Windows Recall returns, and its companion feature does not keep data on-device

Remember Windows Recall, the Windows feature that would take a screenshot of your desktop every three seconds, stored them in a database, and then let you search through them at later dates? The feature has been hobbled by implementation problems, security issues, and privacy troubles, and has been released in preview and pulled since its original unveiling. Well, it’s back in testing now for users of the Release Preview Channel.

As you use your Copilot+ PC throughout the day working on documents or presentations, taking video calls, and context switching across activities, Recall will take regular snapshots and help you find things faster and easier. When you need to find or get back to something you’ve done previously, open Recall and authenticate with Windows Hello.
↫ Windows Insider blog

The “AI” magic (meaning, OCR and image recognition, but with sparkles) runs locally, on device, and supposedly, the collected screenshots and data extracted from them never leave your device – at least, for now. The tech industry has a long history of relegating its promises, so excuse me if I don’t have a ton of faith in this data remaining on a Windows PC for too long into the future.

Case in point, a related Windows Copilot feature: Copilot Vision. This is very similar to Windows Recall, but instead of taking automating screenshots every few seconds, you can invoke it manually so that Copilot will “read” the current contents of your desktop, applications, and so on, allowing you to ask questions, get help, and so on. The kicker, however, is that while the screenshots and resulting data from Recall supposedly remains on your machine, whatever Copilot Vision does is done on Microsoft’s servers. In other words, a feature very similar to Windows Recall is already sending your personal, private data to Microsoft.

I’m sorry, but I just don’t think Windows Recall will remain “on-device” for very long. The temptation to hoover that data up into the giant advertising machine is too great, and there’s no way in hell Microsoft will be able to resist it.