Once again, Microsoft has delayed the rollout of its controversial Recall feature for Copilot Plus PCs, which had been planned for December. It had been planned that the software giant would begin testing Recall with Windows Insiders in October, which would take screenshots of most of what users see on a Copilot Plus PC once it is turned on. 

It has now been confirmed that Microsoft needs more time to develop the new feature. In the summer, Microsoft’s Copilot+ AI PC initiative had yet to be released, but one of its most recent features was Recall, which would log months’ worth of users' PC usage and would attempt to help them keep track of things and find them again if users forgot about them. Nevertheless, if users are familiar with Recall, likely learned about it because of the problems that emerged during preview builds of Windows before it was released. 

All of the data on the PC was stored in plaintext, so other users (or malicious software) could easily get to the database and take screenshots, which could potentially expose a lot of sensitive data, such as the name and contact information of the user. As originally anticipated, Recall would have launched in conjunction with the release of the Copilot+ PC, which can take advantage of the AI-driven feature built into Recall. 

Afterwards, it was postponed because of security concerns. As it turns out, the feature was first supposed to debut in September, then in October, and now in December. Security experts had raised some concerns about how the feature, which is intended to capture and store data, is capturing and storing data, and the company previously clarified that it would be a purely opt-in feature. The researcher who developed this tool demonstrated that malware can be used against the Recall platform to steal information about users, such as passwords and banking information. 

There has been some recent news from Microsoft that it has added some security features to recall so that it won't screenshot any passwords, personal information, banking information, or any medical pages when users look at them. Users will also be required to authenticate their identity via biometrics via Windows Hello when they attempt to access a feature that requires biometric authentication. A new feature that Microsoft added to Recall is quickly deleting all screenshots with one click. Users can also add website addresses to a list that users do not want Recall to look at or store any screenshots they found. 

A recall of the actions performed in the web browser in Private Mode, like Chrome's Incognito Mode, will also not be screenshotted. Microsoft had to delay the release of Recall multiple times because it was changing Recall's security, enabling it to be an opt-in experience, and permitting owners of Copilot Plus PCs to remove the software completely. This past month, Microsoft has been concentrating on ensuring that its Recall database is completely encrypted and that access can only be gained by authenticating through Windows Hello, which has been implemented over the past couple of months. 

To use Recall, Copilot Plus PCs have local AI models built into Windows 11 that can be used to take screenshots of most things users do or see on their computer and then search and retrieve those things. With this explorable timeline, users can scroll through the snapshots on their PC to have a closer look at what they did on a certain day as they recall the events from the previous day. It was announced earlier this week that Recall would not be a mandatory feature on Copilot Plus PCs, but will instead be an opt-in feature and could be removed completely at any time. 

There appeared to be confusion after several YouTube videos claimed that Recall could be installed on any PC running Windows 11, version 24H2, but the video was later deleted. The classic elements of fear, uncertainty, and doubt have permeated discussions across the tech community, primarily due to recent references to Windows Recall in version 24H2. Microsoft's direct removal of the Recall feature earlier in the summer seems to have inadvertently introduced some inconsistencies in how the feature displays and operates within Windows 11. 

These issues have raised concerns among users and developers, as the unexpected appearance of Recall references has led to questions about the stability and control of this feature within the latest version. As Microsoft continues refining and enhancing the Recall feature, prioritizing security and user control, the company aims to reassure users that privacy concerns will be carefully addressed. This extended development period reflects Microsoft’s commitment to establishing Recall as a secure, user-friendly, and reliable addition to the Windows ecosystem, particularly on Copilot Plus PCs. 

By ensuring that Recall remains an entirely opt-in experience with robust encryption and privacy safeguards, Microsoft seeks to mitigate the challenges and uncertainties raised within the community. With the December release now set as the anticipated launch, users and industry experts alike will be closely watching for further improvements and successful integration of this innovative tool into the broader Windows experience.