Microsoft Set to Launch Recall Feature Soon

Microsoft has begun a gradual rollout of its much-discussed Recall feature, which captures screenshots of your activities on a Copilot Plus PC for later retrieval, to Windows Insiders in the Release Preview channel. This step was announced in a blog post published on Thursday, signaling that Microsoft is inching closer to a broader release of Recall as part of Windows 11.

The Release Preview channel is the last testing phase before features are rolled out to the general public, indicating that a wider launch could be imminent. Initially, Microsoft planned to debut Recall alongside Copilot Plus PCs back in June of last year. However, due to concerns voiced by security experts, the launch was postponed. A subsequent planned release in October was also delayed, as Microsoft aimed to ensure "a secure and trusted experience" for users.

Early Impressions and Security Measures

Microsoft did offer a sneak peek of Recall in November, releasing a preview version to Windows Insiders in the Dev Channel for Qualcomm-powered Copilot Plus PCs. Not long after, a preview was extended to Intel- and AMD-powered versions as well. After a few weeks of hands-on experience, my colleague Tom Warren described Recall as "creepy, clever, and compelling," highlighting its potential and the unease it might evoke.

In the latest blog post, Microsoft clarified that users must opt in to use Recall's snapshot-saving feature, and they have the flexibility to pause it "at any time." Importantly, Recall will exclusively be available on the new range of Copilot Plus PCs from Microsoft.

Update, April 11th: This article has been updated to include the latest information about the Release Preview rollout.