Windows Recall is a feature that uses AI programming in Windows 11 Copilot+ apparatus to take screenshots of your activities had on your PC to boost the user experience. While it allows for sophisticated search capabilities, some users may want to disable or completely uninstall this feature and wish to do this for privacy reasons and to free up system resources.
This step-by-step guide will help you to delete or turn off Windows Recall so that not even the system will have the data captured from it stored or used.
What is Windows Recall?
Windows Recall is a built-in feature in computers and these pictures are captured and saved with the Copilot+ PCs Neural Processing Unit (NPU). These screenshots are kept in an internal memory that can be used for search of the stuff the user makes through a simple interface with a search bar and a timeline. The function has been created to work in a very secure and exclusive manner and to be done locally and thus no external data transfer is needed. However, contrariwise, there are those who want to enjoy more privacy or control over their systems, so the possibility to shutting it off or removing it completely would be more preferable.
Why Disable or Uninstall Windows Recall?
The Windows Recall has been guaranteed by Microsoft as being safe and secure, but you might still want to uninstall it, as it may:
- Privacy Concerns: Users may feel uneasy about the continuous capture of the screen.
- Space Consumption: They are locally stored that on time might consume a significant amount of storage.
- System Resource Relief: Windows Recall consumption of the NPU is reduced enabling system performance to be improved by turning it off or removing it.
How to Disable Windows Recall
Follow these instructions to disable Recall Center without removing the feature from your system.
Step 1: Open Windows Settings
Make use of the WIN+I keyboard shortcut to launch Windows Settings.
Step 2: Navigate to Privacy & Security
When in the Settings window open, click on Privacy & Security which is in the sidebar.
Step 3: Access Recall & Snapshots
Scroll down and locate the Recall & Snapshots section. This is where Windows Recall settings can be configured.
Step 4: Turn Off Snapshot Saving
In the Recall & Snapshots area, the Save Snapshots slider should be toggled to an “Off” position. For you, it means that now Windows Recall will not record snapshots of your activities anymore.
Step 5: Delete Existing Snapshots
Simply switching off Windows Recall doesn’t wipe out the data it has collected. In order to perform this action:
- Choose the Delete Snapshots option.
- Then hit the Delete All button to totally remove all previously saved snapshots.
Step 6: Close Settings
Once this is done, close the Settings window. Windows Recall will be disabled, but still, it is installed on your system.
How to Uninstall Windows Recall
If you want to remove Windows Recall completely from your system, follow these steps to uninstall the application.
Step 1: Open Windows Features
First of all, you need to WIN+S to open Windows Search, then type Turn Windows features on or off into the search box, and press Enter.
Step 2: Find Windows Recall
Locate Recall in the list of optional windows features, by scrolling down in the Windows Features window.
Step 3: Uncheck the Recall Option
Uncheck the box that says Recall and then click OK. This will start the uninstall process.
Step 4: Restart Your Computer
After the completion of the uninstallation process, the system will ask you to restart the system. Be sure you restart the system to apply the changes.
Does My PC Have Windows Recall?
Windows 11 is not even in every Windows 11 machine. This feature is avoided on the Copilot+ PCs, which in turn are packed with NPUs, which deliver the highest processing power. The following is the way of how to check if your PC has Windows Recall:
- PC Purchase Date: If your PC was procured after June 18, 2024, it is likely that it did not have Windows Recall. PCs that are purchased after this date can come with it if they are built with necessary hardware.
- Search the Term Recall: Type just Recall in the Windows start menu to confirm if the app exists. If it appears as one of the search results, then your PC has Windows Recall installed.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I Reinstall Windows Recall After Uninstalling It?
Yes, you can do it by going back to the Turn Windows features on or off menu and then checking the box next to Recall.
Will Disabling Windows Recall Affect My PC’s Performance?
Disabling the Recall Snapshots function may free system resources, in particular through an NPU recall bound to extensive processing.
Does Disabling Recall Also Delete All Data?
Not at all! Recall will not automatically delete the data that has already been collected. You need to manually delete the snapshots by following the instructions in the How to Disable Windows Recall section.