How to Manage Windows 11 Recall and Privacy Settings

Windows 11 has a feature called Recall. When it is turned on, your computer takes a screenshot — a picture of whatever is on your screen — every few seconds throughout the day. The idea is that you can later search through those snapshots to find things you looked at before, like a web page or document. Microsoft describes Recall as an "AI-powered search for your PC."

This feature is only available on computers with a special chip called an NPU (Neural Processing Unit — a type of processor designed to run artificial-intelligence tasks). These are sometimes marketed as "Copilot+ PCs." If your computer was made before 2024, it almost certainly does not have this chip and Recall is not available on it. If you are unsure, you can check: open Settings, go to System, then About, and look at the processor name. If you do not see any mention of Copilot+ or NPU, Recall is not on your machine and this section does not apply to you.

For those who do have a Copilot+ PC, Recall raises a legitimate privacy concern. The snapshots are stored on your computer — not sent to Microsoft's servers — but they are stored in a folder that could be accessed by anyone with access to your computer, or by malware (harmful software). The snapshots can capture anything that appeared on your screen: bank account pages, private messages, medical records, passwords. Microsoft made Recall opt-in after significant public concern. But it is worth knowing how to check and confirm it is turned off if you prefer.

How to check whether Recall is enabled

Open Settings by clicking the Start button (the Windows logo in the taskbar) and then clicking the gear icon, or press the Windows key and the letter I at the same time. In Settings, use the search bar at the top to search for "Recall." If you see "Recall & snapshots" in the search results, click it. If you see a toggle labeled "Save snapshots," check whether it is turned on (blue) or off (gray). If it is off, no snapshots are being saved and you do not need to do anything else.

If you want to turn it off: click the toggle to switch it from on (blue) to off (gray). The page will confirm that Recall has been paused and no new snapshots will be saved. If you want to delete any snapshots already stored, look for a "Delete all snapshots" button on the same page and click it.

Other Windows 11 privacy settings worth reviewing

Even if your computer does not have Recall, Windows 11 collects other types of information by default. The following settings are found in Settings (Windows key + I) → Privacy & security. You do not need to change all of them. But it is worth knowing what they do so you can make your own choice.

Location: Windows can share your location with apps and websites. Go to Privacy & security → Location. You can turn off location entirely, or scroll down to see which individual apps have access and turn off any you do not recognize or trust. Most people are fine leaving location on for Maps but turning it off for apps that have no reason to need it.

Advertising ID: Windows assigns your computer a unique advertising identifier — a code — that advertisers use to track which ads you see and to show you targeted ads. Go to Privacy & security → General. The first toggle is "Let apps show me personalized ads by using my advertising ID." Turning this off does not reduce the number of ads you see. But it does prevent advertisers from building a profile of your browsing habits tied to your specific computer. Many privacy-minded users turn this off.

Diagnostic data: Microsoft collects information about how Windows is used on your computer to help identify problems and improve future updates. You can limit this to "Required diagnostic data" (the minimum needed for security and updates) rather than the full "Optional diagnostic data" that includes more detailed usage information. Go to Privacy & security → Diagnostics & feedback. Under "Diagnostic data," select "Send required diagnostic data only."

App permissions: Individual apps may have access to your camera, microphone, contacts, and other sensitive areas. Go to Privacy & security and scroll down to see categories like Camera, Microphone, and Contacts. Click any category to see which apps have access. Remove access from any app that does not need it — for example, a calculator app has no reason to access your microphone.

Which settings to keep on versus off

Keep location on for apps like Maps and Weather. They need your location to work properly. Keep the camera and microphone on for apps like Zoom or FaceTime if you use video calls. Turn off the advertising ID. There is no benefit to you from having it on. Turn off Recall snapshots if you have a Copilot+ PC and you are not actively using the feature. Set diagnostic data to "required only."

There is no single right answer for everyone. The goal is to be aware of what your computer is sharing and make intentional choices rather than leaving everything at the factory defaults.

A note about Windows updates and privacy

Microsoft updates Windows 11 regularly, and sometimes a new update changes privacy defaults or introduces new features like Recall. It is a good habit to check Privacy & security settings once or twice a year, or any time you hear news about a major Windows update. The setting names stay roughly the same across updates.

Source: Microsoft Support — Recall and privacy in Windows 11 (support.microsoft.com). Video: Microsoft YouTube channel, search "Windows 11 privacy settings."