Microsoft Delays AI-Powered Windows Recall Feature Amid Privacy and Security Concerns

Microsoft delays Windows Recall again, now by December

Microsoft is again delaying the rollout of its AI-powered Windows Recall feature after announcing in August that it will be available for Insiders with Copilot+ PCs in October. This comes after the company was forced to drop its plans to release the feature in public preview on June 19, when the new Copilot+ AI PCs were launched. As first reported by The Verge, Microsoft said Recall was postponed for further testing due to significant customer pushback asking for more robust default data privacy and security protections. "We are committed to delivering a secure and trusted experience with Recall. We recently shared updates to the security and privacy architecture for Recall in a Windows Blog post," Windows senior product manager Brandon LeBlanc told BleepingComputer in a statement today. "To ensure we deliver on these important updates, we're taking additional time to refine the experience before previewing it with Windows Insiders. Originally planned for October, Recall will now be available for preview with Windows Insiders on Copilot+ PCs by December." As Microsoft explained when it unveiled Recall in May, the AI-powered feature is designed to take screenshots of active windows every few seconds, analyze them on-device using an AI model and a Neural Processing Unit (NPU), and store collected data in an SQLite database. Windows 11 users can later search this information using natural language to prompt Recall to retrieve relevant screenshots. Since Microsoft announced Recall, customers, privacy advocates, and cybersecurity experts have warned that Windows Recall will be a privacy and security nightmare since threat actors would most likely abuse it to steal users' data. In response to the negative feedback, Redmond said users will have to opt-in to enable Recall on their computers and that they'll have to confirm they're in front of their PC via Windows Hello to be able to use it. David Weston, Microsoft's vice president for Enterprise and OS Security, also said that Recall can be removed, automatically filters sensitive content, and allows users to exclude specific apps, websites, or in-private browsing sessions, Weston added that Recall will include malware protection features such as anti-hammering and rate-limiting measures.

Microsoft delays its troubled AI-powered Recall feature yet again

Microsoft needs 'additional time to refine' Recall. Here's the new target date for rollout and what else we know. Microsoft has again put the brakes on its AI-infused Recall feature. Designed to take snapshots of your screen activities in Windows, the feature was supposed to reach Windows Insiders this October. However, according to a statement shared with the Verge and ZDNET, it won't surface until December. "We are committed to delivering a secure and trusted experience with Recall," Brandon LeBlanc, senior product manager of Windows, said in a statement sent to ZDNET. "To ensure we deliver on these important updates, we're taking additional time to refine the experience before previewing it with Windows Insiders. Originally planned for October, Recall will now be available for preview with Windows Insiders on Copilot Plus PCs by December." Also: Can't quit Windows 10? Microsoft will charge for updates next year. Here's how much Microsoft initially announced Recall this past May as an upcoming feature exclusively for Copilot+ PCs. Touted as a way to help you quickly find things you've done and seen on your computer, the notion just as quickly triggered a host of complaints from Windows users. Why? Well, any feature that snoops around your PC taking snapshots of everything you do and see struck lots of people as a privacy violation. Security experts chiming in even called it a "privacy nightmare." Also: Microsoft's upgraded Copilot Studio is like a LEGO set for building AI agents Responding to the criticism from users and experts alike, Microsoft has since been busy refining Recall and stalling its official debut. In June, the company put the feature on hold. Around this time, the company sent the entire codebase of Recall back to its developers for a major overhaul. A month later, Microsoft changed its plans, revealing that it was shifting from Recall as a preview experience broadly available for Copilot+ PCs to a preview initially available in the Windows Insider Program sometime "in the coming weeks." Those "coming weeks" eventually turned into October, which has now turned into December. Also: Microsoft's Windows 11 24H2 bug patch fixes some problems - and creates new ones Along the way, Microsoft has tried to smooth the rougher edges of Recall in a nod to the privacy and security fears. Rather than be on by default, the feature will be turned off and require users to opt in. Activating Recall and searching or viewing its content will require Windows Hello enrollment with biometric authentication or another secure method. The database that holds the snapshots and the search index will be protected by "just in time" decryption. Windows users still concerned about their privacy can also completely uninstall the feature. Also: The Windows 11 24H2 bug list grows again: 9 reasons to avoid this update for now But with the privacy fears, the continual delays, and constant tweaking by Microsoft, will Recall ever see the light of day, or was it doomed from the start? That remains to be seen. But at this point, Microsoft certainly has its work cut out if it expects Recall to be embraced by the Windows user community.

