How to Disable Recall in Windows 11 for Privacy

If you’ve landed here, you’ve probably read about Recall in Windows 11 and were left with the feeling that Microsoft wants to spy on everything you do. I don’t blame you. The idea that your PC takes automatic screenshots of everything can be unsettling, especially if you work with sensitive data or simply value your privacy. Let’s see how to disable Recall in Windows 11 for privacy step by step, without jargon and definitively.

The first thing I want you to know is that Recall is disabled by default on all Copilot+ PCs. It doesn’t activate on its own. But if for some reason you enabled it and want to go back, or if you want to make sure it never activates, here’s everything you need to know.

Table of contents

How to disable Recall in Windows 11 completely

If you already have Recall enabled and want to disable it completely, follow these steps:

Method 1: From Windows Settings

1. Open Settings (Win + I).
2. Go to Privacy & security.
3. Find the section “Recall & snapshots.”
4. Toggle off the main switch for “Save snapshots.”
5. Confirm the deactivation when prompted.

Method 2: From the Copilot panel

1. Open Copilot (Win + C).
2. Find the Recall option in the side menu.
3. Click Settings.
4. Disable the feature from there.

Method 3: From PowerShell (advanced method)

If you want to be 100% sure Recall is disabled at the system level:

1. Open PowerShell as administrator (search “PowerShell” > right-click > Run as administrator).
2. Run the following command:

Disable-WindowsOptionalFeature -Online -FeatureName "Recall"

3. Restart your PC when prompted.

Note: This method disables Recall at the Windows feature level. To re-enable it, you’d need to run the command with “Enable” instead of “Disable.”

How to exclude apps and websites from Recall

If you prefer to keep Recall enabled but exclude certain applications or websites from being captured:

Exclude applications

1. Go to Settings > Privacy & security > Recall & snapshots.
2. Find the “Excluded apps” section.
3. Click “Add app” and select the ones you want to exclude.

Apps I recommend ALWAYS excluding:

• Your password manager (1Password, Bitwarden, KeePass).
• Your banking or investment app.
• Any private messaging app (Signal, Telegram private chats).
• Your email client if you handle confidential data.
• Browser in incognito mode (auto-excluded, but verify).

Exclude websites

1. In the same Recall settings section.
2. Look for “Excluded websites.”
3. Add the domains you want to protect (e.g., your online bank, your company portal, etc.).

How to delete all Recall screenshots

If you already have stored screenshots and want to delete them all:

Delete entire history

1. Go to Settings > Privacy & security > Recall & snapshots.
2. Find “Delete Recall data” or “Delete snapshots.”
3. Select “Delete all.”
4. Confirm the action.

Delete screenshots from a specific period

1. In the same section, find “Delete by period.”
2. Select the date range (last day, last week, last month).
3. Confirm the deletion.

Delete screenshots from the Recall explorer

1. Open Recall (taskbar icon or Win + C).
2. Navigate through the timeline.
3. Select individual screenshots and click Delete.

Recommended security configuration

If you decide to keep Recall enabled, here’s the security setup I recommend:

Step 1: Secure access with Windows Hello

1. Go to Settings > Accounts > Sign-in options.
2. Set up Windows Hello with fingerprint or facial recognition.
3. Never use just a simple PIN to protect your data.

Step 2: Disk encryption

1. Go to Settings > Privacy & security > Device encryption.
2. Make sure encryption is enabled.
3. This protects your screenshots even if someone removes the SSD from your PC.

Step 3: Screen timeout

1. Go to Settings > System > Power & screen.
2. Set automatic screen lock to 1-2 minutes.
3. This way, Recall only captures while you’re actively using the PC.

FAQ: Frequently Asked Questions

Does disabling Recall affect my PC’s performance?

No. Disabling Recall has no negative performance impact. In fact, by freeing up NPU resources and stopping screenshot saves, you might notice a slight improvement in performance and disk space.

Can I disable Recall permanently?

Yes. The methods I’ve shown you disable Recall persistently. It won’t re-enable on its own after Windows updates. However, if you do a clean reinstall of Windows, you’d need to disable it again.

Does Recall work in browser incognito mode?

No. Browsers (Chrome, Edge, Firefox) automatically exclude incognito mode from Recall screenshots. Microsoft designed this exclusion from the start.

What if I sell my Copilot+ PC with Recall enabled?

Before selling or giving away your PC, ALWAYS delete all Recall data and disable the feature. Ideally, do a full factory reset (Settings > System > Recovery > Reset this PC) which removes all your data, including Recall screenshots.

Are there alternatives to Recall if I want a similar feature without the risks?

Yes. Third-party tools like Rewind AI offer similar functionality with more privacy controls. But the reality is that any tool that captures your screen has the same fundamental risks.

Conclusion

Knowing how to disable Recall in Windows 11 for privacy is something every Copilot+ PC user should be aware of. Whether you want to disable it completely, exclude certain apps, or simply delete accumulated screenshots, Windows 11 gives you the tools to control this feature.

My personal opinion: if you don’t need Recall for your work, leave it disabled. The privacy risks, however minimal with current protections, aren’t worth it for most users. If you do need it, configure it properly, exclude sensitive apps, and keep encryption enabled.