Microsoft Expands Windows 11 Recall AI Feature to Intel and AMD-powered Copilot+ PCs
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Microsoft announces Recall can now be used on AMD and Intel-powered PCs
TL;DR: Microsoft has expanded the Windows Recall AI feature to more Windows Insiders, now including Intel and AMD-powered PCs. When Microsoft first unveiled Windows Recall, it was met with heavy criticism for its intrusive nature on a PC, along with the potential security risk as a result of the feature working as intended. For those that don't know, Windows Recall works by indiscriminately taking screenshots of a user's desktop and then storing those images within a folder. Users are able to "recall" what they were doing on a PC earlier in the day by simply asking via natural language or scrubbing through the time. While at face value, that seems like an interesting tool, but the word "indiscriminately" should be emphasized here, as Recall will capture everything on the desktop, meaning passwords, sensitive data, confidential information, and any other personal digitized information. A hacker gaining access to the folder containing screenshots of a session could prove a catastrophic security risk for that individual. Microsoft has since added more layers of security to Recall in its re-release of the new app, which has also seen Recall become available on Copilot+ PC hardware. Since the re-release, Windows Insiders with Copilot+ PC hardware have been reporting issues with Recall, some of which have been officially recognized by Microsoft, who will address them in future updates. The expansion of Recall continues with Redmond announcing via its Windows Blog that Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 26120.2510 (KB5048780) to the Dev Channel contains support for AMD and Intel-powered Copilot PCs.
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Windows 11 Recall officially comes to Intel and AMD
Microsoft is finally expanding support for the Recall AI feature to Copilot+ PCs running Intel and AMD processors after the function has returned from a bevy of issues. The company made Recall available to Copilot+ PCs exclusively running Qualcomm processors in a late-November Windows 11 update, giving Windows Insiders in the Dev Channel access to the AI feature that take "snapshots" of your PC so you can search and look up aspects of your device in the future. Recommended Videos After several mishaps with the Recall feature, including an issue where the function was not properly saving snapshots, the feature now appears stable enough to work on a wider range of Copilot+ PCs. Intel- and AMD-powered devices will receive the latest version of Recall as a software update on Friday. This 26120.2510 (KB5048780) update is also available only for the Windows Insiders Dev Channel. Despite prior privacy concerns surrounding the feature, Microsoft has been very intent in how Recall works on a device. While the models that make the feature work will install on your PC with the update, you must manually enable the snapshots function for Recall to work. Additionally, you can set the duration a device will save and delete snapshots. Finally, the feature does not record vital information within snapshots, such as credit card details, passwords, and personal ID numbers. The update also includes a number of security updates to fortify the feature. Recall now requires Windows Hello facial recognition to confirm your identity before accessing snapshots. Additionally, you also need to use or install BitLocker and Secure Boot to use in conjunction with the feature. Microsoft is also highlighting the "Click to do" feature within Recall, which allows you to click an aspect of a snapshot in order to activate it into something functional on your desktop, such as copying text or saving images. The feature works by using the Windows key + mouse click. Recall has come a long way from first being announced much earlier this year. It was intended for a preview release in June, but the various controversies led to the feature being retracted from release and then repeatedly delayed.
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Microsoft expands Recall preview to Intel and AMD Copilot+ PCs
Microsoft is now testing its AI-powered Recall feature on AMD and Intel-powered Copilot+ PCs enrolled in the Windows 11 Insider program. The company started rolling out the first preview of Recall to Snapdragon Copilot+ PCs last month after two delays in June and October. First introduced in May, Recall is a Windows feature that captures screenshots of active windows every few seconds, analyzes them, and allows Windows 11 users for specific snapshots using natural language. However, after it was unveiled, experts warned that it could be a security risk, as attackers could misuse it to steal data. To address this, Microsoft made Recall an opt-in and removable feature that requires to confirm their presence using Windows Hello. Recall now also filters out sensitive information, including credit card numbers and passwords, according to Redmond, and it also allows users to exclude certain apps, websites, or in-private browsing sessions from being saved. David Weston, Microsoft's VP for Enterprise and OS Security, also said it includes anti-hammering and rate-limiting protection against malware, and it allows users to adjust storage settings, delete snapshots, and turn off saving snapshots completely. "As we gradually roll out Recall in preview, Recall is supported on select languages including Chinese (simplified), English, French, German, Japanese, and Spanish. As part of today's update, we're expanding the roll out of Recall (Preview) through the Windows Insider Program to the European Economic Area (EEA)," Redmond said today. "With the AI capabilities of Copilot+ PCs, it's now possible to quickly find and get back to apps, website, image, or document just by describing its content." With today's preview expansion, Redmond also adds support for Image Creator and Restyle Image to the Microsoft Photos app on AMD and Intel-powered Copilot+ PCs, as well as the Click to Do for Recall with options to help rewrite and summarize text and change its tone to sound more formal or more casual. These changes are rolling out today to Windows Insiders in the Dev Channel after installing the Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 26120.2510 (KB5048780).
