How to disable Recall in Windows 11

There are only a few days left until the first Copilot+ computers hit the market which, unless there is a (desirable but unlikely) last-minute change, will arrive with Recall enabled by default, at least in all installations based on OOTB (Out of the Box) experiences, i.e. those found in all private users, who purchase a computer compatible with this technology with a pre-installed operating system. So the vast majority.

This is a problem, quite a serious problem, because despite what this feature proposes, such a photographic memory based on memories and supervitaminized by artificial intelligence, it has worried experts and regulators from the first moment. And when we add to that that it was recently discovered that the database where the Recall information is stored is not encryptedit seems that the previous question that gives the title to this article, that is why to disable the Recall function in Windows 11, is already more than answered.

Of course, Microsoft made it clear from the first moment that it will be possible to deactivate the function at will. A logical thing to do, given how privacy-compromising it can be, is that they would act in the opposite directionso it was necessary to activate it, but it is becoming more and more clear to me that Microsoft made a huge miscalculation, that it failed to predict the reactions that the computer remembers and indexes all our activities on it.

As I said, Microsoft has confirmed that it will be possible to disable Recall and they recently published a support page that explains how to do this. And luckily, the process is quite simple, and it also allows you to delete content that has already been indexed from the time the initial system configuration is completed until the feature is disabled.

So, to disable it, you need to go to Settings > Privacy & Security > Restore Snapshots and disable “Save Snapshots” from the settings that appear. In addition, in the last part of the group “Snapshots” anow delete all images that have been created and saved so far. That way, you’ll sacrifice the “photographic memory” that Recall promises, but you’ll also get rid of what more and more voices are describing as a privacy nightmare.

Alternatively, however Microsoft proposes to limit access to appeals configure the tool to exclude certain applications and websites. In the same configuration section you will also find the settings for using these filters. However, until everything related to the security of the feature becomes clearer, we recommend that you disable it immediately.