Microsoft has delayed its controversial Recall feature for Copilot+ PCs mulitple times by now, and on Thursday it said that it would delay it by several more weeks again, as it needs more time to make it more secure. Microsoft now plans to make its Recall feature available for Windows Insiders by December, reports The Verge.
Initially scheduled for a June rollout, Recall — a feature that screenshots everything that happens on the disply of a Copilot+ PC — has faced repeated setbacks as Microsoft worked to address privacy and security concerns. Key updates include making Recall an entirely opt-in feature on Copilot Plus PCs, with options allowing users to fully uninstall the tool. However, the feature was not launched this Summer and was delayed to October. Now, it is delayed till December even for participants of the Windows Insider program.
"We are committed to delivering a secure and trusted experience with Recall," a statement by Microsoft published by The Verge reads. "To ensure we deliver on these important updates, we are taking additional time to refine the experience before previewing it with Windows Insiders. Originally planned for October, Recall will now be available for preview with Windows Insiders on Copilot+ PCs by December."
Recall is designed to capture screenshots of actions on Copilot+ PCs, giving users a timeline view of their recent activity. The feature uses local AI models embedded in Windows 11, enabling users to search and retrieve past content to look back on specific tasks, meetings, or other daily activities directly from their PCs. But what if someone else gets access to that database?
The latest security improvements focus on protecting the Recall database, which is a visual repository of user activity. Microsoft has added encryption and restricted access through Windows Hello authentication to ensure that data within Recall remains safe and accessible only to the authenticated user.
While Microsoft is taking steps to make its Recall feature as safe as possible, there will be users who will believe that this is not enough. To address such concerns, Microsoft will not make recall a mandatory feature of Copilot+ PCs. Microsoft also clarified that Recall will not be turned on by default on Windows 11 24H2 PCs (as rumored) and will remain optional.
The Verge also claims that bugs have also surfaced after Microsoft pulled Recall from its slated June launch. These issues have affected how Recall appears and functions within Windows 11, which is another reason why Microsoft had to delay the rollout of the feature.