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Microsoft rolls out Recall for Intel, AMD-based Copilot+ PCs
Microsoft is widening the rollout of the Recall Preview to include Dev Channel Windows Insiders running AMD and Intel-based Copilot+ PCs. The update arrived with build 26120.2510 of Windows 11 and means more Insiders will be able to join in the Recall fun, although Microsoft cautioned that users should take care to ensure the latest drivers are installed before checking out the preview code. Microsoft said: "With the AI capabilities of Copilot+ PCs, it's now possible to quickly find and get back to apps, website, image, or document just by describing its content." Recall did not have the best beginning, having been announced during the company's Build event and then swiftly pulled when the privacy and security implications of the initial implementation became clear. As it abruptly yanked Recall from the schedule, Microsoft promised that Windows Insiders would be given the opportunity to check out a revised version of the preview within weeks. Those weeks turned into months as engineers worked to secure the half-baked demoware and make it fit for production. The preview resurfaced in November for Windows Insiders running Snapdragon-based Copilot+ PCs. It soon encountered an issue where snapshots were not taken if an update had been applied before joining the Dev Channel. However, this has not stopped Microsoft from widening the net, so users with Intel and AMD-based Copilot+ PCs can now also check out the technology. The preview of Recall is also now rolling out to Windows Insiders in the European Economic Area (EEA). Windows Insiders on the Dev Channel can also access Click To Do on Intel and AMD-based Copilot+ PCs. Microsoft has continued to tweak the experience since the initial preview release with new ways to interact with the app and some additional functions, such as summarizing or rewriting text. While Recall has attracted a lot of controversy due to potential privacy violations, Click To Do is a useful tool that allows a user to interact with a snapshot or image. It can also be used without Recall being involved. Other updates include the arrival of CoCreator in Microsoft Paint for Intel and AMD-based devices, and AI prompt-based image manipulation in the Windows maker's Photos app. ®
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Windows 11's Recall feature finally rolls out to AMD and Intel Copilot+ PCs - here's how to try it
Bear in mind that the AI search feature is still in early testing at this point Windows 11's Recall ability is now available to all Copilot+ PCs - although the feature remains in testing - after it was only launched for Arm-based AI laptops to begin with. This means those with a Copilot+ PC that has an AMD or Intel processor - as opposed to an Arm-based Snapdragon chip - can now give Recall a spin and see what they think. Microsoft announced that with build 26120.2510, Copilot+ PCs with AMD and Intel silicon can access both Recall and Click to Do features, which are still in preview, in the Dev test channel. To give you a swift recap, Recall is the AI-powered search feature that uses regularly taken screenshots (called snapshots) and a natural language search to make it very easy to find things on your PC. As you've doubtless noticed, there's been a lot of controversy around this functionality, which is why Microsoft took it off the drawing board earlier this year, and reshaped a lot of Recall in terms of its privacy and security. Click to Do is a fresh introduction in testing that provides the ability to perform quick actions with text or images in Recall's snapshots, so you can easily copy text out of a snapshot, for example, or share an image, with a minimum of fuss. It seems like a useful complementary feature for Recall. The result of Microsoft's honing of privacy and security for Recall is a much better implementation of the feature, for sure - though that's partly due to the low bar set by the initial incarnation of this functionality. Which, frankly, remains a worrying aspect in itself (that Microsoft would even think it was ready for launch back in May). In early testing, the reaction to Recall has been somewhat mixed, with some Windows Insiders having sung its praises - such as Windows Central, which spotted the deployment of the feature to AMD and Intel devices - but others remain less sure of the value here. With a feature like this, we'd recommend staying on the sidelines for now, while any potential issues are worked out. However, if you're keen to give Recall a whirl, you'll need to install the test build of Windows 11 from the Dev channel on your Copilot+ PC. Bear firmly in mind that as an early preview build, this is an OS that could go wrong and end up with a reinstallation being needed (a worst-case scenario, admittedly - but one that still has to be considered). So don't go installing a Windows 11 preview version on your daily driver PC. If you still fancy taking the plunge, then Microsoft provides full instructions on how to get the necessary Dev channel test build of Windows 11 on your Copilot+ PC in this blog post. We'll repeat that guidance here for your convenience - just keep those mentioned caveats in mind, and follow these steps:
