Privacy and Security Pause or Resume Recall Snapshots in Windows 11

This tutorial will show you how to pause temporarily or resume Recall snapshots for your account in Windows 11.

Recall is an upcoming preview experience exclusive to Copilot+ PCs that will help you easily find and remember things you've seen using natural language. To help provide you with that "photographic" memory, Windows saves snapshots of your screen every five seconds while content on the screen is different from the previous snapshot. You can quickly search your snapshots to find things on your Copilot+ PC. For example, content you've seen in apps, websites, images, and documents. Recall doesn't record audio or save continuous video.

You're always in control of what's saved as a snapshot. You can disable saving snapshots, pause temporarily, filter applications and websites, and delete your snapshots at any time.

To help maintain your privacy, Recall processes your content locally on the Copilot+ PC and securely stores it only on your device. Snapshots are encrypted by Device Encryption or BitLocker, which are enabled by default on Windows 11. Recall doesn't share snapshots with other users that are signed into Windows on the same device. Microsoft can't access or view the snapshots.

When you pause Recall, snapshots will be paused until they automatically resume at 12:00 AM. You can manually resume snapshots anytime.

When snapshots are paused, the Recall system tray icon has a slash through it so you can easily tell if snapshots are enabled.

Reference:

Update Aug. 21, 2024: 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. 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. Security continues to be our top priority and when Recall is available for Windows Insiders in October we will publish a blog with more details.

Update: June 13, 2024: Today, Microsoft is communicating an additional update on the Recall (preview) feature for Copilot+ PCs. Recall will now shift from a preview experience broadly available for Copilot+ PCs on June 18, 2024, to a preview available first in the Windows Insider Program (WIP) in the coming weeks. Following receiving feedback on Recall from our Windows Insider Community, as Microsoft typically does, Microsoft plans to make Recall (preview) available for all Copilot+ PCs coming soon.

Microsoft is 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. 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. Additionally, as Microsoft shared in their May 3 blog, security is their top priority at Microsoft, in line with our Secure Future Initiative (SFI). This is reflected in additional security protections Microsoft is providing for Recall content, including “just in time” decryption protected by Windows Hello Enhanced Sign-in Security (ESS), so Recall snapshots will only be decrypted and accessible when the user authenticates. The development of Copilot+ PCs, Recall and Windows will continue to be guided by SFI.

When Recall (preview) becomes available in the Windows Insider Program, Microsoft will publish a blog post with details on how to get the preview. To try Recall (preview) WIP customers will need a Copilot+ PC due to our hardware requirements. Microsoft looks forward to hearing Windows Insider feedback.

Here's How:

1 Click/tap on the Recall icon in the taskbar system tray. (see screenshots below)

2 Click/tap on either Pause until tomorrow or Resume snapshots.




That's it,
Shawn Brink