Microsoft details opt-in security enhancements in Recall, their latest offering
**Microsoft Enhances Recall Feature in Windows 11 for Improved Transparency and User Control**
Microsoft has made significant changes to its Recall feature in Windows 11, addressing security concerns and negative feedback by focusing on transparency, usability, and user control while ensuring data privacy and local security.
The revamped Recall app now includes a redesigned home page, showcasing recent snapshots and highlights from your three most-used apps and websites over the last 24 hours. This simplifies interaction and makes it easier for users to quickly return to previous tasks while maintaining control over what data is shown [1][3].
A new option allows users to fully reset the AI feature, helping users clear any saved snapshots and start fresh if they choose [1]. Users can now also export their saved snapshots and data for sharing with third-party apps or websites, increasing transparency and user agency over their data [1].
Recall remains an opt-in feature, requiring explicit user consent to save snapshots. Users can enable or disable the saving of snapshots at any time through settings, reinforcing user control over data collection [5]. Users have the ability to filter which apps and websites appear in Recall, allowing customization of what data is retained and displayed [3].
For organizational users, IT administrators can enforce policies that disable Recall and remove all related data from devices, including the removal of Recall binaries and a device restart to ensure complete data removal [5].
The Recall feature runs entirely locally on the PC, meaning content captured for Recall never leaves the user's device. This architecture is designed to ensure strong privacy safeguards [2]. Saving snapshots is only enabled with user consent, and users can toggle snapshot saving on or off and have full control over viewing, editing, or deleting their stored data [5][4].
Microsoft has conducted three sets of tests and assessments for Recall's security, including penetration testing, collaboration with a third-party security company, and a Responsible AI Impact Assessment [6]. The feature uses Windows Hello for authorization and your Windows PIN as a fallback measure, and snapshots can only be used in a secure environment called a Virtualization-based security Enclave (VBS Enclave) [6].
Additional features include an icon in the system tray that helps users know when snapshots are being saved and makes it easy to quickly pause saving snapshots. Sensitive content filtering is on by default in Recall to help reduce the storage of passwords, national ID numbers, and credit card numbers [6].
In summary, Microsoft has responded to feedback by enhancing transparency, user control, and privacy in Recall through interface improvements, explicit opt-in requirements, local-only data handling, and enterprise controls. These steps are designed to address earlier concerns while enabling a more useful and secure experience for users [1][2][3][4][5].
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- The enhancements to the Recall feature in Windows 11, a data-and-cloud computing technology, prioritize transparency and user control while ensuring data privacy and local security, applying advanced technology.
- In the revamped Recall app, users can now export their saved snapshots and data for sharing with third-party apps or websites, increasing transparency and user agency over their data, exemplifying the power of data-and-cloud computing technology.