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Intel and AMD PCs finally get Microsoft Copilot+ features
Windows Insiders on compatible Intel and AMD hardware can take both Recall and Click to Do for a spin. Microsoft is promising an AI-driven future for Windows 11 -- but initially, only select PC owners could try Copilot+ features as they rolled out in preview. If you didn't own a laptop with a Snapdragon X Elite or X Plus processor, you had to wait. That changes today, with Microsoft's announcement of two Copilot+ features becoming available to compatible Intel and AMD PCs: Microsoft Recall and Click to Do. Of the two, Microsoft Recall has greater notoriety -- it captures your activity as you use your computer, taking screenshots every few seconds. Windows then leans on AI to sift through the accumulated data when you're seeking specific information like a recipe, conversation, or even document you previously worked on. Despite its obvious benefits, it also sparked debate over potential privacy and safety issues. Click to Do offers related utility, though less controversial. Whenever you take a screenshot of text and images, you can jump to common tasks. If you've captured text, you can choose to copy the words, open the text in an app, search online for selected text, visit a URL, or start an email. For image capture, you can copy it to your clipboard, save to a specific location, share it, open in a specific app, start an image search in Bing, or edit the image in the Photos app to blur the background, erase elements, or remove the background. For these features to work on your Intel or AMD PC, it must have a processor with an NPU that meets Copilot+ requirements. Currently, laptops with Intel Lunar Lake (aka Core Ultra 200V series) or AMD Ryzen AI 300 CPUs qualify. If that's your PC, you'll need to join the Windows Insiders program and install Build 26120.2510 to try Microsoft Recall and Click to Do. As is expected with these early preview versions of Windows, features may not yet fully work or have bugs -- as is the case for Recall, which has a lengthy list outlining known issues in Microsoft's blog post.
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Intel and AMD PCs are finally getting Copilot+ features, including Recall
Recap: New Windows AI features at the heart of Microsoft's Copilot+ PCs debuted exclusively on laptops equipped with Qualcomm's Arm-based Snapdragon X processors a few months ago. While the latest x86 chips from Intel and AMD also have integrated NPUs and carry the Copilot+ label, they have yet to receive any OS-level generative AI functionality. Windows 11 Insiders using CPUs from recent lineups such as Intel Core Ultra 200 and AMD Ryzen AI 300 can finally begin testing Copilot+ features like Recall and image generation. The GenAI features were previously exclusive to Snapdragon X chips. Dev channel participants can get started by updating to build 26120.2510. Other users can join the Microsoft Insider Program by registering on the website, then navigating to Settings > Windows Update > Windows Insider Program > Get Started and selecting Dev Channel before rebooting. Recall, likely the most essential yet controversial Copilot+ feature, "remembers" user activity by periodically taking screencaps and reading on-screen text. The functionality aims to help users retrieve information, but serious security concerns led Microsoft to delay it and later reintroduce Recall on an opt-in basis. Activating the feature allows users to open previously accessed files or programs through natural language text prompts if they've forgotten the locations or file names. Recall also contains a function called Click to Do, through which users can copy, summarize, or rewrite selected text using prompts. Additionally, Copilot allows the Paint and Photos apps to generate images from text prompts. Photos can also use prompts to restyle existing pictures. Snapdragon X PCs have gradually received Windows Insider builds with new GenAI features over the last few months. Paint recently received automatic fill-and-erase functionality, and Photos can upscale pictures using super-resolution upscaling. It remains unclear when this and other functionality will expand to x86 Copilot+ systems. The exclusivity period stems from Qualcomm's early cooperation with Microsoft on the Copilot+ initiative, which aimed to use the introduction of onboard GenAI to boost Arm Windows adoption. Snapdragon X CPUs were the first to meet Microsoft's Copilot+ standards by including NPUs capable of at least 40 TOPs, but similarly-specced x86 processors from Intel's Core 200V series and AMD's Ryzen AI 300 lineups soon followed. Bringing GenAI to the standard version of Windows 11 could broaden its reach, but customer enthusiasm for the technology has yet to solidify. Recent sales charts suggest that AI PC adoption is driven primarily by more extended battery life and typical upgrade cycles.
