app, search in Bing, etc.), changing to blue/white to indicate that it is active.

When you find what you're looking for, you can open the exact file, website, or email, copy content from the snapshot, or export it to the app you need. All without having to remember file names or folder paths.

Microsoft's commitment to privacy and responsible AI

Microsoft has emphasized that both data privacy and security are the pillars of its vision for responsible AI. Not only has it incorporated technical measures (local encryption, security enclaves, confidential filtering, biometric authentication), but has also opened its platform to direct feedback from users: suggestions or complaints can be sent from the application itself, including screenshots if the user wishes to attach them to improve the experience.

At the functional level, Recall uses the Reconocimiento Óptico de Caracteres (OCR) local to analyze text in images and can associate contextual data across the entire screen, although it does not use biometric data or personal emotion inferences. Processing is always local, which protects the information from external misuse.

Microsoft's ethical commitment is reinforced by its promise to never use saved snapshots to train AI models or share them with third parties, and to keep its algorithms and functionalities audited.

Alberto Navarro

I am a technology enthusiast who has turned his "geek" interests into a profession. I have spent more than 10 years of my life using cutting-edge technology and tinkering with all kinds of programs out of pure curiosity. Now I have specialized in computer technology and video games. This is because for more than 5 years I have been writing for various websites on technology and video games, creating articles that seek to give you the information you need in a language that is understandable to everyone.

If you have any questions, my knowledge ranges from everything related to the Windows operating system as well as Android for mobile phones. And my commitment is to you, I am always willing to spend a few minutes and help you resolve any questions you may have in this internet world.