Microsoft has announced yet another delay in the rollout of its controversial Recall feature for Copilot Plus PCs. Originally scheduled to begin testing for Windows Insiders in October, the company has decided to take additional time to finalize the feature before making it available. The new target for the feature preview is December.
Recall was originally planned to debut alongside Copilot Plus on PCs in June, but security issues caused delays. After the first postponement, Microsoft planned to release in October, but now those plans have shifted to December. The many delays are due to significant security changes to the Recall feature, which ensure that it will be optional with the ability to be completely removed if users wish.
The Recall feature is designed to leverage the local artificial intelligence models built into Windows 11, allowing users to take screenshots of almost anything they see or do on their computers. This feature will allow users to search and restore past activities by providing a timeline that allows them to scroll through snapshots and view activities taken on specific days. For example, users can easily view documents they’ve viewed or tasks they’ve completed, increasing productivity and improving information retrieval.
To address security concerns, Microsoft has focused on encrypting the Recall database, and access to it will be provided only through Windows Hello authentication. Earlier this week, Microsoft confirmed that Recall will not be mandatory for users and will remain an optional feature. This clarification came in response to misinformation spread on platforms such as YouTube, which claimed that Recall was automatically installed on all computers running Windows 11, version 24H2.
