Windows 10: Microsoft needs to make Windows 11's Recall feature opt-in

As it stands right now, the new Recall AI feature of Windows 11 will be enabled by default when it launches officially later this year. While limited to PCs that sport the Copilot+ PCs label, it will capture the screen of those PCs in five second intervals from the get-go.

The AI will capture almost everything on the screen by default. The only exception is activity in private browsing sessions of several popular browsers. Users may block access to certain apps, but this needs to be done manually.

The captures are stored locally only according to Microsoft. Furthermore, they are protected when the user is not logged in. However, when the user is logged in, the data is accessible by system and administrator accounts.

This makes Recall data the most lucrative target on Windows systems. Here is why:

It captures every activity, except for private browsing activity by default. This may include:

• Financial documents, e.g., assets listed on a bank's website.
• All emails in dedicated email programs, apps or regular browsing sessions.
• All visited websites, except for those in private browsing modes.
• Anything done in Tor Browser.
• All activity on the computer, e.g., watched videos, opened documents, games played, webcam chats, messages, including self-destroying ones, emails, contacts, and more.
• Accounts on the Web and elsewhere.
• VPN activity.
• P2P activity.

The information is highly lucrative for malicious actors. It is also lucrative for others, including law enforcement, customs, foreign agents, employers, or even friends and family.

What Microsoft reveals about Recall during Setup




Currently, Windows 11 informs the user that Recall is enabled on the device. This happens during the out-of-box experience. The page does not include an option to disable Recall.

There is a checkbox to open the settings after setup completes, but it needs to be checked specifically. Many users will likely ignore it as they want to complete setup and start using the computer.

In any event, those who check the box are taken to Settings where they may configure Recall. This includes an option to turn off Recall completely.

While there is a chance that Microsoft will change the experience, for instance by adding an opt-out option during setup, nothing has been confirmed at this point. Even then, it is likely that many users will keep the feature turned on.

Recall needs to be opt-int


Windows users need to be aware of Recall, what it does, and the consequences of running it on the system. While it may be useful to some, it is such an invasive feature that it should be opt-in.

Malware will certainly target Recall data. This data reveals the entire activity of a user of the past three months on the device by default. It allows for intimate views into a user's life.

With that said, it seems unlikely that Microsoft is going to make the one major AI feature that it showcased opt-in. Lack of use would certainly turn it into a feature that is dead on arrival.

What about you? Would you use a feature like Recall on your devices?

Thank you for being a Ghacks reader. The post Microsoft needs to make Windows 11's Recall feature opt-in appeared first on gHacks Technology News.

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How do I opt out of the new Recall AI feature

Hi there, I was wondering if I could get an explanation for how to opt out of the new recall ai feature due to the security and privacy issues that it will cause. will there be an opt out option in windows 11 in the settings. if not, what are the legal ramifications for this breach in personal privacy for the use of training an ai off of personal information. How does this new feature know whether or not you are posting important private information like passwords, social security numbers, bank statements, etc.

 

Is it possible to just not have Recall on my computer

Retrace your steps with Recall - Microsoft Support

System requirements for Recall

Your PC needs the following minimum system requirements for Recall:

• A Copilot+ PC
  
• 16 GB RAM
  
• 8 logical processors
  
• 256 GB storage capacity
  
• To enable Recall, you’ll need at least 50 GB of storage space free
  
• Saving screenshots automatically pauses once the device has less than 25 GB of storage space
  

Shop Copilot+ PCs | Microsoft

Are the Copilot+ PC experiences available on all Windows 11 PCs?

These features require powerful neural processing units (NPUs)—a specialized computer chip for AI-intensive processes—that are unique to the Copilot+ PC class of devices.

If your PC isn't one of these with an NPU on the Snapdragon® X Series processor, it simply won't run Recall or any of these other Copilot+ PC features, so you don't even have the option to ruse these.

Guess you're badly behind the times for true AI computing, eh?

Rob

 

Windows 7 top feature request list leaked to the public

With Windows still managing to find its way to over 95 percent of the desktop computers sold each year, it's not surprising that one can find plenty of people interested in giving their feedback about what future versions of Windows should be able to do.

A few years ago, before Windows Vista had even shipped, Microsoft sent out a wish list form asking people what features they would like to see in the next version of Windows, currently code-named Windows 7. The top wished-for features in this list were recently leaked to the public and have popped up at various sites (e.g., Neowin). While anonymous sources at Microsoft tell us that they bear no relationship to the actual feature set Microsoft is currently writing for Windows 7, the list does provide interesting insight into what the Windows-using public most wants from Windows.

The features are listed in no particular order, but they break down into various categories depending on what part of Windows the feature request falls under. Many requests for improvements in Internet Explorer, such as a session restore function, are fairly obvious wishes for features that already exist in competitive products such as Firefox and Opera. Other suggestions, such as a tabbed Windows Explorer, look for features from web browsers to migrate into the general user interface.





Some of the feature requests are clearly unrealistic, such as the desire to "back up" Xbox 360 games to the PC (yeah, I don't think Microsoft will be doing that one). Others are minor user interface enhancements that would be nice additions but wouldn't really change the Windows experience, such as a progress bar when hibernating the system. However, there are a few that make good sense and would be welcome additions to the operating system, such as a built-in video and audio codec manager.

A Windows 7 insider who wishes to remain anonymous told Ars that the leaked feature list was gathered before any real development on Windows 7 was started, and readers should not expect to see requests from the list necessarily implemented in Microsoft’s next major Windows release.