Microsoft Delays Recall Launch -- Again

Microsoft is delaying the launch of its Recall AI feature again because it isn't ready for public testing yet, according to a statement from a company spokesperson. "We are committed to delivering a secure and trusted experience with Recall. To ensure we deliver on these important updates, we're taking additional time to refine the experience before previewing it with Windows Insiders," says Windows Senior Product Manager Brandon LeBlanc in a statement to The Verge. "Originally planned for October, Recall will now be available for preview with Windows Insiders on Copilot Plus PCs by December." Recall had initially been slated for a June launch in tandem with the release Copilot+ PCs, which are compatible with the AI-powered feature. Then, it was delayed due to security concerns. There were suggestions that the feature could pop up in September, then October, and now, December. Microsoft previously clarified that the feature will be entirely opt-in after security experts raised concerns about how the feature is capturing and storing data. A researcher built a tool to show that malware could target Recall and steal user sensitive information, like passwords and banking data. In September, Microsoft said it added some security features to recall so that it won't screenshot your passwords, personal information, banking information, or any medical pages. It will also require users to biometrically authenticate their identities via Windows Hello whenever they try to access the feature. Microsoft also made it easier to quickly purge all your screenshots with one click, and add websites to a list that you don't want Recall to look at and store. Recall also won't screenshot any web browser activity done in a "private" mode, like Chrome's Incognito Mode. Recall is intended to help Windows users recall a past moment in their PC usage history. It works by taking constant screenshots of all of your computer activity and stores them on-device. When you search using Recall later, it uses AI to analyze all those screenshots and can pull up suggestions for a past moment you might be searching for. If you don't want Recall on your PC when the feature launches, Microsoft has confirmed that you'll be able to remove it from your computer should you want to.

Windows 11's controversial AI Recall feature delayed again

Microsoft originally intended to delay its controversial Recall feature until October. But on Halloween, Microsoft has confirmed that Recall will be postponed again to avoid becoming the privacy nightmare before Christmas. Microsoft told The Verge that Recall has been delayed until December, when it will once again be released to the Windows Insider program. Brandon LeBlanc, one of the co-captains of sorts which heads up the Windows Insider program, told the publication that it needs more time to deliver a "secure and trusted experience." Microsoft representatives provided the statement in full to PCWorld. "We are committed to delivering a secure and trusted experience with Recall," LeBlanc, a senior product manager for Windows, said. "We recently shared updates to the security and privacy architecture for Recall in a Windows Blog post. To ensure we deliver on these important updates, we're taking additional time to refine the experience before previewing it with Windows Insiders. Originally planned for October, Recall will now be available for preview with Windows Insiders on Copilot+ PCs by December." Microsoft is still committed to Recall, which came and went as the flagship experience on Copilot+ PCs, which debuted months ago with a variety of AI-powered experiences that run under Windows 11's 2024 Update. After a delay, it was expected this month, in October. Recall was designed to snap periodic snapshots of your desktop, seeing what you do, then "read" the information using AI and store it in a searchable database on your PC. Recall's premise appealed to me, but many saw it as a potential privacy problem, especially when researchers said that the information was stored on your PC without encryption. In September, Microsoft announced a host of changes, from storing data more securely and making Recall an opt-in feature that could be uninstalled at a later time. On a recent episode of PCWorld's The Full Nerd podcast, a listener asked about the future of Recall. I said then that I thought that there's a non-zero chance that Recall is scrapped and doesn't make it to market. That looks less certain now, as Microsoft has recommitted to the feature, though it remains a possibility.

