Recall feature on Copilot+ PCs can not be uninstalled, Microsoft confirms

The AI-powered Recall feature for Windows on Arm would likely be opt-in, however, will not let users completely remove it from their PCs

Microsoft has reportedly confirmed that its artificial intelligence-powered Recall feature for the Copilot Plus PC platform cannot be uninstalled from the device. In a latest update to Windows 11 on Arm, Microsoft had rolled out the ability to uninstall the feature to beta testers, however, in a statement to The Verge, Microsoft said that it was an error.

“We are aware of an issue where Recall is incorrectly listed as an option under the ‘Turn Windows features on or off’ dialog in Control Panel; this will be fixed in an upcoming update,” said Windows senior product manager Brandon LeBlanc in a statement to The Verge.

 

Last month, Microsoft announced that the Recall feature for Windows on Arm will be launching in October to its Windows Insider users. While the feature is yet to arrive, Microsoft added the option to disable the Recall feature and later to uninstall it to users previewing the Windows 11 24H2 release. However, with Microsoft confirming that the option to uninstall the feature was an error, it seems as if users will only get the option to disable Recall once it rolls-out. 

What is Recall?

Recall is one of the highlight features of Microsoft’s Copilot Plus PC platform. Exclusive to Windows on Arm, the feature works like a photographic memory, allowing users to revisit their previous activity on the PC. Recall generates a timeline that contains snapshots from applications, websites, documents, or other areas that the users visited previously. Each snapshot on the timeline depicts the screen’s content at various points in time. 

The feature was initially planned to roll out earlier, however, Microsoft had to delay the schedule after privacy concerns were raised.

Microsoft has been reportedly working on improving the Recall feature, including encrypting the database and using Windows Hello for authentication. “Security remains our top priority, and when Recall becomes available for Windows Insiders in October, we will publish a blog with more details,” said the company while announcing its roll-out schedule.