Windows 11’s controversial Recall feature is ready for users: What Microsoft has to say

Windows 11 Recall

After benching Windows 11’s biggest AI feature – Recall – for months, Microsoft has finally dropped an update on its official website stating all the security and privacy improvements it comes with and how it makes it easier for users to opt in and out of the feature, in case they decide not to use it.

In the blog post, David Weston, Vice President of Enterprise and OS Security at Microsoft has said “We truly believe that security is a team effort. By partnering with OEMs, app developers and others in the ecosystem, along with helping people to be better at protecting themselves, we are delivering a Windows experience that is more secure by design and secure by default. The Windows 11 Security Book is available to help you learn more about what makes it easy for users to stay secure with Windows”.

If you are unaware, One of the biggest highlights of the Windows Copilot+ PCs was the AI-powered Recall feature. Microsoft, at the launch, created hype for the feature. However, soon it ran into problems and concerns over privacy and data safety. Microsoft responded and delayed the rollout of the Recall feature.

User control: Microsoft has mentioned in its blog post that Recall is an opt-in feature which means users are required to manually enable it during setup and even opt-out later in case they don’t want to use it through Windows settings.

Apart from this the Snapshots, captured by Recall will not be taken or saved unless this option is selected.

Data encryption: Sensitive data in Recall is encrypted, with encryption keys secured by the Trusted Platform Module (TPM) and Windows Hello Enhanced Sign-in Security.

Service isolation: The services processing snapshots and data are isolated within a secure Virtualization-based Security (VBS) Enclave. Only data actively requested by the user leaves the enclave.

Active user authorisation: Windows Hello credentials are required to access Recall data and adjust settings, ensuring user presence and control.

Microsoft has also highlighted that Recall operates within a secure VBS Enclave, protecting snapshots and related data through Zero Trust principles. The enclave isolates sensitive operations, ensuring snapshots can only be accessed after Windows Hello authentication. Encryption keys are bound to the user's identity and hardware through TPM, adding an additional layer of protection.

To maintain security, Recall times out access, requiring reauthorisation for each session to minimise the risks from malware and other types of attacks. Sensitive data remains encrypted during storage and processing, and encryption keys are never exposed outside the secure enclave.

Recall feature in Coplot+ PCs are expected to roll out by November according to the BBC's report.