Table of Contents
Key takeaways
- Follow the main steps in Windows Recall: How to Enable, Search, and Stay Private in order; skipping prerequisites is the most common source of errors.
- Prioritize official packages, backups, and rollback paths when the guide touches servers, security, or production tools.
- Use the Next Read links at the end to continue with related setup, performance, or protection tasks.
The average knowledge worker loses more than 2 hours per week searching for files, emails, and browser tabs they’ve already visited — and most of those items were right there on screen at some point. Windows Recall is Microsoft’s answer to this problem: an AI-powered feature that takes encrypted screenshots of your screen activity every few seconds, indexes them locally, and lets you find anything you’ve seen using plain-language search.
Available exclusively on Copilot+ PCs, Recall stores everything on your device — no cloud uploads, no Microsoft data sharing. You can type something like “the budget spreadsheet from last Tuesday” and Recall retrieves the exact moment that file was on your screen. As of 2026, Microsoft considers Recall one of the defining reasons to upgrade to a Copilot+ PC.
This guide covers how Windows Recall works, what hardware you need, how to enable and search it, and how to configure privacy controls so the feature works for you — not against you.
What Is Windows Recall and How Does It Work
Recall creates a searchable, on-device timeline of everything you’ve done on your PC. It works by capturing a snapshot of your active screen every few seconds, or whenever the content of your active window changes. These snapshots are analyzed by an on-device AI model powered by your PC’s neural processing unit (NPU), which extracts text and visual context from the images.
When you search Recall, you’re not searching filenames or metadata — you’re searching the actual content you saw. That means you can search for the name of a restaurant from a webpage you visited, a phrase from a document you read but didn’t save, or a product from a shopping tab you browsed three days ago. The AI understands intent, not just keywords.
How Recall Stores and Protects Your Snapshots
Every snapshot and all associated indexed data are stored in an encrypted database on your local device. The encryption is tied to your Windows Hello sign-in credentials — face recognition, fingerprint, or PIN — through a Virtualization-Based Security (VBS) enclave protected by your PC’s Trusted Platform Module (TPM). No one can access your Recall data without first authenticating as you.
Microsoft explicitly confirms that Recall does not send any snapshot data to Microsoft or any third party. Internet access is not required for Recall to function. On a 256 GB device, Recall reserves approximately 25 GB of local storage by default; that allocation is adjustable in settings, and Recall automatically purges older snapshots when the allocated space fills up.
Copilot+ PC Requirements for Windows Recall
Windows Recall is not available on every Windows 11 PC. It requires hardware that meets the Copilot+ PC specification, which Microsoft introduced in mid-2024. Here is the complete list of minimum requirements:
- Processor: A system-on-chip with a dedicated Neural Processing Unit (NPU) capable of at least 40 trillion operations per second (TOPS)
- RAM: 16 GB minimum
- Storage: 256 GB minimum, with at least 50 GB of free space for Recall
- Security: Secure Boot enabled, BitLocker or Device Encryption active, TPM 2.0
- Sign-in: Windows Hello Enhanced Sign-in Security (biometric or PIN) must be configured
- Operating system: Windows 11, version 23H2 or later, with the April 2025 update or newer installed
Qualifying processors include Qualcomm Snapdragon X series, Intel Core Ultra 200V series, and AMD Ryzen AI 300 series. Recall is turned off by default on all compatible devices — you must explicitly choose to enable it. For more practical Windows and AI guides, browse the how-to section on Hubkub.
How to Enable and Use Windows Recall Step by Step
Once you’ve confirmed your device meets the requirements, enabling Recall takes less than two minutes. Here’s the complete process.
Step 1: Enable Recall in Settings.
Open Windows Settings and navigate to Privacy & Security, then select Recall & Snapshots. Toggle the Saving snapshots option to On. Windows will confirm that Recall is now active and will begin capturing snapshots in the background.
