Windows Recall is finally nearing launch, Microsoft suggests

[midian182]

A hot potato: It appears that one of the most controversial features Microsoft has ever created, Windows Recall, will launch soon. Recall is designed to capture screenshots of everything you do on a Copilot+ PC, so users can search through their previous activity, including web browsing. But it was delayed more than once over security concerns.

Microsoft wrote in a post yesterday that a preview version of Recall is being rolled out to Insiders in the Release Preview Channel on Windows 11, version 24H2, suggesting a broader release isn't far off.

Recall was supposed to arrive as a feature on Copilot+ PCs in June 2024. In a demonstration of the product, Microsoft showed how users could type in (or speak) something to search for, before scrolling through a timeline of everything they had done on a PC related to that query.

Satya Nadella says Windows PCs will have a photographic memory feature called Recall that will remember and understand everything you do on your computer by taking constant screenshots pic.twitter.com/Gubi4DGHcs

– Tsarathustra (@tsarnick) May 20, 2024

Unsurprisingly, people weren't too happy about a feature that took snapshots of everything they did on a PC. Microsoft tried to quell the concerns by emphasizing that all processing and data storage is local, but researchers still said it was a security disaster.

Microsoft's response was to delay the official launch of Recall, moving it to a preview experience for Windows Insiders as it looked to add additional security protections.

In August, Microsoft said that the Windows Insider preview of Recall would land in October. But once again, the company decided to push back the Recall preview to refine the experience.

Microsoft did make a preview of Recall available to Windows Insiders in the Dev Channel for Qualcomm Copilot Plus PCs in November. It arrived for Intel- and AMD-powered Copilot Plus PCs a month later.

Microsoft says that Recall requires users to opt-in to saving images of their activities and enroll in Windows Hello to ensure only they have access to the screenshots. Users can also filter specific apps or websites and delete any stored snapshots, while sensitive information such as passwords and financial data is excluded – though Recall was still capturing credit card and security numbers in December.

Despite the added security measures, responses to the early previews of Recall have ranged from love it to hate it – or both, in one case.

Recall remains exclusive to Copilot+ PCs

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Windows Recall is finally nearing launch, Microsoft suggests

 

[The Talking Tech]

It won't take long until hackers start offering people's "Recalled" information with banking and private data all over the dark web.

 

[themastergoose]

Considering my Surface Laptop when I tested this last year placed the “recall” screenshots into a folder that was backup to OneDrive, the screenshots don’t stay on your machine like MS claim unless it’s since been changed.

 

[AlexIL]

Anyone remember Microprose? Same stuff awaits Microsoft after their "recall".

 

[ZedRM]

Dear Microsoft,

What part of "HELL NO!" do you not understand?

You know that place where the Sun doesn't shine? That's where you need to cram Recall. Then squeeze it back out and flush.

 

[captaincranky]

And y'all have the ballz to wonder why some people, myself included, won't quit Windows 7.

 

[Sherwoodnt]

Glad Nadella could clear that up for me. For a second, I thought he was asking me to trust Microsoft to monitor my every move and also trust that they won't be looking at it or monetizing it. It's just being done to help me and definitely not to make money. Boy do I feel silly.

Joking aside, I'm finally going to go ahead and muscle through learning Linux (Bazzite). Hopefully I can get the majority of my gaming/work off of Windows. Ugh.

 

[captaincranky]

I wonder if Vin Diesel will be upset when he finds out that Nadella has hijacked his famous "hairdo"?

I would have had him opt for either a snake charmer's turban, (The fact that he's the snake notwithstanding). Or maybe a baseball cap with an catchy acronym like, "MM$GA". ...........(Make Microsoft Greedy Again)...... But then again, "a leopard that eats faces can't change its scales".***

Although with the glasses working against him, the shaved head just screams, "creepy power nerd".

*** (That's my only dreadful mixed metaphor for the day, promise).

 

[bitwarden]

One more reason not to get into Copilot+ PCs.

 

[Plutoisaplanet]

I’m sure workplaces will love asking Windows to “recall” unproductive stuff employees have been doing. Even if you move away from Windows, you might not be able to get away from it at work.