Copilot+ PC users won’t be able to delete Microsoft’s upcoming Recall feature from their machines via a submenu in the Windows Control Panel.
Recall is first being launched to Windows Insiders. German tech site DeskModder noticed that Windows showed Recall as something that could be effectively uninstalled by navigating to the Windows Control Panel > Programs > Programs and Features > Turn Windows Features On or Off, sharing a screenshot of the option in question.
But Brandon LeBlanc, senior product manager for Windows, says the Recall box was added in error. “We are aware of an issue where Recall is incorrectly listed as an option under the ‘Turn Windows features on or off’ dialog in Control Panel,” LeBlanc said in a statement to The Verge. “This will be fixed in an upcoming update.”
PCMag has reached out to Microsoft for further comment.
Recall is Microsoft’s AI-powered feature that takes screenshots of your PC’s activity in the background as you’re using it so you can search for past moments later if you want. It lets you return to a multi-app moment in your PC’s past that’s more comprehensive than just searching your web browser’s history alone. Recall was initially expected to launch with the compatible Copilot+ PCs earlier this year. But security concerns caused delays, and Recall is now expected to launch in beta next month.
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Recall won’t be available for all Windows PCs. You’ll need a Copilot+ PC, which launched this year, as well as a minimum of 16GB of RAM, 50GB of free space, and at least 256GB of total storage space. When Recall launches via a software update, it can be paused or modified to not screenshot certain sites or apps. Microsoft has said Recall will be an opt-in feature, meaning it’ll appear on eligible devices, but users will have to turn it on.
While it might not be possible for users to fully uninstall or delete Recall from their Copilot+ PCs, it’s possible to keep the feature disabled or restrict its ability to track your activity. There’s also the option to use a different PC entirely if you’re not a fan of the AI feature, but with Apple’s upcoming Apple Intelligence, the Copilot key, and Copilot button on Windows taskbars, it’s getting harder and harder to avoid generative AI in the latest tech on the market.
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