Microsoft is rolling out the first preview of its Recall AI feature for Copilot Plus PCs, marking a significant step in the company’s AI efforts. After several delays, the feature is now available for Windows Insiders in the Dev Channel, allowing users to install a new Windows 11 build that includes both Recall and Click to Do, a feature akin to Google’s Circle to Search.
Recall captures screenshots of nearly everything users do on a Copilot Plus PC, making it easier to search and retrace actions. When snapshots are enabled, users can utilize the Recall app to search for past activities using natural language queries. Additionally, a scrollable timeline allows users to quickly navigate back to a specific date and view apps or websites they were using. The AI-powered search results from Recall not only match text but also visual elements from the snapshots.
This new feature is entirely optional; users must choose to enable it. Once enabled, the models for both Recall and Click to Do will begin downloading in the background after installing the latest Windows 11 build. Initially, the preview is available only on Qualcomm-powered Copilot Plus PCs, with support for Intel and AMD-powered devices expected soon.
Users have control over which snapshots are saved and can delete them at any time. Microsoft also provides the option to exclude specific apps and websites from being captured. The system is designed to recognize and avoid saving sensitive information, such as credit card numbers, passwords, and personal identification numbers.
Importantly, Microsoft has emphasized privacy: Recall snapshots are not sent to the cloud and are not used to train AI models. According to Microsoft’s Windows Insider team, “We do not send your snapshots off your PC to Microsoft or third parties, and don’t use them for training purposes.” Furthermore, Microsoft cannot access encrypted data, meaning it cannot retrieve snapshots if users remove Windows Hello, reset their PCs, or move to a new device.
To use Recall, users must authenticate their presence through Windows Hello, and the feature also requires BitLocker and Secure Boot, which should already be enabled on Copilot Plus PCs.
Alongside Recall, Click to Do adds another layer of functionality to the new test build of Windows 11. This feature recognizes text and images within Recall snapshots, enabling AI-powered actions such as copying text or saving images from past snapshots.
In the future, Click to Do will extend beyond Recall. By pressing the Windows key and left-clicking the mouse, users will activate an interactive overlay on their screen that allows them to select text or images and perform actions like copying or searching. Microsoft plans to integrate Click to Do with other content, such as YouTube videos, enabling users to visually search for items within a video using Bing.
Recall represents a major test for Microsoft’s AI ambitions within Windows, showcasing the company’s drive to innovate within the smart PC ecosystem. Originally planned for release alongside Copilot Plus PCs in June, Recall faced multiple delays due to security concerns. Microsoft chose to rework the feature to address these concerns, making it an opt-in feature and ensuring that Copilot Plus PC owners can uninstall it if desired.
With this preview release, security researchers will likely scrutinize Recall to evaluate its security features before it becomes more widely available to Copilot Plus PC users. Microsoft’s efforts to balance functionality, privacy, and security in this AI-driven feature will be critical as it pushes forward with its vision of a more intelligent, responsive operating system.