Microsoft's Recall feature for Windows pushed back again as privacy and security matters keep the AI tool on hold

Recall stalls once more as security concerns return to center stage It looks like Microsoft's grand AI schemes have hit another snag, with the release of the controversial Recall feature being pushed back again. Recall is one of Microsoft's new AI-powered offerings, intended to record your desktop activity in Windows 11 by taking screenshots at regular intervals and making them searchable. When presented, Microsoft painted a picture of a futuristic 'instant replay' of sorts that could help you remember what you were doing, like helping you find a specific document you were working on or backtracking to a tab you closed a while ago. Quickly following Recall's announcement came a swift current of criticism about the possible security and privacy-related risks that would come with an AI constantly monitoring your PC. It sounds obvious to say, but Recall would presumably capture a great deal of personal and private information - which in turn would be a lucrative prize for the likes of hackers, scammers, and other malicious actors. Researchers and experts in cybersecurity were quick to point out Recall's flaws, such as captured information being stored on your PC without encryption. Microsoft took note of the reaction to the announcement of Recall and postponed it once already to add new privacy and security protections, like requiring log-in using Windows Hello and making Recall a strictly opt-in feature. The show was seemingly back on the road after that, with Microsoft readying Recall to be released for testing in October 2024. However, just yesterday, on Halloween no less, Microsoft announced that the release of Recall will be postponed again to continue to improve its privacy and security. I would rather Microsoft really put as much thought and effort into this as possible, of course, but these numerous postponements make me wonder what the state of Recall's privacy and security was initially. If it was lacking, that's pretty worrying and makes me think that Microsoft greatly underestimates how ironclad Recall's security measures would have to be and that it's now trying to settle on a minimum. I understand that even Microsoft's resources and funds aren't infinite, but exploitable parts of Recall could have devastating consequences for users. When speaking to The Verge about the delay, Microsoft said that Recall's initial release will be delayed to December 2024. In December, it will be released to testers in the Windows Insider Program with Copilot+ PCs, hoping to achieve ''a secure and trusted experience.'' Microsoft has put out a Windows Blog post explaining the current state of Recall and how it's working on beefing up Recall's privacy and security architecture, including allowing users to have control over data collection and ensuring that data is stored securely on devices. I know Microsoft's not big on making it easy to disable parts of Windows you may not like, but again, it's pretty frustrating that this wasn't considered from the beginning. PCWorld speculates that while Microsoft still appears to be pretty committed to Recall, there's still a chance that it could be scrapped altogether. If Microsoft can't get the privacy and security aspects of Recall right, that wouldn't be the worst idea.

Microsoft recalls Windows 11's Recall AI PC feature yet again and it now won't even be released for testing until December

Back in June if you, er, recall, Microsoft decided not to roll out the controversial Recall feature for Copilot AI PCs that screenshots everything you do. Now Microsoft has delayed Recall again, appealing for time to "refine" the feature. Indeed, after Recall was delayed in June, the plan was to roll it out for testing for Windows Insiders members within a few weeks. That plan was then punted out to October. But even that limited aspiration has now been canned and it seems Microsoft isn't confident enough to release Recall merely as a beta feature for testing. "We are committed to delivering a secure and trusted experience with Recall. To ensure we deliver on these important updates, we're taking additional time to refine the experience before previewing it with Windows Insiders," Brandon LeBlanc, senior product manager of Windows, told The Verge, adding "originally planned for October, Recall will now be available for preview with Windows Insiders on Copilot Plus PCs by December." Lest you have forgotten, Recall uses AI algorithms running locally on a PC to screenshot everything you do on your computer, creating an timeline you can scroll through and search. However, security researchers discovered that the Recall database which stores all those screenshots wasn't encrypted, opening up a massive security chasm. After all, if Recall captures nearly everything you do, that can easily include private correspondence, banking details, the works. Along with addressing that basic security concern and several others, Microsoft is also making Recall an opt-in feature as opposed to default and enabling Copilot PC users to completely uninstall it. The Recall database is now fully encrypted, which is welcome even if it's hard to believe that wasn't the case from the get go, and access to Recall is now only possible through Windows Hello authentication. Whether Microsoft will hit even the modest December testing deadline remains to be seen. As for the question of when Recall might be implemented as an official feature for Windows 11 Copilot PCs is anyone's guess. It's good that Microsoft now seems to be taking a cautious approach. But the whole debacle only serves to reinforce the broader impression of an AI industry that's chucking everything against the wall, hoping something sticks and isn't worrying too much about the consequences in the meantime.

