To limit what Windows AI features can access, adjust each control separately: turn off or filter Recall snapshots, disable file access in the Copilot app, avoid sending screenshots or tab context, and review Windows permissions for camera, location, and other capabilities. These settings govern different data paths, and their availability depends on your device, app version, and—sometimes—organization policy or rollout.
Stop Recall from saving screen snapshots
Recall is documented for eligible Copilot+ PCs. Snapshot saving is opt-in for each user, and you can leave it off or change it later. To stop future snapshots, open Settings > Privacy & security > Recall & snapshots and turn off Save snapshots. Windows requires Windows Hello confirmation for Recall setting changes. See Microsoft’s Recall privacy and control guidance.
To pause saving temporarily, select the Recall icon in the system tray and choose the pause option. Microsoft’s current instructions describe Pause until tomorrow, which resumes at midnight. A pause is not the same as turning off snapshot saving permanently.
Remove Recall and its saved snapshots
If you want to remove the feature, search the taskbar for Turn Windows features on or off, clear the checkbox for Recall, and restart the PC. Microsoft says removing Recall deletes previously saved snapshots. You can also use Recall’s Advanced settings to reset it; resetting deletes snapshots and resets Recall settings. Follow Microsoft’s Recall setup and removal instructions.
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Limit what Recall captures, and delete what it already saved
In Settings > Privacy & security > Recall & snapshots, add apps and websites to Recall’s filter lists. Website filtering requires a supported browser and affects whether content from the foreground tab may appear in Recall. It does not stop a browser, website, internet provider, or organization from knowing that you visited a site or from tracking activity outside Recall. Details are in Microsoft’s filtering guidance.
Microsoft says sensitive-information filtering is on by default and is intended to prevent snapshots from being saved when potentially sensitive information is detected. It is a filter, not a guarantee that every sensitive item will be recognized. If a snapshot is already saved, you can delete an individual snapshot, a time range, all snapshots, or snapshots associated with a selected app or website. You can then add that app or site to the filter list.
Choose snapshot retention and storage limits
Recall settings include retention choices of 30, 60, 90, or 180 days, or unlimited. Storage caps vary by device storage capacity. These are product configuration options, not recommended retention periods or population statistics. See Microsoft’s snapshot and disk-space instructions.
Restrict Copilot’s access to files and screen context
File search and file reading are separate from Recall. In the Copilot app, open Account > Settings > File Search and File Read and turn off whichever access you do not want. Microsoft says file search can find and open device files and answer questions about them, including files synced through OneDrive. Supported formats listed by Microsoft include DOCX, XLSX, PPTX, TXT, PDF, and JSON. For details, see Microsoft’s Copilot on Windows guidance.
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Copilot can also receive content you deliberately provide. You can capture and submit all or part of your screen, or—with permission—allow it to use open-tab context for that conversation. If you do not want Copilot to receive that content, do not submit a screenshot or grant tab context when prompted. These controls are distinct from file access settings.
Manage Copilot memories, shared experiences, and history
In the updated Copilot app described by Microsoft, open Settings > Personalization to manage saved memories, shared experiences, and web search. Microsoft says the updated app became available on August 18, 2026; menu labels may differ in older versions. See Microsoft’s Copilot privacy controls.
Turning off Saved memories stops new memories from being saved, but does not delete memories already stored. To remove existing memories, choose Manage > Delete all memories. Chat history has separate deletion controls, so review and use those controls separately if you want to remove past conversations.
Review Windows permissions for camera, location, and other capabilities
Open Settings > Privacy & security, then select a capability such as Camera, Location, or Contacts. Turn off the general access switch or restrict individual apps where Windows provides that option. Microsoft cautions that desktop apps may not appear in these lists and may not be affected by the Windows app-permission switch. Check the privacy settings inside those apps as well. See Microsoft’s explanation of Windows app privacy settings.
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Understand what “local processing” does—and does not—mean
Microsoft says Recall content is processed and stored locally and is not shared with Microsoft or other users on the device. The same documentation notes that Windows may provide diagnostic data according to your privacy settings; local Recall storage should not be read as a promise that every Windows signal stays on the PC.
Click to Do is another distinct data path: it analyzes screen content locally, but an action you choose—such as Search the web or Visual search—sends selected content to an online provider. Consider the destination before choosing an action. Microsoft describes this behavior in its Click to Do guidance.
If a setting is missing
Do not assume every Windows 11 PC has every control. Recall is documented for Copilot+ PCs; Copilot privacy controls can depend on using the updated app, and an organization can restrict Recall. The Microsoft documentation does not give one complete eligibility matrix covering every control, Windows build, account type, region, and rollout. Check the current Settings page and app version; on a managed device, your organization’s policy may determine which options are available.
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