Microsoft has announced significant changes to the Recall feature in Windows 11, which Take screenshots of all activities on your PC, in response to growing security concerns. Recall was initially supposed to be enabled by default on all new Copilot Plus PCs, but will now be an option during initial device setup.
Changes came in response to criticism
The feature, introduced as part of the Windows 11 update, had drawn criticism from security and privacy experts who feared it could become a cybersecurity disaster. In response, Microsoft has decided to make Recall an opt-in featurei.e. it can only be activated upon explicit choice of the user. “If you don’t choose to enable it, it will remain disabled by default,” said Pavan Davuluri, head of the Windows division.
To further increase security, Microsoft has implemented new levels of data protection for images captured by Recall. Now, accessing your pictures and activity history will require authentication via Windows Hello, which may include facial recognition, fingerprint recognition, or a PIN. “Additionally, history and search in Recall will require proof of user presence,” added Davuluri, ensuring that information is accessible only after authentication.
The future of Recall
Microsoft developed Recall under the new Secure Future Initiative (SFI), which aims to improve software security after various attacks suffered by its cloud services. The decision to make Recall opt-in and strengthen security measures is one direct consequence of both internal and external pressure to prioritize security over new features.
Satya Nadella, CEO of Microsoft, emphasized the importance of security in a memo shared internally: “If you have to choose between security and something else, the answer is clear: choose security.” This approach reflects the company’s commitment to addressing the security needs of its users and maintaining trust in its software ecosystem.
