There’s been a lot of talk about Windows Recall, and it’s easy to understand why. A feature that takes snapshots of your screen and lets you search your activity like a timeline is both impressive and a little intimidating. Some people see it as a huge timesaver while others are worried about privacy and how their data is stored. Honestly, I get both sides, it’s a powerful idea, but one that deserves a closer look.
This guide is here to explain Recall in simple, honest terms: what Recall does, how it works, where your data goes, and how you can control all of it. Nothing here is meant to convince you to use it. It’s just the information people usually look for before deciding.
One important thing first. Recall is exclusive to Copilot+ PCs. It requires a powerful NPU (Neural Processing Unit) to process snapshots locally and securely. Traditional Windows 11 computers don’t have this hardware, so Recall isn’t available, and likely won’t be, on regular devices. Officially, the feature is called Recall (Preview) – which means it’s still in development and may change over time based on user feedback. Microsoft has already adjusted its rollout based on privacy concerns, and more refinements are likely as people start using it and sharing their experiences. For easier reading, we’ll simply refer to it as Recall throughout this guide.
What Recall Does and Why It Worries Some Users
Recall is designed to act like a visual memory for your PC. Every few seconds (roughly every 5 seconds) it quietly captures a static snapshot of whatever’s on your screen. Later, you can search through these snapshots using keywords or natural language, even if you forgot to save or bookmark something.
For example, you might type: The website with the blue “Read More” button – and Recall will surface matching snapshots from your timeline (and hopefully show you my website’s homepage!). It pulls both Text and Visual matches, and organizes results into tabs at the top, like “All”, “Copilot”, “Edge”, “Word”, or whatever apps and sites you were using at the time, so you can quickly narrow down where you saw it. Recall is especially helpful when retracing research or finding something you saw but didn’t save.
That said, Recall isn’t perfect. Because it captures at fixed intervals, it can miss things, especially if you scroll quickly, switch apps rapidly, or view something for just a moment. Recall is not a screen recorder, and it doesn’t capture video or audio – just static frames. This design keeps things lightweight and private, but it also means Recall won’t catch everything.
Still, the idea of your screen being saved every few seconds raises valid concerns – and before enabling Recall, I made sure to ask the right ones: is Recall secure, where is the data stored, can I control what Recall sees, can I delete snapshots, and can I pause Recall snapshotting? All of those answers are covered below.
These concerns were serious enough that Microsoft changed how Recall is rolled out. During early testing, it was enabled by default – but now Recall is turned off by default. So you must manually enable it from settings, and it stays off unless you choose to turn it on. For Copilot+ PC users, this is good news: you’re in full control from the start. You decide if and when Recall becomes part of your workflow. Next, let’s look at how Recall stores and protects your data.
How Recall Stores and Protects Your Data
This part can get technical, and the explanations online are often confusing. The easiest way to make sense of it is with a simple Q&A format, based on the same questions most people (including me) ask before turning Recall on.
1. Is Recall secure? Yes. Snapshots are stored in an encrypted database tied to your device and protected by Windows Hello. Without face, fingerprint, or PIN authentication, Recall stays locked.
2. Where is the data stored? Everything is saved locally on your PC. There’s no syncing, no cloud backup, and nothing sent to Microsoft servers. Your Recall data never leaves your device unless you manually copy or delete it.
3. Can I control what Recall sees and captures? Absolutely. You can block apps, websites, or anything that contains sensitive information. Private browser windows (like InPrivate or Incognito) and secure screens like password prompts are excluded automatically.
4. Can I delete Recall snapshots? Yes, anytime. You can remove individual history entries directly from the Recall app by clicking the three-dot menu next to any snapshot. To delete everything at once, go to Settings > Privacy & Security > Recall & snapshots, where you’ll find options to clear your entire timeline. When you delete Recall data, it’s actually removed, not just hidden.
5. Can I pause or turn Recall off? Sure. You can pause it manually at any time — including a quick option to pause until tomorrow directly from the system tray. If you want to stop it completely, you can toggle the “Save snapshots” switch to OFF in Settings > Privacy & Security > Recall & snapshots.
6. Does Recall take up a lot of space? You decide how much it can use. Windows lets you set a storage limit between 25 GB and 150 GB, and once that limit is reached, the oldest snapshots are automatically deleted to free up space. You can also control how long snapshots are retained, for example, keeping only the last 3 months or 30 days, depending on your preferences.
7. Who can access my Recall history? Nobody can access your Recall history without signing into your account and passing Windows Hello authentication (face, fingerprint, or PIN). Even if someone removes your SSD and connects it to a different computer, Recall stays locked and unreadable.
How Recall Works When You Use It
From my point of view, Microsoft nailed the interface. It’s intuitive, user-friendly, and doesn’t take long to figure out. You open the app, and everything just makes sense. Let’s break it down into three parts:
Home Screen: The Home screen shows a grid of your most recent snapshots, grouped by time and also organized by apps and websites for easier browsing. At the top, there’s a search bar, and you don’t need to think too hard about phrasing. Just type whatever comes to mind, and Recall will surface matching results.
Timeline View: If you remember roughly when something happened, the Timeline view lets you scroll through your activity hour by hour. It’s interactive, and genuinely useful. Here you can:
- Click to highlight and copy text from any snapshot;
- Delete individual snapshots or entire sets from a specific app or website;
- Copy the full snapshot as an image;
- Edit it directly using the Snipping Tool, which is surprisingly handy.
Settings: In the bottom-left corner of the Recall app, you’ll find Settings – a compact menu that lets you pause snapshotting instantly, clear or stop your search history, or dive into the full Recall settings for storage limits, exclusions, and privacy customization.
Personal Opinion: Should You Use Recall
I believe that whether you use Recall or not completely depends on whether you actually need it – simple as that. No grand philosophy here. If the idea of a searchable memory layer sounds useful to you, it probably will be. If not, you’re not missing out on anything essential.
Personally, I use two profiles on my Copilot+ PC: one for personal use, and another for running yourwindows11guide.com. Recall is only enabled on that second profile, and it’s already helped me a few times. When I’m exploring topics, comparing sources, or trying to gather ideas across multiple tabs, Recall makes it easy to retrace what I’ve seen and grab something I forgot to save. If you’re reading this, you’re probably already considering a Copilot+ PC or have one in front of you – so it’s worth giving Recall a try. Turn it on, explore the settings, and if it doesn’t feel useful, just turn it off. You’re in control the whole time!
If you’re curious about what else Copilot PCs can do, I’ve shared plenty of personal examples in my Copilot+ PC category. From how I decided to purchase mine, to setting it up, testing different features, and constantly exploring what makes these machines different, it’s all there if you want a deeper look.
