How to Enable or Disable Recall in Windows 11

How to Enable or Disable Recall for Users

Administrators managing computers in workplaces or schools can use the Local Group Policy Editor to control Recall access. This built-in Windows tool manages system settings from one place. The change then applies to the whole PC, whatever the user has chosen in Settings.

If you run Home edition, skip ahead to the Registry method later in this tutorial.

Step-by-Step to Enable or Disable Recall with Group Policy Editor

Follow the steps below in order. Sign in with an administrator account first, because standard accounts cannot change these policies.

1. Click the Start button and type gpedit.msc, then press Enter to open the Local Group Policy Editor. ⚠️ Requires admin privileges
2. In the window, go to this folder path: Computer Configuration > Administrative Templates > Windows Components > Windows AI
3. On the right side, find and double-click Allow Recall to be enabled.
4. In the window that opens, choose one of the options:

   • Not Configured – Recall will be turned off for users.
   • Enabled – Users can turn Recall on their device.
   • Disabled – Recall will be completely turned off and removed.
5. Click OK to save your choice.
6. Restart your computer to make sure the setting works.

Managing Recall through the Local Group Policy Editor lets you control this AI feature across the whole system without touching individual app settings. Go to the Windows AI policy folder and change the main configuration rule to turn the feature on or off.

If you cannot find the Windows AI folder, your build may be too old or the device may not be a Copilot+ PC. Update Windows and look again. To undo the change, open the same rule and set it back to its previous option.

When you open the rule, you will see a set of selection options. Choose the one that matches what you want, then apply the change.

Available selection options include:

Click Apply, then OK, to save the rule. If Recall still behaves as before, restart the PC so the policy is fully applied.

How to Enable or Disable Recall Using the Windows Registry

Registry edits take effect immediately and can destabilize your system if you make a mistake, so back up the Registry first. In the Registry Editor, use File › Export to save a copy. If something goes wrong, you can restore it by double-clicking the exported file.

Steps to Enable or Disable Recall via Registry

As with the Group Policy method, sign in with an administrator account. Work through the steps below in order and check each value before you move on.

1. Press Windows + R, type regedit, and press Enter to open the Registry Editor. ⚠️ Requires admin privileges
2. Go to this path: HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Policies\Microsoft\Windows\WindowsAI
3. If you don't see WindowsAI, right-click on Windows folder, select New > Key, and name it WindowsAI. ⚠️ Requires admin privileges
4. Right-click inside the WindowsAI folder, select New > DWORD (32-bit) Value, and name it AllowRecallEnablement. ⚠️ Requires admin privileges
5. Double-click AllowRecallEnablement and set the value to:

   • 1 to enable Recall for managed users.
   • 0 to disable Recall for everyone.
6. If you want to allow Recall on Home devices, just delete the AllowRecallEnablement value. ⚠️ Requires admin privileges
7. Close Registry Editor and restart your PC.

Controlling Recall through the Registry Editor gives you a direct way to turn the feature on or off if you use Windows Home edition, where Group Policy is not available. You create or modify a specific DWORD value inside the main Windows AI registry key. A DWORD is a simple numeric value that Windows reads as a setting.

If the key or value does not exist yet, that is normal. You create it yourself. Restart the PC after the change so Windows reads the new value. To reverse it, change the value back or delete the one you created.

Summary

Windows 11 Recall takes snapshots of your screen to help you find past information. You can turn the feature on or off with either the Group Policy Editor or the Registry Editor, depending on your preference, your Windows edition and your level of system access.