What Is Recall in Windows 11 and How Does It Work

If you’ve read anything about Windows 11 recently, you’ve probably seen the name Recall alongside words like “controversy,” “privacy,” and “AI.” I won’t deny that Recall is probably the most controversial feature Microsoft has launched in years. But before judging it, it’s worth understanding what Recall in Windows 11 is and how it works, because reality is more nuanced than headlines suggest.

Recall is an AI feature that automatically captures screenshots of everything you do on your PC and stores them so you can search through them later. Yes, it literally “remembers” everything. The idea is that you can find anything you’ve seen or done on your computer, as if you had perfect memory. But as you can imagine, this raises many privacy questions.

Table of contents

What exactly is Recall?

Recall is an AI feature available on Copilot+ PCs (computers with Qualcomm Snapdragon X, Intel Lunar Lake, or AMD Strix Point processors) that takes periodic screenshots of your screen and processes them with AI to create a searchable index of everything you’ve done.

How does it technically work?

The process is as follows:

1. Automatic capture: Recall takes a screenshot every few seconds while you use your PC.
2. AI processing: Screenshots are processed through a language model running on an NPU (Neural Processing Unit) built into the processor. This processing is done locally, not in the cloud.
3. Indexing: The AI analyzes text, images, and visual interfaces in each screenshot and creates a search index.
4. Search: When you search for something, Recall retrieves relevant screenshots and shows you a timeline of what you were doing.

Practical example

Imagine three days ago you were looking at an apple pie recipe on a website, but you didn’t save it. With Recall, you open the feature, search “apple pie,” and it shows you exactly the screenshot from the moment you were viewing that recipe, with the page link and everything.

Which devices support Recall?

Recall isn’t available on all Windows 11 PCs. It’s exclusive to Copilot+ PCs, which are computers with specific hardware:

If you have a PC with a regular Intel Core processor (without NPU) or an AMD Ryzen without the AI unit, Recall won’t work on your machine. It also doesn’t work on older PCs or processors without neural processing units.

Important fact: Even on compatible Copilot+ PCs, Recall is optional. It’s not activated automatically. You have to enable it manually in settings, and Microsoft added many privacy controls precisely because of the controversy it generated.

Privacy features in Recall

Microsoft learned (the hard way) from the initial public reaction and added quite a few privacy controls:

What you can configure

• Turn on/off: You can disable Recall completely at any time.
• Exclude apps: You can choose which apps you DON’T want Recall to capture (e.g., browser in incognito mode, banking apps, etc.).
• Exclude websites: You can exclude specific web domains.
• Exclude time periods: You can pause Recall temporarily.
• Delete screenshots: You can delete screenshots from a specific period or all of them.
• Storage: Screenshots are stored locally, not in Microsoft’s cloud.
• Encryption: Recall data is encrypted and linked to your Windows account via Windows Hello.

What Recall does NOT capture

• Browser windows in incognito/private mode (automatically excluded).
• DRM-protected windows like Netflix or Disney+ (protected content isn’t captured).
• Apps manually excluded by the user.

Benefits and risks of Recall

Benefits

• Perfect PC memory: Find anything you’ve seen without saving it.
• Visual search: You can search by text, image, or concept.
• Local processing: The AI runs on the PC’s NPU, not in the cloud, which is more private than other solutions.
• Productivity: Find an email, website, or document you saw days ago without remembering where.

Risks

• Privacy: Although screenshots are stored locally, someone with physical access to your PC could view them.
• Sensitive data: If you don’t exclude the right apps, Recall can capture passwords, banking data, or private conversations.
• Disk space: Screenshots consume space. Microsoft recommends at least 256 GB SSD for Recall to work well.
• False sense of security: Knowing it’s “encrypted” doesn’t mean it’s invulnerable.

FAQ: Frequently Asked Questions

Does Recall send my data to Microsoft?

No. Processing is done locally on your PC’s NPU. Screenshots are stored on your hard drive, not sent to Microsoft servers. It’s one of the few AI features in Windows 11 that works without an internet connection.

Can someone hack my Recall screenshots?

Technically, if someone gains access to your Windows account, they could view the screenshots. But they’re protected by Windows Hello (PIN code, fingerprint, or facial recognition) and encrypted on disk. The risk is similar to any file on your PC.

Can I use Recall without a Copilot+ PC?

No. Recall requires an NPU (neural processing unit) that only Copilot+ PC-compatible processors have. It cannot be enabled on traditional PCs.

Is Recall legal in Europe?

Yes, with the privacy measures Microsoft has implemented. Users can disable it, exclude apps, and delete data. It complies with GDPR as long as the user is aware of what they’re enabling and has control over the data.

Conclusion

Understanding what Recall in Windows 11 is and how it works is fundamental for making an informed decision. Recall is a powerful feature that can significantly boost your productivity, but it requires you to be aware of what it does and properly configure your privacy settings.

My personal recommendation: if you have a Copilot+ PC, try it. Enable it for a week, exclude sensitive apps, and decide if the utility of having “perfect memory” for your PC is worth the potential risks. For many professional users working with lots of information, it can be a game changer. For others, it’ll be unnecessary. The decision is yours.