Settings > Privacy & Security > Recall & Snapshots > Saving snapshots: OnStep 2: Open Recall using the keyboard shortcut.
Windows key + JThis shortcut opens the Recall app immediately. You can also find it by typing “Recall” in the Start menu or pinning it to your taskbar. The first time Recall opens, it will prompt you to authenticate using Windows Hello.
Step 3: Search for something using natural language.
In the search bar at the top of Recall, type a description of what you’re looking for. You don’t need to know the exact filename or URL. Try searches like “the contract PDF from last Monday” or “the hotel booking confirmation” and Recall’s AI model will surface matching snapshots from your timeline. Results appear as thumbnail previews that you can click to view in full detail or reopen the original app.
Step 4: Browse your timeline manually.
If searching doesn’t find what you need, use the timeline slider at the bottom of the Recall window to scroll back through your activity chronologically. Snapshots are grouped into time blocks. Hover over any block to preview the snapshot, then click to open it.
Step 5: Exclude sensitive apps and websites.
Recall does not capture snapshots from InPrivate or Incognito browser tabs by default. To manually exclude additional apps or websites, go to Settings > Privacy & Security > Recall & Snapshots > Filter apps and websites. Add any applications — such as banking apps or password managers — that you don’t want recorded.
Settings > Privacy & Security > Recall & Snapshots > Filter apps and websitesFull documentation on using Recall, including enterprise management controls and group policy options, is available at Microsoft’s official Recall support page.
To pause Recall temporarily, click the Recall icon in the system tray and select Pause until tomorrow. To delete all snapshots, go to Settings > Privacy & Security > Recall & Snapshots > Delete all snapshots. Deletion is immediate and permanent.
Common Questions — Windows Recall
Q: Is Windows Recall available on all Windows 11 PCs?
A: No. Recall is exclusive to Copilot+ PCs, which require a dedicated NPU with at least 40 TOPS of processing power, 16 GB of RAM, and 256 GB of storage. PCs powered by standard Intel or AMD processors without a qualifying NPU cannot run Recall. Qualcomm Snapdragon X, Intel Core Ultra 200V, and AMD Ryzen AI 300 series chips are among the qualifying processors.
Q: Does Windows Recall send my data to Microsoft?
A: No. Microsoft has confirmed that Recall processes all snapshots entirely on-device using your PC’s NPU. No snapshot data, search queries, or indexed content is sent to Microsoft or any third party. All data is encrypted locally using Windows Hello and TPM-based keys. Recall functions without an internet connection, and the feature does not integrate with any Microsoft cloud services.
Q: How much storage does Windows Recall use?
A: By default, Recall allocates approximately 25 GB on a 256 GB device, with proportionally more space on larger drives. You can adjust the storage allocation in Settings > Privacy & Security > Recall & Snapshots > Storage allocated to snapshots. When the allocated space fills up, Recall automatically deletes the oldest snapshots to make room for new ones. You can also manually delete all snapshots at any time.
Q: Can I stop Recall from capturing certain apps or websites?
A: Yes. Recall has a built-in filter system that lets you exclude specific apps and websites from snapshot capture. By default, InPrivate and Incognito browser tabs are never captured. To add more exclusions, go to Settings > Privacy & Security > Recall & Snapshots > Filter apps and websites. You can also pause Recall entirely from the system tray if you need a temporary break from snapshot capture.
Conclusion
Windows Recall is one of the most genuinely useful AI features to arrive on Windows in years — provided you have the right hardware and take a few minutes to configure privacy filters correctly. Three takeaways: check whether your PC qualifies using the Copilot+ specification before investing time in setup; use the filter list to exclude banking apps and password managers from the start; and remember the Windows+J shortcut as your fastest path to anything you’ve ever seen on your screen.
Recall is just one of several on-device AI features rolling out to Copilot+ PCs in 2026. Explore our AI coverage on Hubkub to stay current on what’s changing across Windows, productivity tools, and intelligent computing.
Last Updated: April 13, 2026
