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Microsoft Recall is one of the biggest new features introduced with Windows 11 Copilot+ PCs, allowing users to search and revisit their digital activity through AI-powered snapshots. While it can be useful for productivity, many users are growing concerned about privacy and security.
If you’d rather not have Windows taking screenshots of your screen automatically, you can easily turn off Microsoft Recall. In this guide, we’ll walk you through how to disable Microsoft Recall completely — along with tips to ensure your data stays private.
What Does Microsoft Recall Actually Do?
Before disabling it, it’s important to understand how Microsoft Recall works.
The feature periodically takes screenshots of your screen as you use your computer. It then stores and indexes those images so you can search through them later using natural language — for example, “find the chart I was looking at yesterday.”
While Microsoft claims that all Recall data is stored locally on your device, these screenshots can include personal information like:
- Banking details
- Passwords and authentication codes
- Private messages and emails
- Sensitive business data
Because of this, many users have decided to turn off Recall entirely or at least control what it captures.
Step-by-Step: How to Disable Microsoft Recall
If you have a Windows 11 Copilot+ PC, follow these simple steps to disable Recall and stop it from capturing your screen.
Step 1: Open Windows Settings
- Click the Start Menu
- Select Settings (or press
Win + I)
Step 2: Go to Privacy & Security Settings
- In the Settings sidebar, click Privacy & security
- Scroll down and look for the section called Recall & snapshots
Step 3: Turn Off Recall
Inside the Recall & snapshots page:
- Find the toggle labeled “Save snapshots”
- Switch it off
This will immediately stop Windows from taking new snapshots of your activity.
Step 4: Delete Existing Recall Snapshots
Turning off Recall doesn’t automatically delete the data that’s already been captured. To fully remove your past snapshots:
- On the same Recall & snapshots page, click Delete all snapshots
- Confirm when prompted
This ensures all your previously saved screen data is permanently removed from your device.
Step 5: Disable Recall at Startup (Optional)
Even after disabling the feature, some background components may still load during system startup.
To prevent this:
- Open Task Manager (
Ctrl + Shift + Esc) - Go to the Startup apps tab
- Find Recall or any related Microsoft AI background process
- Right-click and select Disable
Step 6: Restart Your Computer
Once you’ve completed these steps, restart your PC. This ensures all background processes related to Recall are stopped and the feature is fully disabled.
How to Exclude Specific Apps Instead (Optional)
If you still want to use Recall but don’t want it to capture certain apps or sites, you can set exclusions instead of disabling it completely.
Here’s how:
- Go to Settings > Privacy & security > Recall & snapshots
- Select Add an exclusion
- Choose the app or website you want Recall to ignore
This is helpful if you want Recall to work for general productivity but not capture sensitive activities like banking or personal chats.
Why You Might Want to Disable Microsoft Recall
Disabling Recall can protect you from a range of privacy and security risks.
Here’s why many users choose to turn it off:
- Privacy concerns: Every snapshot could include private information.
- Shared devices: If others use your computer, they could access your Recall history.
- Corporate environments: Businesses may need to comply with strict data protection policies.
- Storage usage: Recall snapshots can take up several gigabytes of disk space over time.
By turning it off, you reduce your digital footprint and maintain tighter control over what’s stored on your device.
A Safer Alternative: Recall Assist
If you like the idea of Microsoft Recall — the ability to search your past activity — but want it to be completely private, you should consider Recall Assist.
Unlike Microsoft Recall, Recall Assist:
- Works 100% offline
- Automatically masks sensitive data like passwords, emails, and credit card numbers
- Stores everything locally on your device
- Lets you pause or delete captures anytime
- Offers a panic toggle and 24-hour auto purge for total control
It gives you the same convenience as Microsoft Recall without the risk of private information being exposed.
You can try it for free at recallassist.com.
Final Thoughts
Microsoft Recall is innovative, but it also raises serious privacy concerns for many users. By default, it takes snapshots of everything on your screen — including sensitive content.
Disabling it ensures your personal information remains secure, and you can always enable it again later if needed.
If you’re looking for a private, local-first recall experience, Recall Assist offers the same recall capability while keeping your data under your full control.
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