Your Windows PC may have a feature that can capture snapshots of what you’re doing on your screen.
It’s called Microsoft Recall, and it was designed to act like a searchable visual memory of your computer activity.
Recall is available on compatible Copilot+ PCs. If you choose to enable it, Windows periodically saves snapshots of your active screen and lets you later search through them using natural language. That could include things you’ve viewed in apps, websites, images and documents.
The feature sparked major privacy and security concerns when Microsoft first announced it in 2024. Critics worried that sensitive information appearing on screen could become part of a searchable record on the computer.
Microsoft subsequently changed the design.
Today, Recall is opt-in. Snapshots aren’t saved unless the user chooses to enable the feature. Microsoft says the snapshots and related data are stored locally and encrypted, with Windows Hello used to authenticate access. Users can pause or disable snapshots, filter apps and websites, and delete stored snapshots.
And there’s an interesting example of how seriously other privacy-focused apps have treated the feature.
Signal Desktop enables screen security by default on Windows 11 specifically to prevent its messages from being captured by Recall.
So the original idea that your computer could potentially keep a searchable photographic record of what appears on your screen—is real.
But if you recently bought a Windows PC, don’t assume Recall is secretly running.
Go to Settings and check whether Save snapshots is enabled.
If you don’t want Windows keeping these snapshots, you can turn the feature off.
Your computer should make it clear what it’s recording and give you the choice.