Is Windows Recall safe? According to Microsoft, Recall is off unless you choose to turn it on, it stores its snapshots on your PC rather than sending them to Microsoft, and you can pause it, delete what it saved or remove it entirely. That does not make it risk-free: Recall keeps a searchable record of what appeared on your screen, so what matters is who can sign in to your PC and what you let it capture.
Last checked October 12, 2026 against Microsoft’s Recall privacy page, which Microsoft updated in September 2026. Microsoft still describes Recall as a preview feature, so details can change.
What Windows Recall does
Recall takes snapshots of what is on your screen so you can later search for something you saw, such as a page, a document or a chat. It runs on Copilot+ PCs, and Microsoft says analyzing the snapshots needs no internet or cloud connection. If you are unsure why that matters, our guide to what an NPU actually runs explains which AI features stay on your PC.
Is Recall on by default?
No. Microsoft says each user chooses whether to enable saving snapshots, and that if you do not opt in, Recall is off by default and no snapshots are saved. You can check this yourself in Settings > Privacy & security > Recall & snapshots.
Where are Recall snapshots stored, and are they encrypted?
Microsoft says snapshots and their associated data are stored locally on the device. It also says the snapshots and the search database are encrypted, and that the keys are protected by the PC’s TPM, which other users of the PC cannot access. To open Recall you need Windows Hello with at least one biometric sign-in option enabled, and Recall asks you to confirm your identity when you launch it or change its settings.
Does Recall send my data to Microsoft?
Microsoft says Recall does not share snapshots or associated data with Microsoft or third parties. It lists two exceptions: Recall may fetch website icons and metadata from the internet, and some diagnostic data may be shared depending on your privacy settings. This is Microsoft’s description of its own feature, so treat it as a claim to check against the settings on your PC, not as independent proof.
What Recall tries to keep out of snapshots
Sensitive information filtering is on by default and is meant to keep items such as passwords, national ID numbers and credit card numbers out of snapshots. You can also add apps and websites to a filter list so they are never saved. Website filtering works only in supported browsers, and private browsing windows are not saved in supported Chromium-based browsers and Firefox. Filtering does not stop your browser, internet provider or the sites themselves from knowing you visited.
How to pause, delete or turn off Recall
- Pause it: use the Recall icon in the system tray and choose the pause option.
- Turn saving off: open Settings > Privacy & security > Recall & snapshots and switch off saving snapshots.
- Delete what it saved: in the same settings page, delete your snapshots. You can also set how long snapshots are kept; once the storage limit is reached, the oldest are removed.
- Exclude apps and sites: add banking, password manager and private messaging apps to the filter list.
- Remove it completely: open “Turn Windows features on or off” in Windows and clear the Recall option, as Microsoft describes.
Should you turn Recall on?
Recall is most reasonable on a personal PC that only you use, with a strong sign-in and your most sensitive apps on the filter list. Be more careful on a shared or work PC, or on a computer where several people know the sign-in details, because anyone who gets past Windows Hello is looking at a searchable history of your screen. Protecting the accounts behind that screen helps too; see our comparison of passkeys and passwords. For the wider picture, read our guide to data privacy in the digital age.
FAQ
Is Windows Recall spyware?
Microsoft describes it as an opt-in feature that keeps data on your device. It still records your screen on your own PC when enabled, so the safer question is whether you trust everyone and everything that can sign in to that PC.
Can I use Recall without a fingerprint or face sign-in?
Microsoft says Recall requires Windows Hello with at least one biometric sign-in option enabled.
Does turning Recall off delete my snapshots?
Turning saving off stops new snapshots. Delete the existing ones separately in Recall & snapshots settings.
