A recent update to Windows 11 appeared to offer users the ability to remove the controversial Recall feature, but Microsoft has clarified that this was merely a bug and not an intended feature.
The glitch, discovered by tech enthusiasts at Deskmodder, was found in the latest 24H2 version of Windows 11 (KB5041865), which erroneously listed Recall as removable through the Windows Features section.
The Recall feature, which has stirred significant controversy, is designed to take periodic screenshots of almost everything a user does on their computer. Initially set to launch in June alongside Copilot Plus PCs, its release was postponed after security researchers raised alarms about the potential risks associated with the feature.
Security experts highlighted the lack of encryption in the Recall database, which stores snapshots taken by the AI-powered features every few seconds.
This raised the possibility of malware exploiting Recall to access sensitive data. In response to these concerns, Microsoft has made several critical adjustments to the feature, including making it an opt-in experience, encrypting the database, and requiring authentication through Windows Hello.
Despite the recent bug that hinted at a possible uninstall option, Microsoft has not confirmed whether this will be a permanent feature. However, speculation is that the company may be compelled to provide such an option in certain regions, particularly in the European Union.
This would align with the European Commission’s Digital Markets Act, which has forced Microsoft to offer an uninstall option for its Edge search in the Start menu within the European Economic Area (EEA).
“We are aware of an issue where Recall is incorrectly listed as an option under the ‘Turn Windows features on or off’ dialogue in the Control Panel. This will be fixed in an upcoming update,” Brandon LeBlanc, a senior product manager at Microsoft, told The Verge.
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