Windows Recall Is Too Risky, Turn It Off
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Date: 2025-09-01
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Comments and reviews: 20
0Perhaps
1) Recall is capturing everything you type, even within privacy apps, such as VeraCrypt and GPG. Not good.
2) 2:49 -- Steer clear of all things bio-metric. Normally, a company or government would need a court order to take your bio-metrics. But with Windows Hello, you are handing it over.
3) 2:05 -- How does Windows know what is sensitive
I can see how it could identify where a password would be entered. But adult material
That means that even if Recall is not taking screenshots of that material, it still identified it as that material. So Microsoft knows what you have been watching.
In other words, for Recall to know not to take certain screenshots, it has to know what is on your screen. So Windows is fully capable of reporting your personal activities back to Microsoft, and sharing it with anyone else (you know, with their partners to make a better computing experience). Even with Recall disabled, Windows can easily report to Microsoft everything about you.
This is why Windows 7 was so good. It was reliable, user friendly, and has nearly none of the spyware that Microsoft now has built-in to Windows.
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1) Recall is capturing everything you type, even within privacy apps, such as VeraCrypt and GPG. Not good.
2) 2:49 -- Steer clear of all things bio-metric. Normally, a company or government would need a court order to take your bio-metrics. But with Windows Hello, you are handing it over.
3) 2:05 -- How does Windows know what is sensitive
I can see how it could identify where a password would be entered. But adult material
That means that even if Recall is not taking screenshots of that material, it still identified it as that material. So Microsoft knows what you have been watching.
In other words, for Recall to know not to take certain screenshots, it has to know what is on your screen. So Windows is fully capable of reporting your personal activities back to Microsoft, and sharing it with anyone else (you know, with their partners to make a better computing experience). Even with Recall disabled, Windows can easily report to Microsoft everything about you.
This is why Windows 7 was so good. It was reliable, user friendly, and has nearly none of the spyware that Microsoft now has built-in to Windows.
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scrazzle
Recall is a bad idea. Let's ignore the privacy elephant in the room (government overreach) for a second...
We DO NOT live in an age in which big Tech companies are doing things to make our lives better just for the sake of progress. They act only in their financial interests, almost always at the expense of user privacy and data. That has been true for several years now. If you believe that MS designed this as a bonus for users or to add value to the windows operating system... to make users' lives easier, then you have a rude awakening coming. They will absolutely be using this to gather your data and monetize it. This is a machine learning goldmine... a way for to gather data for the purpose of training AI models so that they can create new applications to sell to businesses. And a way for MS to identify spaces where a new, previously un-thought of application would be a good fit for automating some part of the end user experience. The sales pitch will be let us do this for you and you won't need to employ people who are always making mistakes. And businesses will buy it. And then they will downsize their workforce.
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Recall is a bad idea. Let's ignore the privacy elephant in the room (government overreach) for a second...
We DO NOT live in an age in which big Tech companies are doing things to make our lives better just for the sake of progress. They act only in their financial interests, almost always at the expense of user privacy and data. That has been true for several years now. If you believe that MS designed this as a bonus for users or to add value to the windows operating system... to make users' lives easier, then you have a rude awakening coming. They will absolutely be using this to gather your data and monetize it. This is a machine learning goldmine... a way for to gather data for the purpose of training AI models so that they can create new applications to sell to businesses. And a way for MS to identify spaces where a new, previously un-thought of application would be a good fit for automating some part of the end user experience. The sales pitch will be let us do this for you and you won't need to employ people who are always making mistakes. And businesses will buy it. And then they will downsize their workforce.
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logaandm
I just uninstalled Recall. I thought I had refused everything for recall, but there it was. I didn't ask for it. I don't need it, I don't want it. I can see where someone might want it and I'm pretty sure that Microsoft did this with the best of intentions. However, the security risk is massive. Remember a company is Israel was hacking iPhones for years before it was found out and, according to Apple, the iPhone is one of the most secure platforms out there.
I am now considering doing everything in virtual machines using Hyper-V. My Windows install just being a shell that runs VM's set up for different purposes. Not an ideal situation and probably as useful as peeing on a fire but I am at a bit of a loss of what to do about the amount of data flying around the internet.
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I just uninstalled Recall. I thought I had refused everything for recall, but there it was. I didn't ask for it. I don't need it, I don't want it. I can see where someone might want it and I'm pretty sure that Microsoft did this with the best of intentions. However, the security risk is massive. Remember a company is Israel was hacking iPhones for years before it was found out and, according to Apple, the iPhone is one of the most secure platforms out there.
I am now considering doing everything in virtual machines using Hyper-V. My Windows install just being a shell that runs VM's set up for different purposes. Not an ideal situation and probably as useful as peeing on a fire but I am at a bit of a loss of what to do about the amount of data flying around the internet.
