How-to-Use-Recall-on-Windows-11 LicenGold

How to Use Recall on Windows 11

 

⚠️ Important Requirement: This feature is exclusive to Copilot+ PCs equipped with a dedicated NPU (Neural Processing Unit) chip (e.g., Snapdragon X Elite, AMD Ryzen AI 300, Intel Core Ultra Series 2).

What is Recall?

Imagine having a photographic memory for your computer. Recall takes snapshots of your screen every few seconds and uses local AI to analyze text and images.

You can then "travel back in time" or perform a natural language search like: "Show me the blue chart I saw in a PDF last week" or "Find the red dress I was looking at on Amazon on Tuesday."

How to Enable and Configure Recall

Recall is disabled by default to respect your privacy. Here is how to set it up correctly:

  • Open Settings
    Go to Settings > Privacy & security > Recall & snapshots.
  • Enable the Option
    Toggle the "Save snapshots" switch to On. You will need to confirm with Windows Hello (face or fingerprint).
  • Manage Storage
    By default, Recall uses up to 15% of your hard drive (about 25 GB to 50 GB). You can reduce this limit in advanced options to keep only 1 or 2 weeks of history.

Using Search and Timeline

To launch Recall, click the icon in the taskbar or use the shortcut:

Win + J

🔍 Smart Search

Simply type what you remember. Example: "Teams chat with Mark about budget." Recall will scan all snapshots and show you the exact moment, even if the word "budget" was only visible inside an image.

⏱️ The Visual Timeline

A timeline appears at the top of the screen. Drag the slider to see your screen evolve minute by minute, like a movie of your day.

New in 2025: Click to Do

The 25H2 update introduces Click to Do, an interactive overlay that works hand-in-hand with Recall.

How does it work? On any Recall snapshot (or in real-time on your desktop), hold the Win key and Left Click.

The AI will analyze the image and suggest contextual action buttons:

  • On text: Copy, Summarize, Rewrite, Send via email.
  • On an image: Remove background, Search image on Bing, Blur background.

🛡️ Security & Privacy: What You Need to Know

This is the #1 question from users. Here are the facts in 2025:

  • 100% Local: Your snapshots are NEVER sent to the cloud. They remain encrypted on your hard drive.
  • Automatic Filtering: Recall automatically detects and blurs passwords, credit card numbers, and private browsing sessions.
  • Total Control: You can exclude specific apps (e.g., WhatsApp, banking apps) or websites from settings.
  • Pause Button: Click the Recall icon in the taskbar to pause recording at any time.
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