Physical Address
304 North Cardinal St.
Dorchester Center, MA 02124
And now it’s back with changes. First, mention being To be turned off by default. It won’t suddenly start tracking you without your knowledge. You need to turn it on intentionally if you want to use it. Second, all screenshots and other information captured are stored locally on your computer. Nothing Windows Recall does is sent to Microsoft servers or anywhere else on the web. The files are also encrypted, making them more difficult for bad actors to access.
Third, Windows Hello authentication is required to access Windows Recall. If someone gains access to your computer, they won’t be able to unlock Summon without going through a facial or fingerprint scan, or entering your PIN, so it’s a level of security similar to what’s on your phone. Fourth, you have the option not to save screenshots when sensitive information (such as passwords or credit card numbers) appears on the screen. You can also delete screenshots at any time.
It’s a comprehensive package of protections, and Microsoft hopes it’s enough to make you trust and enable Recall. In return, you’ll get the convenience of being able to retrace your steps at any time, and navigate back to previous files or tasks even if you’re only able to remember them partially. A recall could be helpful, but it’s understandable why there are concerns about it.
Ultimately, it’s about how much you trust Microsoft and the security surrounding your computer. Technically, someone at Google could snoop on your Chrome history and Gmail messages if you sync that information between devices, but Google promises that won’t happen, and millions of users accept that promise in exchange for using all of Google’s apps and tools for free. Now there’s a similar decision to make with Windows Recall.
Use Windows Recall on your PC
Your screenshots become searchable and interactive.Courtesy of David Nield
If you want Recall to be your long-term computer memory assistant — or just for short-term testing — you can find it as an application on your computer. Simply search for “Summon” using the search box at the top of the Start menu. You will be taken through the setup process, which includes verifying the identity of your user account.