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The controversial Copilot+ PC feature was Recall, Microsoft’s searchable timeline of screen snapshots. On October 1, 2024, Microsoft said Windows Insiders would begin seeing it that month on Snapdragon-powered Copilot+ PCs, with Intel- and AMD-powered devices planned for November. That was an Insider-preview schedule—not a general-release date—and Microsoft revised it on October 31, pushing the preview to December.
What was the October release date for?
Recall is designed to help people find something they previously saw on their PC by searching a visual history of their activity. In its October 1, 2024 announcement, Microsoft said, “Starting in October, Windows Insiders will begin to see Recall on Snapdragon powered Copilot+ PCs.” The company planned to bring Intel- and AMD-powered Copilot+ PCs into the Insider program in November. Microsoft said broader availability timing would be announced later. Microsoft’s October 1 announcement
The distinction matters: October referred to the start of a Windows Insider preview on Snapdragon hardware, not a confirmed release to all Copilot+ PC owners.
How the rollout plan changed
| Date | What Microsoft said |
|---|---|
| June 7, 2024 | Microsoft moved from its originally planned June 18 preview to an Insider-first release, seeking community feedback before wider availability. June 7 update |
| October 1, 2024 | Microsoft targeted October for Windows Insiders using Snapdragon Copilot+ PCs, and November for Intel- and AMD-powered Copilot+ PCs. October 1 announcement |
| October 31, 2024 | Microsoft updated its original Recall post and delayed the preview; it said Windows Insiders on Copilot+ PCs would get it by December. The October target was not met as announced. Updated June 7 post |
| April 25, 2025 | Microsoft included Recall (preview) among features reaching general availability across Copilot+ PCs, describing a gradual consumer rollout. The feature name still carried the preview label. April 25, 2025 update |
| July 22 and October 16, 2025 | Microsoft continued to call it Recall (preview); in October it described a personalized homepage that appears after snapshot collection is enabled. July 22 update · October 16 update |
Microsoft’s current support documentation, accessed October 4, 2026, also labels Recall a preview feature. Its later use of “general availability” described the Copilot+ PC experience rollout; it did not provide a clear, dated end to Recall’s preview status. Microsoft Support: Recall
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Why Recall raised privacy questions
Recall periodically captures images of the active screen, creating a searchable record of what appeared on the PC. Microsoft says snapshots are taken every few seconds and when the active window changes. Users can search text or images using remembered clues and return to the original app or content. Microsoft Support: Recall
Microsoft’s stated design requires users to opt in to saving snapshots. It says the snapshots and related context are encrypted and stored locally, and that Windows Hello protects access. Microsoft also describes a sensitive-information filter intended to exclude highly confidential details such as card numbers and PINs. These are Microsoft’s descriptions of the feature and its safeguards, not independent security validation.
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Controls over what Recall saves
Microsoft documents controls to filter apps and websites, pause snapshot saving, delete saved snapshots, or turn saving off. Those controls address the central practical choice: whether to create a searchable visual history at all, and which activity to include. Microsoft Support: Recall
Which PCs can use Recall?
Recall is not a feature for every Windows PC. Microsoft Support lists these minimum requirements, as documented on October 4, 2026:
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- A Copilot+ PC that meets the Secured-core standard.
- A 40 TOPS NPU, 16 GB of RAM, and 256 GB of storage capacity.
- At least 50 GB of free storage to enable Recall.
- Device encryption or BitLocker.
- Windows Hello Enhanced Sign-in Security, with at least one biometric sign-in method enabled.
Microsoft says snapshot saving automatically pauses if free storage falls below 25 GB. It lists English, Simplified Chinese, French, German, Japanese, and Spanish as optimized languages, and notes that content and storage limitations apply. Check Microsoft’s current requirements before relying on Recall, since hardware eligibility and availability can change. Microsoft Support: Recall
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.What the October date means now
The October 2024 date is useful as a record of Microsoft’s original preview plan, not as proof that Recall launched then for the public. Microsoft delayed that target, later described a gradual Copilot+ PC rollout while retaining the “preview” label, and still labels the feature a preview in its current support documentation. For a user considering Recall today, the practical questions are whether the PC meets Microsoft’s requirements, whether the feature is available on that device, and whether to opt in to snapshot collection.
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