Microsoft is pushing its controversial Recall feature into the Windows 11 Release Preview Channel, making the AI-powered screen capture tool available to select testers running Build 26100.3902 (KB5055627) on Copilot+ PCs.
This gradual deployment signifies Recall’s approach towards a potential public launch, following a tumultuous development cycle marked by serious privacy alarms and subsequent security overhauls. The feature, which aims to create a searchable “photographic memory” of user activity, arrives in this near-final testing phase carrying the weight of past criticisms and recently identified limitations. A known issue with this specific build is that the Windows Recovery Environment (WinRE) may not function correctly, according to the official announcement.
Recall Arrives in Preview Amid Security Enhancements
Included in the latest Release Preview update for Windows 11 version 24H2, Recall is not yet available to all testers in the channel, indicating a cautious rollout. Microsoft’s announcement notes wider preview availability is planned for “starting early 2025”, suggesting the current phase is limited. According to Microsoft’s documentation, users must explicitly opt-in to use the feature and authenticate using Windows Hello – specifically requiring Windows Hello Enhanced Sign-in Security (ESS) for its “just in time” snapshot decryption.
The system captures images of applications, websites, and documents (optimized initially for languages including English, Chinese (Simplified), French, German, Japanese, and Spanish), indexing them locally for later retrieval.
Alongside Recall, a companion feature named “Click to Do” (previously seen in development as “Screenray”) is also rolling out gradually. It allows users to perform actions like image editing or text summarization directly from screen content, utilizing the local Phi Silica small language model on Snapdragon devices. Users can activate Click to Do via several methods, including WIN + mouse-click, WIN + Q, the Snipping Tool menu, or the search box. Both Recall and Click to Do require specific Copilot+ PC hardware equipped with Neural Processing Units (NPUs).
A Feature Forged in Controversy
Recall’s journey began with its unveiling at Microsoft Build in May 2024, positioned as a key differentiator for Copilot+ PCs. The promise was a powerful local AI creating a searchable history of everything seen on screen. “Recall leverages your personal semantic index, built and stored entirely on your device,” explained Microsoft’s Yusuf Mehdi at the time. “Your snapshots are yours; they stay locally on your PC.”
However, the initial implementation drew immediate fire when security researcher Kevin Beaumont revealed that Recall stored its indexed data and screenshots in an easily accessible, unencrypted SQLite database. This raised serious concerns about malware or unauthorized users with local access gaining access to a user’s complete activity history.
The outcry led Microsoft to delay Recall’s planned June 2024 public preview. In a June 7, 2024, update, the company outlined initial security fixes: making Recall opt-in, mandating Windows Hello authentication, and encrypting the database. Further delays pushed the Insider preview target to October, and then again to December 2024, with Senior Product Manager Brandon LeBlanc emphasizing in November that “We are committed to delivering a secure and trusted experience.”
Microsoft detailed additional security layers in a September 2024 blog post. The architecture now involves storing the encrypted snapshots within hardware-isolated Virtualization-Based Security (VBS) enclaves. Decryption keys are further secured using the device’s Trusted Platform Module (TPM) chip. Microsoft also stated clearly in November 2024 that it does not send snapshot data off-device, does not use it for AI training, and cannot access the keys to view user data.
