How to Reset Recall Feature in Windows 11
Resetting the Recall feature in Windows 11 deletes all saved snapshots and restores your original settings. Recall is a built-in AI tool on Copilot+ PCs that takes pictures of your screen over time so you can search your past activity later. Microsoft designed the feature to keep your data private by storing these snapshots locally on your hard drive instead of sending them to the cloud.
Reset Recall by opening Settings, navigating to Privacy & Security, then Recall & Snapshots, clicking Advanced settings, and selecting Reset Recall. Confirm the action to delete all stored snapshots and restore default settings.
Latest Update
Recall functions as an optional feature left disabled by default. New user account setup on a Copilot+ PC presents an explicit choice to turn it on.
Snapshots are saved every few seconds. Resetting Recall gets rid of this history, providing a fresh start to record new activity.
Malfunctions, accumulated old data, or lingering privacy concerns regarding past activity all serve as valid reasons to clear the slate. Resetting establishes a clean baseline for future screen recording.
How to Reset Recall in 🪟 Windows 11
Clearing old data or fixing problems starts by opening the Settings app in Windows 11. Accessing Windows Settings happens through the Start menu or by pressing the Win and I together on your keyboard. This shortcut opens the main settings window containing the Recall options.
- Open Windows Settings : Click the Start menu (the Windows icon at the bottom left), then click Settings . Or press Win+I on your keyboard to open Settings directly.
- Go to Privacy & Security: In the Settings window, look at the menu on the left side and click Privacy & security.
- Select Recall & Snapshots: On the right side, find and click on the Recall & snapshots section.
- Open Advanced Settings: Inside the Recall & snapshots page, click on Advanced settings to see more options.
- Click Reset Recall: Find and click the Reset Recall button.
- Confirm the Reset: A prompt will appear asking if you want to reset. Click Reset to finish.
The Recall feature finishes resetting. Closing the Settings app concludes the entire process.
Summary
- Open Settings: Use Start menu or press Windows + I.
- Go to Privacy & Security: Find Recall & snapshots settings.
- Reset Recall: Click Advanced settings then Reset Recall.
- Confirm: Click Reset when asked.
- Manage Snapshots: After reset, you can start using Recall fresh or pause it anytime.
Opening Settings via the Start menu or Windows key + I provides the starting point for resetting Recall in Windows 11. Navigating to Privacy & security leads directly to Recall & snapshots. Clicking on Advanced settings and selecting Reset Recall triggers a confirmation prompt on screen. Clicking Reset finishes the process and allows a fresh start with the feature.
Stopping Recall entirely requires disabling the function. Going to Settings > Privacy & security > Recall & snapshots and toggling the switch to Off halts new snapshot creation and saves storage space. Existing snapshots also get deleted from this same menu.
Latest Update
Managing Recall granularly involves accessing additional configuration menus. Options for 'Snapshot Management' and 'Sensitive Information Filtering' let users control storage limits and block specific apps from being recorded.
Is Microsoft recall on 🪟 Windows 11 by default?
Microsoft Recall remains inactive by default in Windows 11, requiring manual activation for each individual user. Declbserving the opt-in prompt during new user setup leaves Recall and its snapshot saving disabled.
System Requirements
Recall requires a specialized Copilot+ PC (a modern Windows machine equipped with a dedicated neural processing unit for AI tasks).
What is Recall?
Operating as a specialized capability for Copilot+ PCs, Recall captures periodic screenshots of user activity to build a searchable history of past screen sessions. Acting as a visual memory aid, the tool indexes previous computer tasks for rapid retrieval.
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