Turns out you won’t be able to uninstall Windows 11’s Recall feature after all
Microsoft says the ability to uninstall Windows Recall is just a bug, but you’ll still be able to turn it off.
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What you need to know
Last week, it was discovered that the latest Windows 11 buildsnow include an option to remove Microsoft’s upcoming Recall AI featurefrom the OS using the “Turn Windows features on and off” interface. However, Microsoft has now confirmed in a statement toThe Vergethat this is just a bug, meaning Windows Recall will actually not be removable when it launches.
Microsoft senior product manager Brandon LeBlanc told The Verge that the company is"aware of an issue where Recall is incorrectly listed as an option under the ‘Turn Windows features on or off’ dialog in Control Panel. This will be fixed in an upcoming update.”
It’s important to stress that this doesn’t mean Recall won’t be optional, just that the app itself won’t be easily removable from the system. Windows Recall will still be an optional feature that users can choose to disable when setting up their PC, and will be free to enable it at any time via the Recall app in the Start menu.
Recall was first announced back in May and wasquickly enthralled in controversy over privacy and security concerns.Specifically, it was discovered that while none of the data Recall collects is uploaded to the cloud or shared with Microsoft or third-parties, that data is stored unencrypted in a local directory that was easily accessed by potential attackers.
This discovery led to Microsoft postponing the launch of Recall to an unspecified date, only recently confirming that the feature will begin to beavailable in public preview this October.The company promises that when Recall launches,it will be more secure and entirely optional.
While Recall is expected to launch in preview this October, it likely won’t begin shipping officially until sometime in 2025.
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Zac Bowden is a Senior Editor at Windows Central. Bringing you exclusive coverage into the world of Windows on PCs, tablets, phones, and more. Also an avid collector of rare Microsoft prototype devices! Keep in touch onTwitterandThreads
