C. Scott Brown / Android Authority
TL;DR
- Microsoft is rolling out a preview of its AI-powered Recall feature to Windows Insiders in the Dev Channel with Copilot Plus PCs.
- The feature lets users retrace their steps by taking screenshots of almost everything they do.
- The company’s Circle to Search competitor is also part of the preview.
After plenty of delays, Microsoft’s AI-powered Recall feature is now available to check out for Copilot Plus PCs. Along with the preview, the company is also rolling out Click to Do, Microsoft’s Circle to Search rival.
If you’re a Windows Insider in the Dev Channel and you have a Copilot Plus PC, you can start previewing Recall starting today. First announced back in May, Recall takes screenshots of almost everything you do on your computer and helps you find whatever you were working on previously. This is done by Recall’s AI which matches your natural language query with relevant visual elements.
In addition to prompting searching with queries, there’s also a timeline that will allow you to skip to a certain date. This way you can find websites, apps, and whatever else you were using at the time.
As mentioned earlier, this tool has been delayed multiple times since it was first announced. This was to iron out the potential issues such a feature could cause, like the possibility of hackers using it to steal sensitive information like passwords, credit card details, and more. The tool has undergone several changes since then and it appears Microsoft has addressed many of the security and privacy concerns.
For one, none of the snapshots taken will be sent to the cloud, nor will they be sent to Microsoft to train its AI. The company states:
We do not send your snapshots off your PC to Microsoft or third parties, and don’t use them for training purposes. Microsoft can’t access the keys to view your encrypted data, so we can’t restore your snapshots if you remove Windows Hello or restore your snapshots if you need to reset your PC or move to a new PC
On top of that, Recall is able to automatically detect if there is sensitive information on the screen, which it will then stop taking screenshots. You’ll also have the power to manage and delete screenshots at will. And you can bar the tool from capturing images when you use certain apps or websites.
Recall will be an optional experience, so you’ll need to opt-in and turn it on first before you’ll be able to use it. This feature also requires Windows Hello to confirm it’s you using the computer, plus BitLocker and Secure Boot, which should both already be installed and enabled on your Copilot Plus PC.
As for Click to Do, this preview build has it working with Recall. This feature is able to recognize text and images in Recall snapshots, allowing you to perform AI-powered actions like taking you the best app for completing a task.
Microsoft says that Click to Do will eventually get an update that will allow it to work outside of Recall. You’ll then be able to activate it by hitting the Windows key on the keyboard and left-clicking on the mouse to bring up an interactive overlay. The tech giant also plans to have this feature work with other things like YouTube videos to perform a search on Bing.
At this time, both Recall and Click to Do are only supported on Snapdragon-powered Copilot Plus PCs. However, the company plans to add support for Intel and AMD-powered Copilot Plus PCs soon.
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