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Copilot+ is finally coming to Intel and AMD Windows 11 PCs as Snapdragon exclusivity ends
After months of being exclusive to Qualcomm's Snapdragon X series of processors, the Copilot+ features on Windows 11 are now starting to become available to Intel and AMD-powered PCs. The latest Windows 11 build in the Dev channel brings all the existing Copilot+ experiences to laptops powered by Intel Core Ultra Series 2 processors and AMD Ryzen AI 300 HX chips. ✕ Remove Ads This latest release also comes with a new way to use Click To Do, which can be accessed anywhere while using your PC. Related After five months of delays, Copilot+ Recall is now available for Windows Insiders It's been a long time coming Posts Copilot+ comes to Intel and AMD Close It had been some time since Microsoft promised Copilot+ features would come to PCs with Intel and AMD processors by the end of the year, and today, it's finally happened. Initially, availability was planned for some time in November, but it was going to be after Microsoft made Recall available for Snapdragon PCs, which was planned for October at the time. Instead, Recall was only made available to Insiders with Snapdragon X PCs in late November, so the Intel and AMD launch was delayed as well. ✕ Remove Ads The availability of Copilot+ brings all the existing features to laptops with Intel Core Ultra Series 2 (Lunar Lake) and AMD Ryzen AI 300 HX (Strix Point) processors. All of these models were released from July 2024 onwards, meaning you still need to have a very recent computer in order to enjoy these features. Any computer launched before July will not be compatible with Copilot+ since they don't have an NPU with at least 40TOPS of performance. In addition to Recall, which lets you go back to anything you were doing in the past and search your activity history with natural language, Copilot+ brings many other experiences to these PCs. This includes: advanced Windows Studio Effects, with new filters and a more aggressive eye contact feature; Cocreator in Paint, which allows you to doodle an image and ask paint to convert it into a more complex image using a variety of styles; Image Creator and Restyle Image in Photos, allowing you to create completely new images or change the look of an existing image using only the power available locally on your device. ✕ Remove Ads A few features aren't mentioned in Microsoft's announcement, however. These include live captions with real-time translation, Super Resolution in the Photos app, and Generative fill in the Paint app. It's unclear if these were overlooked for the announcement or if they may only be rolled out later. New features for Click To Do Image credit: Microsoft The last major feature that's part of Copilot+ is Click To Do, which is also becoming available to Intel and AMD PCs, following its recent release for Snapdragon. However, Click To Do is also getting a worthy upgrade of its own for all Windows Insiders in the Dev channel today, whether you have a Snapdragon, Intel, or AMD Copilot+ PC. ✕ Remove Ads With the latest update, you can now launch Click To Do from basically anywhere while using your PC, with a few different methods available. You can hold the Windows Key and right-click the screen, press the Windows key + Q, using the Snipping Tool, ot searching for "click to do" in the search bar. Either way, you no longer have to open Recall first and use Click To Do on a saved snapshot -- you can just use it in real time whenever you need it. What's more, Click To Do now offers a couple of new text actions, those being the ability to summarize or rewrite a piece of text. This is the first use of the Phi Silica small language model Microsoft announced earlier this year, which runs entirely on device. However, these new text actions are currently exclusive to Snapdragon PCs, with support for Intel and AMD PCs coming soon. All of this is rolling out with build 26120.2510 of Windows 11, which is now available in the Dev channel. The update also includes the updated design language for Windows Hello and other minor improvements. If you're already enrolled in the channel, you'll get the update automatically sooner rather than later. Related Explaining the Windows Insider Program channels for Windows 11 betas Microsoft's Windows Insider Program can be confusing if you're new, so here's everything you need to know for testing the Windows 11 beta. Posts ✕ Remove Ads
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Microsoft Opens up Windows 11 AI Features to More PCs
Got a BSOD After Windows 24H2? Here Are The Most Common Reasons (and Fixes) Microsoft is making its Copilot+ AI features available to more Windows 11 computers. This change is being rolled out to Windows Insiders in the Dev Channel with build 26120.2510, allowing more people to try out the new features and share their feedback. Microsoft has been trying to push AI features into its PCs, with some PCs being built with CoPilot in mind. These AI features were mostly available on devices using Snapdragon processors, but it looks like they're coming to PCs with AMD and Intel processors, too. The infamous Recall preview is getting slight improvements. Recall uses AI to help users quickly find apps, websites, images, and documents they've looked at before by describing what they're searching for. This feature, which works with Click to Do, is now available for Insiders using AMD and Intel-powered Copilot+ PCs, following an earlier trial