How to Exclude Websites in Windows 11 Recall Snapshots
Website exclusions in Windows 11 Recall stop the feature from taking screenshots of specific web pages you view in supported browsers like Microsoft Edge and Google Chrome. Recall is a built-in Windows 11 tool that takes quick pictures of your screen every few seconds so you can search through past activity later.
Hiding private tabs and sensitive sites keeps your personal data out of these local snapshots. You just need a Chromium-based browser to block unwanted pages from the history.
- Microsoft Edge: blocks websites and filters private browsing activity
- Firefox: blocks websites and filters private browsing activity
- Opera: blocks websites and filters private browsing activity
- Google Chrome: blocks websites and filters private browsing activity
- Chromium based browsers: For Chromium-based browsers not listed above, filters private browsing activity only, doesn’t block specific websites
Open Settings, go to Privacy & security, then Recall & snapshots. Under “Filter lists,” click “Add website” and enter the web address you want to exclude. This prevents Windows from saving snapshots of that specific page.
Filter out websites from Recall and snapshots in Windows
As mentioned above, users can filter out websites and private browsing activity from Recall and snapshots in Windows.
Notes:
- Filtering out specific websites will only work in supported browsers such as Microsoft Edge or other Chromium-based browsers. You always have the option to filter out all browsing activity by adding an app filter for a browser.
- Recall won’t save any content from your private browsing activity when you’re using Microsoft Edge or other Chromium-based browsers.
- To help you access text and images currently on your screen, when you launch Recall or when you select the Now button, your current screen will be displayed in Recall without saving a new snapshot
Follow these steps to complete the configuration.
First, open the Windows Settings app. Launch the app by clicking the Start menu  and selecting Settings. Alternatively, press the keyboard shortcut (Win+I) to open the Settings app directly.
When the Setting app opens, click the Privacy & security button on the left.
On the right, click the Recall & snapshots page to open its settings and turn on the “Save snapshots” feature.
Select the Add website button under the "Filter lists" section. Type the URL into the text box and click Add to confirm.
Type the website address to filter into the text box. Select Add to include it on the filtered websites list.
That completes the setup process.
Reference:
Conclusion:
- Filtering out websites from being saved as snapshots in Windows 11 can help you maintain privacy and control over your Recall experience.
- Using the "Filter lists" feature in Recall & snapshots settings, you can easily exclude specific websites from being captured as snapshots on your PC.
- This level of control allows you to manage the content Recall saves, ensuring that sensitive information or private browsing activity is not stored in the snapshots.
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About the Author
Richard
Tech Writer, IT Professional
Richard, a writer for Geek Rewind, is a tech enthusiast who loves breaking down complex IT topics into simple, easy-to-understand ideas. With years of hands-on experience in system administration and enterprise IT operations, he’s developed a knack for offering practical tips and solutions. Richard aims to make technology more accessible and actionable. He's deeply committed to the Geek Rewind community, always ready to answer questions and engage in discussions.
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