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pcworld
For those unfortunate enough to run win 11:
From a powershell console, ran as admin:
Check Recall status:
DISM /Online /Get-FeatureInfo /FeatureName:Recall
Disable Recall:
DISM /Online /Disable-Feature /FeatureName:Recall
From gpedit.msc :
User Configuration
>Administrative Templates
>Windows Componements
>Windows AI
Set Turning off Saving Snapshots for Windows on Enabled
From settings:
Select Privacy & Security in the sidebar
Select Recall & Snapshots
Toggle Save Snapshots to off
Select Delete Snapshots
Select Delete All
Close Windows Settings.
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For those unfortunate enough to run win 11:
From a powershell console, ran as admin:
Check Recall status:
DISM /Online /Get-FeatureInfo /FeatureName:Recall
Disable Recall:
DISM /Online /Disable-Feature /FeatureName:Recall
From gpedit.msc :
User Configuration
>Administrative Templates
>Windows Componements
>Windows AI
Set Turning off Saving Snapshots for Windows on Enabled
From settings:
Select Privacy & Security in the sidebar
Select Recall & Snapshots
Toggle Save Snapshots to off
Select Delete Snapshots
Select Delete All
Close Windows Settings.
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pcworld
On the topic of privacy. If you use copilot in Edge, Microsoft will sent the content of the current webpage to its servers for analysis and long term storage. I have to warn my small business customers not to use this feature of Edge when they have logged into the site we provide and they're looking at sensitive information. There is no way to block Microsoft from copying the content of highly sensitive web pages. Microsoft never answered my question about this security leak in their browser.
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On the topic of privacy. If you use copilot in Edge, Microsoft will sent the content of the current webpage to its servers for analysis and long term storage. I have to warn my small business customers not to use this feature of Edge when they have logged into the site we provide and they're looking at sensitive information. There is no way to block Microsoft from copying the content of highly sensitive web pages. Microsoft never answered my question about this security leak in their browser.
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MrChomiq
I mean, CBP can still search your electronic devices without a search warrant upon arrival in US:
If the electronic device cannot be inspected because it is protected by a passcode or encryption or other security mechanism, that device may be subject to exclusion, detention, or other appropriate action or disposition.
So what's stopping them from having to put you in front of your Windows Hello protected laptop and just access anything saved in Recall
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I mean, CBP can still search your electronic devices without a search warrant upon arrival in US:
If the electronic device cannot be inspected because it is protected by a passcode or encryption or other security mechanism, that device may be subject to exclusion, detention, or other appropriate action or disposition.
So what's stopping them from having to put you in front of your Windows Hello protected laptop and just access anything saved in Recall
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Kamodomon
People should look up the video by Benn Jordan talking about surveillance cameras and then think about how Recall might be used in similar manners, even if you're not doing anything wrong. There is also the aspect of can you really trust the swath of data being collected on your PC to STAY on your PC and not sent to microsoft to train AI to make profits Do you think they'll give up a profit vector Turn it off or get off of Windows entirely, it's time.
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People should look up the video by Benn Jordan talking about surveillance cameras and then think about how Recall might be used in similar manners, even if you're not doing anything wrong. There is also the aspect of can you really trust the swath of data being collected on your PC to STAY on your PC and not sent to microsoft to train AI to make profits Do you think they'll give up a profit vector Turn it off or get off of Windows entirely, it's time.
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outby50
In a given day, I might see or do something that I might later want to Recall on my Copilot PC, or my no pilot PC, or either of my Macs, or my Chromebook, or either of my iPads, or my iPhone or my Apple Watch. The odds aren't good Recall on the Copilo PC would have seen what it was I wanted to recall anyway. Microsoft is just trying to find something, anything, that creates a use case to sell Copilot PCs in specific and Copilot AI in general.
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In a given day, I might see or do something that I might later want to Recall on my Copilot PC, or my no pilot PC, or either of my Macs, or my Chromebook, or either of my iPads, or my iPhone or my Apple Watch. The odds aren't good Recall on the Copilo PC would have seen what it was I wanted to recall anyway. Microsoft is just trying to find something, anything, that creates a use case to sell Copilot PCs in specific and Copilot AI in general.
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AaaTeeEyeBee
You mean we shouldn't put a massive honeypot on the PC to incentivize hackers to come after home users, sync it to Microsoft's servers in the hopes that they dialed security to 11 this time, or let Microsoft continually datamine the inner walls of our private life so they can sell it all to data brokers That's slanderous crazytalk and I will not stand for it! /s, obviously
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You mean we shouldn't put a massive honeypot on the PC to incentivize hackers to come after home users, sync it to Microsoft's servers in the hopes that they dialed security to 11 this time, or let Microsoft continually datamine the inner walls of our private life so they can sell it all to data brokers That's slanderous crazytalk and I will not stand for it! /s, obviously
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wildcat002
windows 11 is risky
there is no way i am going from my super clean windows 10 that has updates disabled and badly hurt Cortana
yess she is alive with me i system restored as soon as they changed my cortana with label ''important update'' then i used
chatgpt to completley disable it from updating. Bloatware is not important... microsoft!!