Microsoft delays rollout of the Windows 11 Recall feature yet again

When Microsoft launched its Copilot+ AI PC initiative over the summer, one of the flagship features was Recall, a feature that would log months' worth of your PC usage, with the stated goal of helping you remember things you did and find them again. But if you've heard of Recall, it's probably because of the problems that surfaced in preview builds of Windows before the feature could launch: It stored all of its data in plaintext, and it was relatively trivial for other users on the PC (or for malicious software) to access the database and screenshots, potentially exposing huge amounts of user data. Microsoft was supposed to launch Recall over the summer but delayed the feature to rework it. The company went into detail on the new version of Recall's security protections in late September, declaring that a preview would be ready in time for Windows Insider Program testers in October. Now that we're past October, Microsoft has officially announced that the Recall preview is being delayed yet again and that it will begin rolling out to testers in December.

Microsoft continues to fumble AI PCs: delays Recall feature AGAIN, now drops in December

TLDR: Microsoft has delayed the release of its Recall feature to December, missing the initially promised October launch. The delay is due to security concerns, as the feature logs extensive user data.* Based on the content by Anthony Garreffa below. Microsoft has delayed its Recall feature yet again, amid all the controversy, the company pushed its big Copilot+ PC feature into December (as it's now missed its promised October release) Brandon LeBlanc, senior product manager of Windows, in a statement to The Verge: "We are committed to delivering a secure and trusted experience with Recall. To ensure we deliver on these important updates, we're taking additional time to refine the experience before previewing it with Windows Insiders". The company originally pulled its Recall feature from launch over security concerns -- it was logging everything, like, everything, everything -- ahead of the Copilot+ PC launch with Qualcomm. Now there are AMD and Intel processors with NPUs inside of laptops, and the big Recall feature launching in October, is delayed into December. Microsoft's new Recall feature uses local AI models inside of Windows 11 on Copilot+ PCs to screenshot basically everything on your system, but offering the ability for users to search and retrieve things (kind of like photographic memory, but AI-powered for your PC and totally not used for nefarious things). An explorable timeline that you can scroll through snapshots of your system, looking back at what you did throughout that time. The company has been changing the goalposts with Recall since its announcement, where it would not be made mandatory on Copilot+ PCs, and rather an opt-in experience that can be "fully removed". A baked-in spying device, that can be fully removed, says Microsoft of all companies... yeah, I don't believe it, and now that Recall feature delayed into December is not a good look for Microsoft.

Microsoft Delays Its Recall Feature Once Again: Here's When It May Arrive

Microsoft Recall -- the company's upcoming feature for Copilot+ PCs -- is facing yet another delay. The Redmond company was expected to roll out its Recall feature to Windows Insiders last month. However, it is unlikely to be available for another couple of months, according to the company. The feature is designed to run on Windows 11 Copilot+ PCs and captures screenshots of user activity, and it has faced a lot of criticism since it was first announced, due to privacy and security concerns. Senior Product Manager Brandon LeBlanc confirmed to The Verge that the Recall feature will only roll out to Windows Insiders program members by December. "To ensure we deliver on these important updates, we're taking additional time to refine the experience before previewing it with Windows Insiders," the executive told the publication. Originally announced in May, the new Recall feature is an AI feature designed to run only on Copilot+ PCs. It can help users find things on their computer by taking screenshots of all their activities and allowing them to search the contents of that screenshot at a later date. The announcement of the feature was met with intense criticism from privacy advocates and security experts, who pointed out several flaws with the initial version of Recall. After the backlash, Microsoft halted its plans to roll out Recall to Windows Insiders testers in June and revealed that it would arrive in October instead. Since then, the company has announced several sweeping changes to the Recall feature that are designed to improve its security. For example, Recall for Windows will now store encrypted data, and the encryption keys are protected via the CPU's trusted platform module (TPM). Microsoft says that the feature can only be used inside a secure environment, in order to protect user data from being accessed by other users. Microsoft has also made some changes to Recall, in order to protect user data from being compromised by malware -- the feature will include anti-hammering and rate limiting measures. Meanwhile, access to Recall and the feature's settings can only be unlocked using Windows Hello authentication, with a PIN as a fallback method. The company has also clarified that Recall will be opt-in for all users with a Copilot+ PC and that it can be completely removed. If the feature is rolled out to Windows Insiders by December, we can expect Microsoft to finally release it for all Copilot+ PC owners over the next year.

