How to Enable Recall & Snapshots in Windows 11
Recall & Snapshots takes continuous screenshots of your screen on Copilot+ PCs running Windows 11 build 26100 or later so you can search through past activities. This tool saves a visual history of websites, documents, and apps you had open earlier to let you find them again quickly.
You can turn this feature on or off through the Settings app or the Local Group Policy Editor.
Enable Recall & Snapshots by opening Settings, navigating to Privacy & security, then Recall & snapshots, and toggling “Save snapshots” on. Ensure your Copilot+ PC meets the minimum requirements of 16GB RAM and 50GB free storage.
What is Recall & Snapshots?
Windows 11 Recall snapshots is a built-in memory feature that takes continuous pictures of your screen as you work, browse, and chat. This tool creates a searchable visual history so you can easily find past documents, websites, or messages later by simply typing what you remember seeing into a search bar .
Why would you use this? If you saw something on your screen last week and cannot remember where, Recall helps you find it fast.
When Recall is active, your PC captures a snapshot every five seconds. Recall saves the image only if something on your screen has changed, a smart approach that saves storage space.
Do You Meet the Requirements?
Running Recall requires specific hardware. Ensure your system meets these minimum specifications:
- A Copilot+ PC
- 16 GB RAM
- 8 logical processors
- 256 GB storage capacity
At least 50 GB of free storage is required to begin saving snapshots. Your PC will stop saving snapshots automatically if the free space drops below 25 GB.
Method 1Turn Recall On or Off Using Settings
You can turn Windows 11 Recall snapshots on or off directly through the main Settings app without needing any advanced tools. Open your settings menu, go to the privacy section, and use the toggle switch next to the save snapshots option to control whether your computer records your screen history.
- Open the Settings app. Click the Start menu and select Settings. Or press the Windows key + I on your keyboard.
- When Settings opens, click Privacy & security on the left side.
- On the right, click Recall & snapshots to open its settings.
- Find the "Save snapshots" tile. Toggle the switch to turn snapshots On or Off.
- Close the Settings app when you're done.
Method 2Turn Recall On or Off Using Group Policy Editor
You can manage Windows 11 Recall snapshots using the Local Group Policy Editor if you want system-wide control over the feature. This advanced method requires an administrator account and lets you configure administrative templates to completely enable or disable screen capture functions across your computer.
- ⚠️ Admin privileges required. Open the Local Group Policy Editor. Search for "Edit group policy" in the Start menu and click it.
- Navigate to these folders in order:
- User Configuration
- Administrative Templates
- Windows Components
- Windows AI
- On the right side, find and double-click "Turn off Saving Snapshots for Windows".
- A window opens. Choose one of these options:
- Not Configured (default) – Same as Disabled. Snapshots are saved.
- Enabled – Windows stops saving snapshots. You can't search or browse your activity history.
- Disabled – Windows saves snapshots. You can search and browse your activity history.
- Click OK to save your changes.
- You may need to restart your PC for the changes to take effect.
Summary
Windows 11 Recall & Snapshots is a helpful feature that automatically saves pictures of your screen, allowing you to search for past content. You can turn it on or off using either Settings or the Group Policy Editor.
Reference: Microsoft
How do I turn off Recall and snapshots in 🪟 Windows 11?
You can turn on or off saving snapshots at any time by going to Settings Privacy & security Recall & snapshots
Was this guide helpful?
About the Author
Richard
Tech Writer, IT Professional
Richard is a writer at Geek Rewind who turns complex IT tasks into clear, step-by-step guides. He draws on years of hands-on experience in system administration and enterprise IT operations, focusing on Windows, Linux and WordPress: the problems people actually run into, and the fixes that work. His server and WordPress guides come from systems he runs himself. Richard builds and maintains the platform behind Geek Rewind, from its Ubuntu servers and Nginx configuration to its custom WordPress plugins. Many new tutorials start with readers' questions, and he's always glad to answer them in the comments.
[…] Recall & Snapshots is an AI feature in Windows 11 that functions like a photographic memory by saving snapshots of your screen. You can then use the Recall feature to quickly search your snapshots and find things you’ve seen on your PC. […]
[…] Recall & Snapshots is an AI feature in Windows 11 that functions like a photographic memory by saving snapshots of your screen. You can then use the Recall feature to quickly search your snapshots and find things you’ve seen on your PC. […]
[…] Recall & Snapshots is an AI feature in Windows 11 that functions like a photographic memory by saving snapshots of your screen. You can then use the Recall feature to quickly search your snapshots and find things you’ve seen on your PC. […]
[…] Recall & Snapshots is an AI feature in Windows 11 that functions like a photographic memory by saving snapshots of your screen. You can then use the Recall feature to quickly search your snapshots and find things you’ve seen on your PC. […]
[…] Recall & Snapshots is an AI feature in Windows 11 that functions like a photographic memory by saving snapshots of your screen. You can then use the Recall feature to quickly search your snapshots and find things you’ve seen on your PC. […]
[…] Recall & Snapshots is an AI feature in Windows 11 that functions like a photographic memory by saving snapshots of your screen. You can then use the Recall feature to quickly search your snapshots and find things you’ve seen on your PC. […]
[…] Microsoft announced this spring, you need a Copilot+ PC to use Cocreator. You must also update the Microsoft Paint app to the latest version available in […]
[…] Recall & Snapshots is an AI feature in Windows 11 that functions like a photographic memory by saving snapshots of your screen. You can then use the Recall feature to quickly search your snapshots and find things you’ve seen on your PC. […]
[…] Recall & Snapshots is an AI feature in Windows 11 that functions like a photographic memory by saving snapshots of your screen. You can then use the Recall feature to quickly search your snapshots and find things you’ve seen on your PC. […]
[…] Recall & Snapshots is an AI feature in Windows 11 that functions like a photographic memory by saving snapshots of your screen. You can then use the Recall feature to quickly search your snapshots and find things you’ve seen on your PC. […]
[…] article explains how to enable or disable the Recall feature in Windows […]
[…] Recall & Snapshots is an AI feature in Windows 11 that functions like a photographic memory by saving snapshots of your screen. You can then use the Recall feature to quickly search your snapshots and find things you’ve seen on your PC. […]
[…] Recall & Snapshots is a smart tool in Windows 11 that works like a camera memory. It saves snapshots (pictures) of your screen so you can quickly search and find things you’ve seen on your PC. […]
[…] 11 versions (build 26120.2415 and later) and is mainly available on special Windows devices called Copilot+ PCs (powered by Snapdragon […]
[…] Recall & Snapshots is a cool AI feature in Windows 11. It works like a camera that takes quick pictures (snapshots) of what’s on your screen. Later, you can search these snapshots to find something you saw before on your PC. […]
[…] Recall & Snapshots saves copies of your screen securely on your PC. You can control how much space it uses and even delete old snapshots if needed. […]
[…] you use Windows 11, you might have heard about Recall & Snapshots. This is a handy feature that works like a memory for your PC. It takes small […]
[…] What are Recall Snapshots? Recall Snapshots are like photos your computer takes of what’s on your screen at different times. Windows saves these snapshots so you can search for things you’ve seen or worked on before. You can learn more about this feature here: Recall & Snapshots explained. […]
[…] Recall & Snapshots is a handy feature in Windows 11. It works like a photo album for your computer, saving pictures (snapshots) of what’s on your screen. Later, you can search through these snapshots to find things you’ve seen before. […]