Microsoft has once again postponed the rollout of its controversial Recall feature for Copilot Plus PCs.
Initially, the tech giant intended to begin testing Recall—a tool that captures screenshots of nearly everything displayed or done on a Copilot Plus PC—with Windows Insiders in October. However, Microsoft now states that it needs additional time to prepare the feature.
“We are committed to delivering a secure and trusted experience with Recall. To ensure we meet these important standards, we’re taking extra time to refine the experience before previewing it with Windows Insiders,” explained Brandon LeBlanc, senior product manager of Windows.
Originally scheduled for October, Recall will now be previewed with Windows Insiders on Copilot Plus PCs by December.
Microsoft initially held back Recall due to security concerns raised prior to its planned launch on Copilot Plus PCs in June.
Following that delay, Recall was expected to be available to Windows Insiders within weeks, but the release was then moved to October. Now, the timeline has been extended to December.
The ongoing delays are largely attributed to Microsoft’s efforts to improve Recall’s security, make it an opt-in feature, and allow Copilot Plus PC users the option to completely uninstall it.
Over the past few months, Microsoft has been focused on fully encrypting the Recall database and ensuring access only through authentication via Windows Hello.
Recall operates using local AI models integrated into Windows 11 on Copilot Plus PCs, capturing screenshots of most activities on the device.
It provides a searchable, scrollable timeline that allows users to review past activities on any given day.
Earlier this week, Microsoft reiterated that Recall would not be a mandatory feature on Copilot Plus PCs and will be available as an opt-in experience that can be completely removed.
This clarification followed misinformation circulating on YouTube, which claimed Recall was being automatically installed on all PCs running Windows 11, version 24H2.
The spread of this misinformation stemmed from some references to Recall appearing in version 24H2, fueling fear, uncertainty, and doubt.
Microsoft’s abrupt removal of Recall over the summer seemingly caused a few bugs related to the feature’s visibility and management within Windows 11.
