Microsoft’s Recall feature, the AI-enabled timeline for Windows 11 on Copilot+ PCs, will be available only to members of the Windows Insider Program in October. The feature was postponed earlier due to concerns about unencrypted data storage.
Initially, Microsoft was going to launch a public preview of Recall on June 18, but this was canceled while it sought further community feedback. The new plan was to roll out the feature to Windows Insider members later that month, but this never came to fruition either.
Now, an Aug. 21 update to a blog post by Microsoft Corporate Vice President of Windows and Devices Pavan Davuluri has revealed the new timeline but does not explain the reason behind the delays.
“With a commitment to delivering a trustworthy and secure Recall (preview) experience on Copilot+ PCs for customers, we’re sharing an update that Recall will be available to Windows Insiders starting in October,” it said.
“As previously shared on June 13, we have adjusted our release approach to leverage the valuable expertise of our Windows Insider community prior to making Recall available for all Copilot+ PCs.”
Davuluri also said that a new blog with more details will be shared in October, once the Windows Insider Program rollout has started. But, if it follows a similar trajectory to other features that are tested with Windows Insider members, there is unlikely to be a general release of Recall until weeks or months later.
Recall takes snapshots of a user’s activity on their Copilot+ PC, enabling generative AI to trawl through that activity to answer questions phrased in natural ways. It could be a benefit for performing open-ended searches — such as “Show me the spreadsheet my boss sent to me yesterday” — but some security researchers have expressed concerns about how that activity is stored.
Recall feature will be previewed in Windows Insider Program
Davuluri explained why Recall was only going to be released to Windows Insider members initially in the blog post on June 13.
“We are adjusting the release model for Recall to leverage the expertise of the Windows Insider community to ensure the experience meets our high standards for quality and security,” he wrote.
“This decision is rooted in our commitment to providing a trusted, secure and robust experience for all customers and to seek additional feedback prior to making the feature available to all Copilot+ PC users.”
Microsoft pointed out that work on Recall is guided by the Secure Future Initiative, an ongoing attempt to improve security methods and practices.
After Windows Insider members have a chance to provide feedback, Recall will be made available to anyone with a Copilot+ PC.
People interested in the Windows Insider program can join for free.
Microsoft switched Recall from active by default to opt-in
On June 7, Microsoft announced it would make Recall opt-in instead of enabled by default on Copilot+ PCs after security concerns were raised.
While the company had reassured customers that data from Recall would only be stored locally, security researchers such as Kevin Beaumont pointed out attackers don’t even need physical access to a Copilot+ laptop to exfiltrate Recall data.
Microsoft subsequently made the following changes to how Recall will operate:
- Recall will be opt-in.
- To use Recall, you’ll need to enroll in Windows Hello — which lets you sign in with facial recognition, fingerprint, or a PIN instead of a password — and provide proof of presence, such as your face being visible to the laptop.
- Encrypting the search index database Recall uses. Data will also remain encrypted until Windows Hello authentication.
SEE: Curious about Microsoft Copilot? Our cheat sheet has the details on Redmond’s AI PC plans and more.
Microsoft faces security probe
The changes to Recall came amid discussion of Microsoft’s overall security posture in the U.S. Congress. On June 13, Microsoft President Brad Smith spoke to the House Homeland Security Committee about a federal report suggesting Microsoft’s security stance contributed to a breach last year by state actors.
How does Recall compare to Apple Intelligence?
Apple’s answer to Copilot+ PCs is its upcoming Apple Intelligence, created in part through a partnership with OpenAI. Apple Intelligence works mostly by letting Siri respond to more natural questions, as well as providing the summarization and translation functions generative AI is proven to perform. Apple Intelligence runs on-device and on Apple servers when needed. Since it was only announced this week, security researchers haven’t had as much time to dig into how Apple Intelligence works.
But, having waited longer than its competitors to integrate AI into its laptops, Apple seems to have a better awareness of potential security problems. At WWDC, Apple’s Craig Federighi, senior vice president of software engineering, said, “You should not have to hand over all the details of your life to be warehoused and analyzed in someone’s AI cloud.”
Fiona Jackson contributed to this article.