on Snapdragon devices. Recall has had a pretty rough history, but Microsoft has not stopped trying to bring it to users. Close The latest update introduces Cocreator in Paint for PCs powered by AMD and Intel with Copilot+. Cocreator lets users create artwork by simply typing in text prompts. The Photos app has also been updated with new tools: Image Creator, which lets users make images from text prompts, and Restyle Image, which lets users add different artistic styles to their existing photos. These tools use the AI capabilities of Copilot+ PCs to work efficiently on the device itself. The update also adds new ways to use the Click to Do feature, which uses a small language model on your device. You can now access Click to Do by pressing the Windows key and clicking the mouse, using the Windows key + Q, through the Snipping Tool menu, pressing the print screen button, or searching in the Windows taskbar. There are also improved text actions, like summarizing and rewriting text, which will initially be available in English on Snapdragon devices, with support for AMD and Intel coming soon. These updates aim to make it easier and more intuitive for users to interact with what's on their screen. This test brings a lot of new features, but it also brings various improvements and fixes. These are being gradually released to Insiders who opted to receive updates right away. This includes a refreshed Windows Hello experience with better visuals and easier passkey management. Several bug fixes also address problems with the taskbar, the file explorer, audio devices, and Excel. Source: Microsoft
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Microsoft has extended the availability of its controversial Recall AI feature in Windows 11 to Intel and AMD-powered Copilot+ PCs for Windows Insiders in the Dev Channel, addressing previous security concerns and expanding its functionality.
Microsoft Expands Recall AI Feature to More Windows 11 Users
Microsoft has announced a significant expansion of its Recall AI feature, now making it available to Windows Insiders with Intel and AMD-powered Copilot+ PCs
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. This move comes after the initial release for Snapdragon-based Copilot+ PCs and addresses several concerns that arose during its earlier introduction.Background and Initial Concerns
Recall, first unveiled at Microsoft's Build event, is an AI-powered feature that captures screenshots of a user's desktop at regular intervals, allowing users to search and retrieve past activities using natural language
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. However, its initial announcement was met with criticism due to privacy and security concerns, leading Microsoft to temporarily withdraw the feature for refinement4
.Enhanced Security Measures
In response to the initial backlash, Microsoft has implemented several security enhancements:
- Opt-in functionality: Users must manually enable the snapshot feature
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. - Windows Hello integration: Facial recognition is required to access snapshots
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. - BitLocker and Secure Boot: These security features are now mandatory for using Recall
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. - Sensitive information filtering: The system now excludes credit card numbers, passwords, and other sensitive data from snapshots
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. - Customizable settings: Users can exclude specific apps, websites, or private browsing sessions from being captured
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New Features and Functionality
The latest update introduces several new features:
- Click to Do: This feature allows users to interact with elements in snapshots, such as copying text or saving images
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. - Image Creator and Restyle Image: These AI-powered tools are now available in the Microsoft Photos app for Copilot+ PCs
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. - Language support: Recall now supports multiple languages, including Chinese (simplified), English, French, German, Japanese, and Spanish
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Rollout and Availability
The expanded Recall preview is available to Windows Insiders in the Dev Channel after installing Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 26120.2510 (KB5048780)
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. Microsoft is gradually rolling out the feature, including to users in the European Economic Area (EEA)3
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Ongoing Development and User Feedback
While Microsoft continues to refine Recall, user reactions have been mixed. Some praise its functionality, while others remain skeptical about its value and potential risks
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. As the feature is still in early testing, Microsoft is likely to make further adjustments based on user feedback and performance data.Implications for the AI PC Market
This expansion of Recall to Intel and AMD-powered devices signifies Microsoft's commitment to advancing AI capabilities across various hardware platforms. It also highlights the growing competition in the AI PC market, as manufacturers and software developers race to integrate more advanced AI features into consumer devices
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