In May, Microsoft unveiled Recall for Windows 11—a feature designed to take periodic screenshots of your system, analyze them with AI, and offer an easy way to search through your activity history. While the concept had its merits, it was met with considerable backlash. Concerns about privacy and the sheer volume of data involved led many to criticize the feature.
Despite being able to disable Recall, criticism continued to mount, prompting Microsoft to delay its official rollout and re-evaluate the feature. Currently, Recall is available only to Windows Insiders.
In a surprising turn of events, Microsoft has now made it possible for users to completely uninstall Recall rather than just disabling it. This change appears to be part of the optional KB5041865 preview build. Users can remove Recall by opening the Control Panel, navigating to Programs, selecting “Turn Windows features on or off,” and then unchecking the box next to Windows Recall.
Microsoft has yet to officially announce this change, making it a stealth update discovered by observant Windows Insiders. An official announcement may follow soon, but for now, users can enjoy greater control over their Windows experience.
