Microsoft has just set the digital cat amongst the privacy pigeons with its official launch of Recall — an AI-powered feature that quietly screenshots your every move on a Copilot Plus PC. For those keeping score at home (or, let’s be real, for those who can’t even recall what they were doing this morning), Recall promises to make picking up where you left off almost eerily effortless. Scroll through your PC’s timeline and relive all your digital moments except, maybe, that embarrassing tab you hoped would vanish forever.
Originally supposed to launch alongside Copilot Plus PCs last June, Recall was benched after security researchers practically set off fire alarms over how much invasive potential the feature held. Microsoft spent the next 10 months frantically padding Recall's privacy helmet, and now you must actually choose to enable it. The result: an overhauled, opt-in feature that encrypts its snapshot database and tries (key word: tries) to filter out sensitive information by default.
But is it safe? According to security researcher Kevin Beaumont, Microsoft has at least buckled its security seatbelt: Recall is now encrypted, has opt-in privacy gates, and applies default filters to keep out sensitive data. However, the filter isn’t foolproof — some apps and websites may slip through the cracks, meaning you might still end up with a searchable archive of things you didn’t want your PC to remember. The fact that you can access Recall with a basic four-digit PIN on Windows Hello (instead of the more robust facial recognition or fingerprint) raises a few eyebrows, though Microsoft claims some form of biometric sign-in is mandatory. Color us cautiously optimistic, with a side helping of worry.
This applies not just to File Explorer but across Windows search and settings, making it notably easier for people who don't memorize filenames with the rigor of a tax auditor.
Welcome to the era where forgetting what you did on your PC is no longer a bug — it’s just Microsoft’s way of making sure you never lose track again, whether you want them to help or not.
Source: The Verge Microsoft launches Recall and AI-powered Windows search for Copilot Plus PCs
Recall: The Screenshot Time Machine (Now With Slightly Less Terror)
Originally supposed to launch alongside Copilot Plus PCs last June, Recall was benched after security researchers practically set off fire alarms over how much invasive potential the feature held. Microsoft spent the next 10 months frantically padding Recall's privacy helmet, and now you must actually choose to enable it. The result: an overhauled, opt-in feature that encrypts its snapshot database and tries (key word: tries) to filter out sensitive information by default.But is it safe? According to security researcher Kevin Beaumont, Microsoft has at least buckled its security seatbelt: Recall is now encrypted, has opt-in privacy gates, and applies default filters to keep out sensitive data. However, the filter isn’t foolproof — some apps and websites may slip through the cracks, meaning you might still end up with a searchable archive of things you didn’t want your PC to remember. The fact that you can access Recall with a basic four-digit PIN on Windows Hello (instead of the more robust facial recognition or fingerprint) raises a few eyebrows, though Microsoft claims some form of biometric sign-in is mandatory. Color us cautiously optimistic, with a side helping of worry.
Windows Search Gets AI Brains (And a Bit More Sass)
Recall isn’t the only act on stage. The humble Windows search bar just graduated — or rather, had AI injected straight into its veins. Copilot Plus PCs can now handle search queries that sound less like an IT command and more like something you’d mutter to your office mate: Can’t find that photo of a brown dog? Just type “brown dog.” Need to dredge up a specific contract you signed when Pluto was still a planet? Describe what you remember and let Windows rummage through your digital desk drawer.This applies not just to File Explorer but across Windows search and settings, making it notably easier for people who don't memorize filenames with the rigor of a tax auditor.
Click to Do: Circle to Search, Made in Redmond
Then there’s Click to Do, Microsoft’s answer to Google’s Circle to Search... but with a Windows spin. Press the Windows key and left-click to single out anything on your screen — be it a recalcitrant paragraph or a squirrel photobombing your vacation pic. You can ask Windows to summarize, edit, or otherwise harass your selection. The catch? Text actions are presently exclusive to Qualcomm-powered Copilot Plus PCs. AMD and Intel fans, patience is a virtue — your update is “coming soon,” according to Microsoft (interpret that as you will).EU Users: Not So Fast
Before the European crowd storms the update servers, Microsoft softly whispers, “Not yet.” Recall and Click to Do won’t hit PCs in EU countries, plus Iceland, Liechtenstein, and Norway, until “later this year.” It’s a politely bureaucratic way of saying, “We’re still figuring out how not to make regulators faint.”Risks, Rewards, and the Slightly Creepy Future
Recall could be a genuine lifesaver for anyone who routinely loses track of their digital life. But its strength — archiving everything you do — is also its greatest risk. Even with improved encryption and opt-in controls, storing a rolling archive of your activities is a juicy target for anyone who manages to sidestep your lock screen. The AI search and Click to Do features are futuristic and, frankly, overdue, but relying on filters that occasionally miss sensitive details is about as comforting as storing your house keys under a doormat with “KEYS HERE” printed in bold.The Windows Experience: Smarter, Faster... And More Watchful
Taken together, these updates signal the biggest shake-up to Windows user experience in recent memory. Recall and its AI-powered siblings signal a future where your operating system acts less like a tool and more like a digital assistant with an unsettlingly good memory. It’s clever, it’s powerful, and yes, it’s a bit creepy — but as with any good plot twist, the outcome depends entirely on how you, the protagonist, wield the power.Welcome to the era where forgetting what you did on your PC is no longer a bug — it’s just Microsoft’s way of making sure you never lose track again, whether you want them to help or not.
Source: The Verge Microsoft launches Recall and AI-powered Windows search for Copilot Plus PCs