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windows 11 is risky
there is no way i am going from my super clean windows 10 that has updates disabled and badly hurt Cortana
yess she is alive with me i system restored as soon as they changed my cortana with label ''important update'' then i used
chatgpt to completley disable it from updating. Bloatware is not important... microsoft!!
reply
unguidedone
i remember i got bought a new windows computer. i stuck a live usb in it then used disk utility to dd with zeros then did another pass with random data then another pass with zeros just to ensure windows was gone. one pass was enough but i wanted windows to know it was not welcome on my drive. then i installed linux instead.
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i remember i got bought a new windows computer. i stuck a live usb in it then used disk utility to dd with zeros then did another pass with random data then another pass with zeros just to ensure windows was gone. one pass was enough but i wanted windows to know it was not welcome on my drive. then i installed linux instead.
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GraveUypo
if microsoft is offering it, it's because they're mining your information.
i left windows before this was announced, but only by a few months. if i hadn't left before then, i would FOR SURE left when they announced it. my computer is my tool, not the other way around. this type of crap should never be integrated in the OS
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if microsoft is offering it, it's because they're mining your information.
i left windows before this was announced, but only by a few months. if i hadn't left before then, i would FOR SURE left when they announced it. my computer is my tool, not the other way around. this type of crap should never be integrated in the OS
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OneHitWonder383
Just save your data and do a full clean install of Linux. I use Linux Mint 22.1 Cinnamon. Windows sucks. If your employer uses Windows and Recall is enabled, you will have serious privacy issues with customers, patients, vendors, etc. Recall is just a HIPAA violation waiting to happen.
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Just save your data and do a full clean install of Linux. I use Linux Mint 22.1 Cinnamon. Windows sucks. If your employer uses Windows and Recall is enabled, you will have serious privacy issues with customers, patients, vendors, etc. Recall is just a HIPAA violation waiting to happen.
reply
jibam90
Timecodes:
0:00 - Intro
0:45 - What is recall
1:30 - How recall works
2:15 - Practical cases where it helps
3:00 - Privacy and performance risks
4:00 - Real-world testing
5:00 - Authentication issues & PIN vulnerabilities
6:00 - Final thoughts
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Timecodes:
0:00 - Intro
0:45 - What is recall
1:30 - How recall works
2:15 - Practical cases where it helps
3:00 - Privacy and performance risks
4:00 - Real-world testing
5:00 - Authentication issues & PIN vulnerabilities
6:00 - Final thoughts
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boblangill6209
4:40 Some of you are going to think I'm totally paranoid. With hackers, scammers and malware, it's been difficult to actually be paranoid. Now, those who wish to demonstrate their fealty to a certain unstable meglomaniac make any transparency hazardous.
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4:40 Some of you are going to think I'm totally paranoid. With hackers, scammers and malware, it's been difficult to actually be paranoid. Now, those who wish to demonstrate their fealty to a certain unstable meglomaniac make any transparency hazardous.
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themusesquad8554
10 years ago screen recording and keylogers were considers harmful software and even viruses.
Now they are added as Features how sad.
Just like frame gen. Remember how much backlash we had to fake frames on TV 20 years ago
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10 years ago screen recording and keylogers were considers harmful software and even viruses.
Now they are added as Features how sad.
Just like frame gen. Remember how much backlash we had to fake frames on TV 20 years ago
reply
iro6758
I can't turn off recall... Windows turns it back on, automatically - instantly.
(Yes, I am an administrator - which is now practically meaningless, because MS employees have trouble with English nowadays)
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I can't turn off recall... Windows turns it back on, automatically - instantly.
(Yes, I am an administrator - which is now practically meaningless, because MS employees have trouble with English nowadays)
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ashleythomas4700
This is a fantastic idea for hackers! Daily you hear of massive corporations being hacked, MGM, BA, Nevada State this week. Yeah my laptop security will be better than all of those, ha ha ha.
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This is a fantastic idea for hackers! Daily you hear of massive corporations being hacked, MGM, BA, Nevada State this week. Yeah my laptop security will be better than all of those, ha ha ha.
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china_maldita
I use Linux and I pity the fools and soccer moms who use that monolithic, full of spyware, ugly-looking, bloated, slow, not customizable and NOT free piece of crap Windows thing. Fools
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I use Linux and I pity the fools and soccer moms who use that monolithic, full of spyware, ugly-looking, bloated, slow, not customizable and NOT free piece of crap Windows thing. Fools
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bluecrocks
You can shut off recall but another micosoft update can just turn it back on. I reccomend using a task scheduler script to automatically check if it was turned on and shut it off.
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You can shut off recall but another micosoft update can just turn it back on. I reccomend using a task scheduler script to automatically check if it was turned on and shut it off.
reply
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