The controversial Recall feature in Windows 11 Copilot+ PCs is being relaunched as part of a Copilot+ upgrade, and this time Microsoft says it’s got it right.
The feature, which claims to be able to “instantly find something you’ve previously seen on your PC”, has been given a makeover following privacy and security concerns raised in the wake of the Copilot+ launch in May.
“We listened to our community emphasising the need for additional default security layers,” says Pavan Davuluri, Corporate Vice President, Windows + Devices.
“We have taken the time to make Recall even more secure by default, ensuring our customers feel confident that their data is safe and secure, right from the start.”
Customers will now have the choice to opt-in to saving snapshots of their meanderings across the web and, if they do opt-in, they will use Windows Hello to confirm presence and “securely unlock the Recall experience”, Davuluri says.
“And with the sensitive information filter, Recall will apply filters over sensitive information when highly confidential data, like credit card details or personal identification numbers, needs to stay just that – confidential.”
Starting this month, Windows Insiders will begin to see Recall on Snapdragon powered Copilot+ PCs. Customers who purchase an Intel or AMD powered Copilot+ PC will see Recall initially in the Windows Insider program starting in November. Timing details on the broad availability of Recall will be shared at a later date, Microsoft says.
Buoyed by the market response to its May launch of the Windows 11 Copilot+ PCs – which it describes as “extraordinary” – Microsoft has announced it is upgrading Copilot+.
On X, Mustafa Suleyman, CEO Microsoft AI, said the new Copilot will “deliver a calmer, more helpful and supportive era of technology … more intuitive, more personalised, and secure”.
The upgrade comes around six months since Suleyman joined Microsoft.
Davuluri said the new Copilot was evidence MS will “continue to push the boundaries of what is possible and navigate in an era of unprecedented technological transformation”.
Davuluri said the integrated 40+ TOPS (trillion operations per second) NPU meant Microsoft could introduce more “AI enabled ‘superpowers’”.
“Now, you can quickly and easily find what you’re looking for using your own words, and applications will reveal themselves where and when you need them, keeping you in your flow.”
The new Copilot+ PC features are for Windows 11 PCs from Acer, Asus, Dell, HP, Lenovo, Samsung and Microsoft Surface.
Microsoft says new features will become available to the Windows Insider community, with a phased rollout to select devices and markets beginning in November.
Other features of the new Copilot+ include Click to Do, which “magically” places an interactive overlay on top of your PC screen, “enabling suggested quick actions to appear over images or text … like suggesting help with Visual Search with Bing, background blur or erasing objects in Photos, removing backgrounds with Paint …”
It also assists with text-related actions such as rewrite, summarise or explain text in line, sending an email (with a recognised email address), web searches and opening websites (with a recognised URL), MS says.
“Click to Do is context-aware, and accessible from any Copilot+ PC screen – simply press the Windows key and click your mouse to find Click to Do in Snipping Tool or Print Screen to get started.”
Davuluri says finding files has become easier on Copilot+ devices.
“Using your own words, like ‘BBQ party’, you can now describe things to find what you’re looking for on Windows. You no longer need to remember file names, settings locations or even worry about spelling – just type what’s in your mind to find it on a Copilot+ PC.”
He says you can also find photos in One Drive by describing the content.
As for the quality of photos, Davuluri says low-res and older photos can be turned into “high-quality images without worrying they’ll look blurry or pixelated”.
“You no longer have to deal with a distorted, pixelated photo after increasing its size. Using powerful on-device AI, super resolution in Photos will transform your old or lower-quality images … use the slider to increase the resolution by up to 8X, and precisely control and adjust the output.
“And this work won’t take all night. With the power of the 40+ TOPS NPU, super resolution in photos can upscale a photo up to 4K within seconds, for free.”