Microsoft again delays Recall feature, says it will arrive for Windows Insiders on Copilot Plus PCs in December

Microsoft has delayed its controversial Recall feature for Copilot+ PCs mulitple times by now, and on Thursday it said that it would delay it by several more weeks again, as it needs more time to make it more secure. Microsoft now plans to make its Recall feature available for Windows Insiders by December, reports The Verge. Initially scheduled for a June rollout, Recall -- a feature that screenshots everything that happens on the disply of a Copilot+ PC -- has faced repeated setbacks as Microsoft worked to address privacy and security concerns. Key updates include making Recall an entirely opt-in feature on Copilot Plus PCs, with options allowing users to fully uninstall the tool. However, the feature was not launched this Summer and was delayed to October. Now, it is delayed till December even for participants of the Windows Insider program. "We are committed to delivering a secure and trusted experience with Recall," a statement by Microsoft published by The Verge reads. "To ensure we deliver on these important updates, we are taking additional time to refine the experience before previewing it with Windows Insiders. Originally planned for October, Recall will now be available for preview with Windows Insiders on Copilot+ PCs by December." Recall is designed to capture screenshots of actions on Copilot+ PCs, giving users a timeline view of their recent activity. The feature uses local AI models embedded in Windows 11, enabling users to search and retrieve past content to look back on specific tasks, meetings, or other daily activities directly from their PCs. But what if someone else gets access to that database? The latest security improvements focus on protecting the Recall database, which is a visual repository of user activity. Microsoft has added encryption and restricted access through Windows Hello authentication to ensure that data within Recall remains safe and accessible only to the authenticated user. While Microsoft is taking steps to make its Recall feature as safe as possible, there will be users who will believe that this is not enough. To address such concerns, Microsoft will not make recall a mandatory feature of Copilot+ PCs. Microsoft also clarified that Recall will not be turned on by default on Windows 11 24H2 PCs (as rumored) and will remain optional. The Verge also claims that bugs have also surfaced after Microsoft pulled Recall from its slated June launch. These issues have affected how Recall appears and functions within Windows 11, which is another reason why Microsoft had to delay the rollout of the feature.

Microsoft hits pause on Recall once again -- controversial feature needs more cook time

Microsoft's controversial Windows 11 feature is nearing a total recall after this latest delay After strong backlash, Microsoft recalled the controversial Recall feature in Windows 11 that was supposed to debut alongside new Copilot+ PCs in June. Recall was set to return in October, but now Microsoft is saying that Recall is still not ready and that the company needs more time to get the feature up to snuff. "We are committed to delivering a secure and trusted experience with Recall," Microsoft's Brandon LeBlanc told Tom's Guide in a statement. "To ensure we deliver on these important updates, we're taking additional time to refine the experience before previewing it with Windows Insiders. Originally planned for October, Recall will now be available for preview with Windows Insiders on Copilot+ PCs by December." If you'd forgotten about the feature, Windows Recall is meant to help you find anything you've done on your PC by taking "snapshots" of your computer at regular intervals. These screenshots are stored on your computer and analyzed by AI to making searching your laptop easier and faster. The feature, introduced for new AI laptops powered by Snapdragon X Elite and Snapdragon X Plus, was met with near instantaneous backlash after Microsoft Build 2024 due to strong security concerns. At the time, Microsoft pulled the feature out of Copilot and announced that it was delayed indefinitely. At one point, Recall was supposed to return a few weeks after the initial recall when Microsoft added surprisingly missing features like: Those features have since been added to the AI tool. In August, Microsoft announced that Windows Insiders -- Windows fans who act as beta testers for Microsoft -- would get access to an updated version of Recall in October. Now, we're at the end of October and Microsoft has made nary a peep about the feature, until today. Much of the blame for the delays is related to Microsoft's attempts to fix the security concerns about the feature. Since the initial announcement, the company has made Recall opt-in and made it so you can uninstall Recall. Microsoft pointed Tom's Guide to a blog post from late September that outlines some of the work Microsoft is doing on security architecture for Recall. That article reiterates that Recall is opt-in and that "Recall does not share snapshots or associated data with Microsoft or third parties." Some confusion popped up this week when various YouTubers were claiming that Recall was "secretly" being installed on Windows 11 with the disastrous 24H2 update. Microsoft told The Verge that Recall wasn't available to anyone at the time. It's possible that Microsoft ripping Recall out of Windows 11 this past summer may have left some bugs in the system, but the 24H2 update seems to be doing just fine on its own crashing systems and motherboards. Assuming the software giant can get a handle on the security issues surrounding Recall, maybe we'll see the feature in beta form come December.

