Stop Windows Recall on Copilot+ PCs: A Guide to Turning Off Screen Recording

• Windows Recall captures and analyzes screen snapshots every five seconds to help users search for content using natural language, but it can be disabled in the settings due to privacy concerns.
• To disable or customize Recall, go to Settings > Privacy and security > Recall and snapshots, or pause it temporarily via the taskbar icon.

Windows Recall is probably the most intriguing new feature Microsoft announced at their launch event on the month of May (alongside Copilot+ PCs). The new program runs locally on your system (provided you have an NPU, which is the equivalent of a Copilot Plus PC) and records everything you’ve done using your computer, along with periodic images so you can find and access every piece of content that you’ve engaged with.

Microsoft can describe the Recall function in the following manner:

“While you’re using your computer, Recall will take photographs of the screen. Snapshots are taken each five seconds when the information displayed on screen is different from the snapshot taken before. The snapshots are saved locally before being analyzed on your computer. Analyzing Recall lets you find content, which includes texts and images, using natural languages.”

This will allow you to search for everything. Recall could become the sort that of “photographic memory” for your PC that can keep track of everything you’ve completed in it. Recall is also coming to German-speaking PCs from the beginning.

It is possible to start Recall via pressing the Windows button + J, or clicking the Recall icon located on the taskbar.

But, Recall has been criticized since its inception due to possible data privacy concerns. Therefore, if you don’t wish to be observed by Windows throughout the day There’s just one choice: turn off Recall.

What can be done to turn off Recall

If you’d like to turn off Recall entirely then go into Settings, Privacy and security > Recall and snapshots within Windows and turn off the Save snapshots feature by moving the slider towards the Off place.

Alternate: Allow only the recall of certain actions to be recorded.

If you’d like to keep this feature off, you can take the time to decide which apps or websites can be used and those that cannot be. The Chrome as well as Firefox users must also turn to automatic blockage of windows in private browsers (only Edge’s inPrivate windows are not blocked as default).

Microsoft has provided detailed information for you to customize the recall to suit your needs.

Turn off Recall and switch it off for a limited duration

It is also possible to quickly turn off Recall after a brief time. For a pause in Recall, simply select Recall’s icon on the taskbar. Select Stop/pause until tomorrow. Snapshots are suspended until they’re immediately resumed around 12:00 noon.