4 Ways to Completely Disable Recall Feature from Windows 11

Ever since Microsoft introduced the recall feature in Windows, it has raised numerous privacy concerns due to its ability to capture snapshots of sensitive data like personal information, passwords, and financial data. This feature aims to enhance productivity by allowing users to review past activities.

When this feature is enabled, it periodically takes snapshots and stores them on the PC. The main concerns are the type of data being captured, how it is stored, and potential access by third-party or malicious applications.

Let’s explore how to completely remove the Windows Recall Feature.

1. Disable Windows Recall from Settings

To disable the Windows Recall feature via Settings:

1. Press Win + I to open Settings.
2. Go to Privacy & Security from the left pane and open the Recall & Snapshots page. Disable the Save Snapshots feature.
   
3. Once done, the feature is disabled.

2. Disable Windows Recall from Group Policy Editor

You can also use Group Policy Editor to disable this feature. The Group Policy Editor allows users and administrators to manage settings that can be enforced on all user accounts. Disabling this feature at the group policy level ensures the feature cannot be re-enabled unless the administrator allows it.

Note: If you have Windows 11 Home, you need to manually install the Group Policy Editor.

1. Press the Win key to open the Start Menu.
2. Type gpedit and hit Enter to open the Group Policy Editor.
   
3. Navigate to:
4. User Configurations > Administrative Templates > Windows AI
   
5. In the right pane, find and double-click on Turn off Saving Snapshots for Windows. Configure it to Enabled.
6. Click Apply and then click OK.
   
7. Restart your computer for the changes to take effect.

3. Disable Windows Recall from the Control Panel

To disable the Windows Recall feature via the Control Panel:

1. Press the Win key and type Turn Windows features on or off.
2. Hit Enter to open the Additional Windows Features window.
   
3. Find the Windows Recall feature and unselect it.
   
4. Click OK to uninstall the Windows Recall feature.

4. Pause Windows Recall Temporarily

If you want to pause the feature temporarily:

1. Click the Recall button from the system tray.
2. Click Pause Until Tomorrow.
   
3. Windows Recall won’t take snapshots until tomorrow.

That’s all. Using these methods, you can remove or pause the Windows Recall feature.