How To Disable Or Remove Recall On Windows 11

You want Windows Recall to stop taking snapshots of your screen, or you want it gone from your PC completely.

You can do either, and Recall only exists on Copilot+ PCs, so most Windows 11 computers never had it.

This guide goes from the gentlest fix to the most permanent, and the first method takes about a minute.

How do I turn off Windows Recall? Quick answer

Most people only need the first row of this table.

Goal	Where	Effect
Stop new snapshots	Settings > Privacy & security > Recall & snapshots > Save snapshots	No new captures are saved
Erase stored snapshots	Same page, delete option	Existing snapshots wiped
Remove the feature	Turn Windows features on or off, clear Recall	Recall component removed
Block it by policy	Group Policy or registry	Users cannot turn saving back on

Changing Recall settings requires Windows Hello confirmation, according to Microsoft.

Does my PC have Recall?

Recall runs only on Copilot+ PCs, so an older laptop or a standard Windows 11 desktop has nothing to turn off.

Requirement	What Microsoft lists
Processor	ARM or x86 CPU with a 40 TOPS NPU
Memory	16 GB or more
Storage	256 GB SSD or more
Security	TPM 2.0, plus BitLocker or Device Encryption
Windows version	Windows 11 24H2, 25H2 or later
Sign-in	Windows Hello with face or fingerprint

Pureinfotech, citing Microsoft, lists Snapdragon X, AMD Ryzen AI 300 and Intel Core Ultra 200V chips as the supported processors at launch.

If Recall & snapshots is missing from Settings > Privacy & security, your PC does not have the feature.

Method 1: Turn off saving snapshots

This is the fastest fix, and it removes nothing from your PC.

Open Settings with Windows key + I.
Go to Privacy & security > Recall & snapshots.
Set Save snapshots to Off.
Confirm with Windows Hello if asked.

Microsoft says saving is off by default for each new user, and the Recall icon leaves the system tray when saving is off.

Each user on a shared PC has to opt in or out separately.

How do I pause Recall instead of turning it off?

Select the Recall icon in the system tray and choose the pause option.

Pausing is useful before a screen share, but it is not a permanent fix.

Method 2: Delete the snapshots Recall already saved

Turning saving off does not erase what was already captured.

Everything: delete all snapshots from Settings > Privacy & security > Recall & snapshots.
One app or site: select Delete all for that app or website from Recall search results or while viewing a snapshot.
Automatic cleanup: set a retention period and a maximum storage size on the same page, and the oldest snapshots are deleted when the limit is reached.

Reset Recall: on newer builds (pureinfotech cites build 26200.5651 / KB5060818 or newer), open Advanced settings on that page and choose Reset Recall.

Pureinfotech says the reset deletes all snapshots, clears your app and website filters, restores default settings and turns the feature off.

Method 3: Remove Recall as a Windows feature

Microsoft says to remove Recall with Turn Windows features on or off.

Press the Windows key, type Turn Windows features on or off, and open it.
Clear the Recall checkbox.
Click OK and restart if prompted.

To bring it back, tick the box again and restart.

Pureinfotech notes that the install files stay on the system after removal, so the feature can be reinstalled from the same page.

Method 4: Remove Recall with PowerShell or DISM

Use these if the checkbox is missing, and run them from an elevated window.

Tool	Command	Result
PowerShell (Admin)	`Disable-WindowsOptionalFeature -Online -FeatureName "Recall"`	Disables the feature
PowerShell (Admin)	`Disable-WindowsOptionalFeature -Online -FeatureName "Recall" -Remove`	Disables it and removes the Recall bits
Command Prompt (Admin)	`Dism /online /Disable-Feature /FeatureName:"Recall"`	Disables the feature

To reinstall, run Enable-WindowsOptionalFeature -Online -FeatureName "Recall", which Microsoft documents for manual enablement.

Method 5: Block Recall with Group Policy (Pro, Enterprise, Education)

Microsoft documents two policies under Computer Configuration > Administrative Templates > Windows Components > Windows AI.

Policy	Set to	What happens
Turn off saving snapshots for Recall	Enabled	Snapshots are not saved and previously saved ones are deleted
Allow Recall to be enabled	Disabled	Recall is disabled, its bits are removed on restart, and saved snapshots are deleted

Microsoft lists both for Windows 11 24H2 with KB5055627 (10.0.26100.3915) and later, on Pro, Enterprise and Education.

The snapshot policy also appears under User Configuration, and Microsoft shows its friendly name as “Turn off saving snapshots for use with Recall” on one page.

If a change does not apply right away, restart or run gpupdate /force in an elevated prompt.

Method 6: Block Recall with the registry (Home)

Windows 11 Home has no Group Policy Editor, so set the same policy value by hand.

Create a System Restore point first.
Press Windows key + R, type regedit and press Enter.
Go to HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Policies\Microsoft\Windows\WindowsAI and create the keys if they are missing.
Create a DWORD (32-bit) named DisableAIDataAnalysis and set it to 1.
Restart the PC.

For every account on the PC, set the same value under HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Policies\Microsoft\Windows\WindowsAI.

Warning: a wrong registry edit can cause problems, so back up first.

Can I keep Recall but exclude apps and sites?

Yes, you can add apps and websites to a filter list in Settings > Privacy & security > Recall & snapshots.

Websites: filtered only in Microsoft Edge, Firefox, Opera and Google Chrome, and only while the tab is in the foreground.
All browsing: add the browser itself as an app filter.
Check it works: look for a filter badge on the Recall tray icon.

Microsoft says sensitive information filtering is on by default and reduces the saving of passwords, national ID numbers and credit card numbers.

Is Recall a privacy risk?

Recall keeps a searchable record of what appears on your screen, so the answer depends on who can reach your sign-in.

Stored locally: Microsoft says snapshots are processed and stored on the device, with no cloud connection used to save or analyze them.
Encrypted: snapshots are encrypted with keys protected by the TPM and tied to your Windows Hello identity.
Not saved: private browsing windows and DRM-protected content.
Gate: Windows Hello face or fingerprint is required to open Recall and view snapshots.

If you would rather not keep that archive at all, removing the feature is the cleanest option.

Which method should I use?

Method	Home	Pro, Enterprise, Education
Turn off Save snapshots	Yes	Yes
Delete snapshots	Yes	Yes
Remove via Windows features, PowerShell or DISM	Yes	Yes
Group Policy block	No	Yes
Registry block	Yes	Yes

Recall menus have moved between Windows builds, so if a step looks different, start from the Recall & snapshots page and recheck after major updates.

Sources: Microsoft privacy and control over your Recall experience, Manage Recall and WindowsAI policy CSP.

How To Disable Or Remove Recall On Windows 11 In 2026