Microsoft Revokes Copilot+ Recall at Launch
It’s been a rough few weeks for Microsoft’s Copilot+ feature, which hasn’t even launched yet. Once you have been called out for security reasons before you have agreed to participate by default , Recall is now completely delayed.
In a blog post on the Windows website Thursday, Windows+ Devices corporate vice president Pawan Davuliri wrote that Recall will no longer launch with Copilot+ AI laptops on June 18 and will instead be moved to Windows Insider preview “in the coming weeks.”
“We’re adjusting the Recall release model to leverage the experience of the Windows Insider community and ensure that that experience meets our high standards for quality and security,” Davuluri explained.
AI feature suffered due to security issues
This is a big blow for Microsoft, as Recall was supposed to be the main feature of its big push into AI laptops. The idea was for it to act as a sort of rewind button on your PC, constantly taking screenshots and allowing you to search through previous activities to keep up with everything you’ve done in the past, from viewing your browsing habits to tracking old school. notes. But the feature has also raised concerns about who has access to this data.
Davuliri explains in his post that screenshots are stored locally and that Recall does not send screenshots to Microsoft. He also says the snaps have “personal encryption” that prevents administrators and others logged into the same device from viewing them.
At the same time, security researchers were able to locate and extract a text file that they claimed was unencrypted. This puts things like passwords and financial information at risk of being stolen by hackers or even just a nosy roommate.
Davuliri didn’t specify when exactly Windows Insiders would receive Recall, but thanked the community for “a clear signal” that Microsoft needs to do more. Specifically, he explained the choice to disable recall by default and force the use of Windows Hello (which requires either a biometric identification or a PIN) for recall before users can access it.
Generously limiting access to the Windows Insider program , which anyone can join for free, gives Microsoft more time to collect and weigh this kind of feedback. But it also takes the wind out of Copilot+’s sails just a week before launch, leaving the core experience nearly identical to current versions of Windows (with the exception of a few creative apps).
It also puts Qualcomm, which will supply chips for Microsoft’s first Copilot+ PCs, on a more level playing field with AMD and Intel, which won’t get Copilot+ features until later this year .