Recall on Windows 11 is Microsoft's latest and greatest future failure... It's a new "productivity" feature disguised as a helpful tool, whilst in reality being an incredibly invasive spyware system. Recall aims to allow users to revisit what they were doing at any point in the past, essentially creating a searchable history of actions taken on their device. The feature is available exclusively on Copilot+ PCs and has been integrated into recent Windows 11 builds. Fortunately, if you have used Recall and now wish to remove all of the associated data or disable the feature entirely, Microsoft now includes a one-click option to reset it.
Takeaways:
- How do you delete all of the data that Windows Recall has saved?
- Clear Windows Recall data to protect your privacy.
- Is Windows Recall really spyware?
Table of Contents
What is Windows Recall?
Recall captures screenshots of your desktop activity every few seconds and stores them locally on your device. These snapshots are then indexed using local AI processing, which allows you to later search and visually scroll through what you were doing at any point in the past. For example, you could ask Recall to show you the document you had open yesterday at 19:00, or to locate a website you briefly visited earlier in the week. This is intended to save time and increase efficiency by removing the need to remember exact filenames or URLs. In a perfect world, this is an awesome feature. But we sadly don't live in a perfect world....
However, this capability has raised serious privacy concerns. While Microsoft claims all processing is done locally and that snapshots are not uploaded to the cloud, the nature of the feature means that highly sensitive information may be stored without the user's explicit awareness or consent. Passwords, banking information, medical data, or confidential work materials could all be unintentionally captured by Recall's automated snapshots.
Is Windows Recall Spyware in Disguise? YES!
Since its announcement, Windows Recall has been under heavy scrutiny by security researchers, tech journalists, and privacy advocates. Many have argued that the feature, while useful in theory, behaves in a way that resembles spyware. The term spyware generally refers to software that gathers user data without informed consent, and Recall fits this definition perfectly! Anyone who tries to escape how well it fits is an idiot, or working for Microsoft...
Here's a simpler look at the issues:
Lack of Consent: Recall is usually enabled by default on supported systems. And most people don't fully understand what data is being collected or how frequently it is recorded.
Risk of Exploitation: Because Recall stores detailed visual logs of user activity on the local machine, anyone with access to the PC or the Recall storage could potentially access the data. It's an easy target for hackers. It's an open pile of treasure...
Working for a Company? Anyone who deals with important protected information, such as healthcare providers, legal firms, or financial institutions, is open to a major security breach. Even if the data never leaves the device, the fact that it is stored creates a risk of accidental exposure or a nice care package for hackers.
Thankfully, a lot of people have stood up and slammed Microsoft about this feature, and the European Union has effectively banned it (time or writing). This has triggered Microsoft to update its documentation and rollout procedures, adding more warnings during setup and introducing a clearer path to disabling and resetting the feature. But the core of the feature remains unchanged.
How to Reset Windows Recall Settings and Data on Windows 11
If you are concerned about the data being collected by Recall or simply want to remove all stored information and return the feature to its original state, Windows 11 now provides a reset option. This option is available starting with Windows 11 build 26200.5651 (KB5060818) and newer.
Open the Settings app. You can do this by clicking the Start menu and selecting Settings or pressing Windows + I.
- Click on Privacy & security in the left-hand menu.
- Select the Recall & snapshots page.
- Scroll down and click on Advanced settings.
- Click the Reset Recall button.
- When prompted, click Reset to confirm your choice.
After completing these steps, all data collected by Recall will be deleted. This includes all snapshots, any app and website filters you may have configured, and all related settings. The feature will also be disabled by default. If you wish to use Recall again in the future, you will need to manually re-enable it and reconfigure your preferences.
