What to know

  • Windows Recall will actually be uninstall-able via the ‘Windows features’ interface.
  • Microsoft’s VP of Enterprise and Security has confirmed that users can get rid of Recall from their Copilot+ PCs completely.
  • Earlier, Microsoft had said that the appearance of Windows Recall in ‘Windows Features’ was a bug. But that’s not so the case anymore.

Since the backlash it received over Windows Recall’s implementation, Microsoft has put out some mix statements over the state of its upcoming Windows AI feature more than once. As per the latest, it seems that Windows will have an option to remove Recall.

You read that right! Microsoft will let you uninstall Windows Recall completely from Copilot+ PCs. This will be possible via the ‘Turn Windows features on or off’ window. 

Uninstalling Windows Recall

Simply uncheck ‘Recall’ in the “Turn Windows features on and off” window, click ‘OK’, and restart your system.

This is the second time that Microsoft’s gone back on its word about whether or not Windows Recall could be uninstalled completely. A few weeks ago, when Windows Recall was spotted as part of the ‘Turn Windows features on or off’, Windows senior product manager Brandon Leblanc had said that the feature listing was ‘a bug’ that would be fixed in an upcoming update. 

Now, Microsoft’s VP of Enterprise and Security, David Weston has cleared the confusion, stating that:

“By default, users need to opt-in in the OOBE experience to get [Recall]. If you don’t opt-in, it’s always visually clear that it’s on and in your control, pausing it, deleting it all those basic functionality things. The additional thing we’ve added is you can remove the bits [of Recall] completely if you just want it out of your life. Another thing to emphasize is to turn it on, the user has to be logged in with Hello. There’s no way to turn this on without the user being present.”

It appears that Microsoft’ earlier statements about Windows Recall in the ‘Windows features’ interface being a bug was only for that build. In later, stable builds, the option to uninstall Windows Recall will be available. 

Since the backlash, Microsoft has made several general changes to Windows Recall, including making it an opt-in feature only. Whenever Recall is doing its thing, users will be able to tell visually, and be able to pause or disable it at any time, as well as remove it completely from your Copilot+ PC.

We hope this is the last time Microsoft puts out contradictory statements about the state of Windows Recall and whether or not it will be uninstall-able. For now, we can only take Microsoft’s word for it, which we do with a fistful of salt. Because until Windows Recall is implemented, we can never be sure what Microsoft wants us to believe. At least, there’s hope of getting rid of the security nightmare that is Windows Recall.