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How to disable Windows 11 Recall?
Since its announcement, Windows 11's Recall feature has generated significant attention, primarily due to the privacy concerns it has raised.
In this blog, we will break down:
Recall, a new AI tool integrated into Windows 11 Copilot+ PCs, is designed to simplify your life by capturing snapshots of your activities. Every five seconds, Recall takes a snapshot of the screen whenever the content changes. These snapshots are then stored locally on your drive.
Recall includes a search bar and a timeline, allowing you to scroll back through the snapshots and view the screen content at specific times.
Microsoft is rolling out Recall gradually. Starting from November 22, Recall is available to Windows Insiders, with a broader release for Copilot+ PCs scheduled for a later date, which Microsoft has yet to announce. Windows Recall is not being provided as an update to existing computers.
If you're unsure whether your computer has the Recall feature, here's an easy way to check:
Despite its convenience, Recall has raised significant privacy concerns related to how users' sensitive data—such as passwords, personally identifiable information (PII) and financial information—will be protected from hackers. In general, security and privacy experts are worried about:
To validate these concerns, researchers have already found ways of accessing data in Recall snapshots and have even released an open source tool to do so.
Let’s explore 2 different options for disabling Windows 11 Recall:
Follow these steps to disable Recall through Windows settings:
We will use BCWipe Privacy Guard in the following step-by-step instructions, a free tool developed by the long-trusted data wiping developer Jetico.
Jetico’s recommended settings disable the Recall feature by default, along with many other Windows tracking features, optimizing your privacy setup.
For expert users who want to fine-tune their settings, the Recall feature can be easily disabled by selecting ‘Activity history’ and turning off ‘Windows 11 Recall’.
While Microsoft has stated that Recall will no longer be enabled by default, understanding and managing your privacy settings remain essential. Windows 11's history of data collection highlights the need for vigilant privacy management. BCWipe Privacy Guard offers an effective, user-friendly way to control your privacy settings.
BCWipe Privacy Guard is available as a free tool but is also integrated with BCWipe, a solution to wipe files and Data Remanence beyond forensic recovery. BCWipe enhances the capabilities of BCWipe Privacy Guard by enabling the secure erasure of data collected by Windows, including activity history, passwords, and credit card details.
Enhance your protection today—explore BCWipe and start your free trial now!
German version available here: Deaktivieren Sie Windows 11 Recall in 3 einfachen Schritten
*This article was originally published on 18 Jun 2024 and has been updated to include the new 'Delete/Wipe snapshot database' feature and the Recall release date for Windows Insiders.
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