How to Uninstall or Reinstall Recall on Windows 11

What is Recall?

Recall saves a snapshot of your screen every few seconds. You can then scroll back through a timeline or search for something you saw earlier, such as a web page, a document or a chat. The snapshots are stored on your PC, but they can capture anything that was on screen. That is why many people want to control it.

How to Turn Recall On or Off in Settings

Turning off snapshots in Settings is the quickest option. It stops Recall from capturing your screen right away, and it leaves the feature installed so you can turn it back on later. Use this method if you only want to pause Recall.

If you don’t see Recall & snapshots in Settings, your PC probably isn’t a Copilot+ PC, or your Windows build doesn’t include the feature yet. If the toggle is greyed out, your work or school may be managing the setting through policy. In that case, ask your IT administrator.

1. Click the Start button and open Settings. The Settings window opens with the category list on the left.
2. Select Privacy & security in the left-hand list. The privacy options appear on the right.
3. Click Recall & snapshots. You should now see the Recall controls, including the snapshot toggle.
4. Switch the Save snapshots toggle off to stop Recall. Switch it on to start saving snapshots again. Recall stops capturing as soon as the toggle is off. You don't need to restart.

Alternative methods exist 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) lets you add or remove Recall as an optional component. Removing it completely gives you the most control over privacy, because the feature is no longer on your system at all. You can add it back later if you want it.

How to Add or Remove Recall Using Windows Features

The Windows Features window is the easiest way to take Recall off your PC without typing commands. It works the same on Windows 11 Home and Pro. The Recall entry only appears on PCs that support it, so if you can't find it, your device or build doesn't include it. You need an administrator account, and Windows will ask you to restart to finish the change.

1. Press Windows key + R on your keyboard. The Run box opens in the bottom-left corner of the screen.
2. Type OptionalFeatures.exe and press Enter. This opens the Windows Features window. It may take a few seconds to build its list.
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. To undo a removal later, come back here and check the box again.
5. Click OK to save your changes. Windows applies the change and then offers to restart your PC.

Windows applies these changes automatically, but they aren't finished until you restart. Save your work, then restart your PC. After the reboot, the Recall status is updated. Open Windows Features again if you want to confirm that the box is in the state you chose.

How to Uninstall or Reinstall Recall Using Commands

Windows Terminal is a reliable choice if you want to do the job from the command line, or if you manage several PCs. You run a command to remove Recall and another to bring it back. The terminal must be opened as an administrator, or the commands will fail with an access error.

⚠️ Admin privileges required

Steps:

1. Open Windows Terminal as an administrator. To do this, right-click the Start button and choose Windows Terminal (Admin). On some builds this entry is labeled Terminal (Admin). If a User Account Control prompt appears, click Yes.
2. In Windows Terminal, open a PowerShell or Command Prompt tab. PowerShell is usually the default tab, so you may already be in the right place.
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"

PowerShell commands offer another viable method. Run them in the same administrator terminal, and read any message the command prints. An error usually means the terminal isn't elevated, or that the PC doesn't support Recall.

To enable Recall:

Enable-WindowsOptionalFeature -Online -FeatureName "Recall"

To disable Recall:

Disable-WindowsOptionalFeature -Online -FeatureName "Recall"

Restart the computer after running these commands so the changes apply correctly. If Windows asks you to restart as soon as a command finishes, do it then.

Summary

To disable Windows Recall, you can turn it off in the Settings app, remove it through Windows Features, or run a command in Windows Terminal. Recall takes screenshots of your screen every few seconds. Settings gives you a quick pause, while Windows Features or the terminal removes the feature entirely. Whichever you choose, you can reverse it later.

• Recall is a Windows 11 feature that takes snapshots of your screen every few seconds. It is only available on Copilot+ PCs.
• 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 › Recall & snapshots. No restart is needed.
• You can add or remove Recall from Windows Features or by using commands in an administrator Windows Terminal.
• Restart your PC after adding or removing Recall so the change applies properly.
• By managing Recall the way you want, you keep your computer privacy exactly how you like it.