Microsoft Has Delayed Copilot+'s 'Recall' Feature Yet Again

It's now nearing the end of October, and Windows Insider testers still have yet to get access to Recall, Microsoft's controversial feature that indiscriminately saves screenshots of your PC as you use it. Why? Well, according to The Verge, Recall has been delayed yet again, after initially being planned for a launch in June alongside the company's and its partners' Copilot+ laptops. Shortly before that June launch, the feature was pushed back for testing to sometime "in the coming weeks," following community outcry about security concerns. In August, that window got moved to October, although it has still been mysteriously absent to testers in the leadup to Halloween. Now, in a statement to The Verge, Microsoft senior product manager of Windows Brandon LeBlanc has indicated Windows Insiders possibly won't be able to try Recall until December. LeBlanc didn't give a clear reasoning for the continued delay, aside from saying Microsoft is "committed to delivering a secure and trusted experience with Recall." The statement follows previous reassurances Microsoft gave to The Verge reiterating that Recall will be opt-in and fully removable when it does launch, which in turn was a response to community worries that it was secretly being pushed out with the recent Windows 24H2 update (it wasn't). Still, that kind of community concern might explain why Microsoft is taking its sweet time with Recall, in order to ensure it ruffles as few feather as possible given that its initial reveal left users and security experts feeling pretty skeptical (for one thing, it wasn't always planned to be opt-in). The slow roll is probably a good thing. While the idea of being able to use AI to search through your past few months' of PC activity sounds convenient, it also raises significant concerns about data collection and storage. That said, the longer Copilot+ goes without its marquee feature, the more likely it is to struggle alongside competing AI initiatives like Apple Intelligence. This article's original text, published on 06/14/2024, follows below: It's been a tough few weeks for Microsoft's headlining Copilot+ feature, and it hasn't even launched yet. After being called out for security concerns before being made opt-in by default, Recall is now being outright delayed. In a blog post on the Windows website on Thursday, Windows+ Devices corporate vice president Pavan Davuliri wrote that Recall will no longer launch with Copilot+ AI laptops on June 18th, and is instead being relegated to a Windows Insider preview "in the coming weeks." "We are adjusting the release model for Recall to leverage the expertise of the Windows Insider Community to ensure the experience meets our high standards for quality and security," Davuluri explained. That's a big blow for Microsoft, as Recall was supposed to be the star feature for its big push into AI laptops. The idea was for it to act like a sort of rewind button for your PC, taking constant screenshots and allowing you to search through previous activity to get caught up on anything you did in the past, from reviewing your browsing habits to tracking down old school notes. But the feature also raised concerns over who has access to that data. Davuliri explains in his post that screenshots are stored locally and that Recall does not send snapshots to Microsoft. He also says that snapshots have "per-user encryption" that keeps administrators and others logged into the same device from viewing them. At the same time, security researchers have been able to uncover and extract the text file that a pre-release version of Recall uses for storage, which they claimed was unencrypted. This puts things like passwords and financial information at risk of being stolen by hackers, or even just a nosy roommate. Davuliri wasn't clear about when exactly Windows Insiders would get their hands on Recall, but thanked the community for giving a "clear signal" that Microsoft needed to do more. Specifically, he credited the community for the choice to disable Recall by default and to enforce Windows Hello (which requires either biometric identification or a PIN) for Recall before users can access it. Generously, limiting access to the Windows Insider program, which anyone can join for free, gives Microsoft more time to collect and weigh this kind of feedback. But it also takes the wind out of Copilot+'s sails just a week before launch, leaving the base experience nearly identical to current versions of Windows (outside of a few creative apps). It also puts Qualcomm, which will be providing the chips for Microsoft's first Copilot+ PCs, on a more even playing field with AMD and Intel, which won't get Copilot+ features until later this year.

