How to Uninstall or Reinstall Recall on Windows 11

What is Recall?

Recall is a Windows 11 feature that takes screenshots of your screen every few seconds to help you remember what you’ve seen.

How to Turn Recall On or Off in Settings

You can turn Windows Recall on or off directly from your Windows Settings to manage your privacy and control screen snapshots.

1. Click the ⊞ Start button and ⚙️ open Settings.
2. Go to Privacy & security.
3. Find and click on Recall & snapshots.
4. Toggle the switch to turn snapshots on or off.

There are other options too, like pausing snapshots temporarily, excluding certain apps, or deleting all snapshots.

Recall is Now a Windows Feature You Can Add or Remove

A recent Windows update (KB5041865 Windows 11 build 26100.1591) has made Recall a feature you can add or remove from your system. Removing it completely gives you full control over your privacy.

How to Add or Remove Recall Using Windows Features

When you remove the Microsoft Recall feature, it stops running and gives you more control over active Windows features.

1. Press Windows key + R on your keyboard to open the Run box.
2. Type OptionalFeatures.exe and press Enter. This opens the Windows Features window.
3. Scroll down the list until you find Recall.
4. Check the box to add (turn on ) Recall. Or uncheck it to remove (turn off ) Recall.
5. Click OK to save your changes.

Windows will apply the changes. It may ask you to restart your PC. After you restart, the Recall feature will be added or removed based on your choice.

How to Uninstall or Reinstall Recall Using Commands

For those who prefer using commands, you can uninstall or reinstall Recall quickly through Windows Terminal. This command-line method offers precise control.

⚠️ Admin privileges required

Steps:

1. Open Windows Terminal as an administrator. To do this, right-click the ⊞ Start button and choose Windows Terminal (Admin).
2. In Windows Terminal, open a PowerShell or Command Prompt tab.
3. To install (enable) Recall, type this command and press Enter:
   
   DISM /Online /Enable-Feature /FeatureName:"Recall"
4. To uninstall (disable) Recall, type this command and press Enter:
   
   DISM /Online /Disable-Feature /FeatureName:"Recall"

You can also use PowerShell commands:

To enable Recall:

Enable-WindowsOptionalFeature -Online -FeatureName "Recall"

To disable Recall:

Disable-WindowsOptionalFeature -Online -FeatureName "Recall"

After running these commands, restart your computer. This makes sure the changes take effect.

Summary

• Recall is a Windows 11 feature that takes snapshots of your screen every few seconds.
• You can control Recall to protect your privacy by turning it off or uninstalling it.
• Turn Recall on or off from Settings under Privacy & security.
• You can add or remove Recall from Windows Features or by using commands in Windows Terminal.
• 🔄 Restart your PC after making changes to ensure everything works properly.
• By managing Recall the way you want, you keep your computer privacy exactly how you like it.