Microsoft's AI Recall Tool Faces Another Delay Amid Privacy Concerns

Samantha Kelly is a freelance writer with a focus on consumer technology, AI, social media, Big Tech, emerging trends and how they impact our everyday lives. Her work has been featured on CNN, NBC, NPR, the BBC, Mashable and more. Microsoft is once again postponing the rollout of its controversial AI feature, Recall for Windows, over concerns about user privacy and data security. The company, which planned to start testing the tool in October after an initial delay, now says Recall will be ready for Windows Insiders on Copilot-enabled PCs by December, pending further internal review. In May, Microsoft introduced the Recall tool for Windows 11, describing it as a personal "time machine" that lets you instantly retrieve anything previously displayed on your screen, from documents and images to websites. Microsoft says the tool captures screenshots of the user's screen, stores them securely on the device, and uses AI to organize and make this data searchable. But the tool soon faced scrutiny from privacy advocates, forcing Microsoft to delay the rollout for additional review. Recall comes at a time when Microsoft and other tech companies continue to expand and offer new AI-powered features as part of a greater effort to stand out in a crowded marketplace. Yet many companies, including Microsoft, are still trying to navigate the numerous security and privacy challenges that arise from generative AI. The latest remarks follow updates announced in September to the security and privacy architecture for Recall in a Windows Blog post. Brandon LeBlanc, senior product manager for Windows, said that to ensure Microsoft delivers on security and privacy, it is taking "additional time to refine the experience before previewing it with Windows Insiders." He added that the company is "committed to delivering a secure and trusted experience with Recall." The news was first reported by The Verge. In September, the company said the Recall feature will be opt-in only and can be removed from Copilot PCs. It also noted that sensitive data in Recall is always encrypted and keys are protected.

Microsoft is again recalling its prior-recalled Recall feature

Key Takeaways Microsoft's Copilot+ Recall feature delayed till Christmas due to privacy concerns. Recall leaked user data in plain text, causing panic. Feature will now be opt-in. Concerns raised about interest when Recall feature eventually launches. ✕ Remove Ads How many recalls can a Recall be recalled if Microsoft can recall Recall? As it turns out, we're up to two times now. After initially delaying the controversial AI-powered Recall feature for an October testing period, the software giant has admitted that it still needs more time in the oven and will instead arrive sometime around the Christmas period. Related Microsoft Copilot: What is it, and how does it work? Is Microsoft Copilot the best AI chatbot available right now? Microsoft's Copilot+ Recall feature suffers another delay ✕ Remove Ads Copilot+ Recall has had a rocky introduction. It was meant to be a flagship feature for Microsoft's new AI-powered wave, promising users the ability for your computer to "remember" what you did. That way, when you ask Copilot about the file you opened, the website you visited, or the person you spoke to before, it can "recall" it. The problem was that Recall activated by itself and stored all of your data in a plain text database, which caused a big privacy panic. Microsoft wanted to bring it back in October, but in a statement to The Verge, it seems that hasn't panned out: "We are committed to delivering a secure and trusted experience with Recall. To ensure we deliver on these important updates, we're taking additional time to refine the experience before previewing it with Windows Insiders. Originally planned for October, Recall will now be available for preview with Windows Insiders on Copilot Plus PCs by December." ✕ Remove Ads Fortunately, it does seem that Microsoft has learned its lesson, as Recall will now be an opt-in feature and will allow people to delete any data stored about them that they don't like. However, with the bridge of first impressions long burned and delays pushing the feature further and further back, will anyone care when it finally arrives?