How to Enable or Disable Recall Snapshots in Windows 11

Recall is a Windows 11 feature for Copilot+ PCs that captures snapshots of on-screen activity. It allows users to easily retrieve previously viewed content and may help enhance productivity for users with tight workflows. However, this functionality raises important concerns regarding privacy and control, especially in managed IT environments.

If you’re an IT professional or administrator looking to manage this feature, keep reading to learn how to turn Windows Recall snapshots on or off. Learn various methods to manage Recall, including using the Settings app, Group Policy Editor, Registry Editor, and .reg files.

How to turn Recall snapshots on or off in Windows 11

Admins and power users can enable or disable the Recall snapshots feature in several ways. However, the best method will depend widely on the environment and technical needs of the user.

📌 Prerequisites:

• Windows 11: Version 24H2 or later
• A device that supports the Recall feature (refer to What devices support the Recall feature?)

💡 Tip: Read Things to look out for before proceeding.

📌 Recommended deployment strategies:

Method 1: Enable or disable via the Settings app

This method lets users toggle Recall snapshots on or off quickly via the Windows GUI.

📌 Use Cases: Managing the feature on home or personal computers and for businesses without centralized IT controls

📌 Prerequisite: Standard user permission

1. Open the Settings app. Press Windows + I or manually find it using the Start menu search bar.
2. On the left pane, select Privacy & security.
3. On the right pane, under Windows permissions, click Recall & snapshots.
4. Under Snapshots, find the Save snapshots entry and set the toggle to:
   • On = Enable snapshots
   • Off = Disable snapshots
5. Close Settings.

Method 2: Enable or disable via Group Policy Editor

This method enforces the Recall snapshot settings across multiple machines or users via Group Policy.

📌 Use Cases: Configuring the feature across fleets of Windows machines within enterprises requiring strict privacy controls

📌 Prerequisites:

• Windows 11 Pro, Enterprise, or Education edition
• Administrator privileges

1. Open the Group Policy Editor as Administrator.
2. On the left pane, follow this path:

User Configuration > Administrative Templates > Windows Components > Windows AI

3. On the right pane, locate and double-click the Turn off saving snapshots for use with Recall policy.
4. Set the policy by clicking the radio button beside the appropriate option:
   • Enabled = disable Recall snapshots
   • Disabled or Not Configured = enable Recall snapshots
5. Click OK.
6. If the changes don’t apply immediately, reboot the system or run the following command in an elevated Command Prompt or PowerShell:

gpupdate /force

Method 3: Enable or disable via Registry Editor

This method configures Recall settings manually by modifying the keys that manage the feature within the Windows Registry.

📌 Use Cases: Controlling Recall behavior on systems without access to Group Policy Editor and testing advanced deployment setups for scripting or automation

📌 Prerequisites: Administrator permissions

⚠️ WARNING: Incorrectly modifying the registry can lead to severe system issues. Back up the registry before proceeding.

1. Open the Registry Editor as Administrator.
2. On the left pane, follow this path:

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\PolicyManager\default\WindowsAI\DisableAIDataAnalysis

💡 Note: If any of the keys on the path don’t exist, create them. Right-click the last existing key, hover over New, select Key, and name it appropriately. Repeat as many times as needed.

3. On the right pane of the DisableAIDataAnalysis key, double-click the value DWORD.

💡 Note: If the value DWORD doesn’t exist, create it. Right-click the DisableAIDataAnalysis key, hover over New, select DWORD (32-bit) Value, and name it “value.”

4. In the pop-up dialog box, change the Value data to:
   • 0 = Enable Recall snapshots
   • 1 = Disable Recall snapshots
5. Click OK.
6. On the left pane, navigate to this path, then follow the steps for the action you want to take:

HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Policies\Microsoft\Windows\WindowsAI:

• • To enable Recall snapshots: Right-click the WindowsAI key, select Delete, and confirm the deletion prompt.
  • To disable Recall snapshots: Set the DisableAIDataAnalysis DWORD to “1” on the right pane of the WindowsAI key and click OK. (💡NOTE: If the WindowsAI key and/or DisableAIDataAnalysis DWORD don’t exist, create them.)

7. On the left pane, navigate to this path, then follow the steps for the action you want to take:

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Policies\Microsoft\Windows\WindowsAI

• • To enable Recall snapshots: Right-click the WindowsAI key, select Delete, and confirm the deletion prompt.
  • To disable Recall snapshots: Set the DisableAIDataAnalysis DWORD to “1” on the right pane of the WindowsAI key and click OK. (💡NOTE: If the WindowsAI key and/or DisableAIDataAnalysis DWORD don’t exist, create them.)

8. To apply the changes, restart the computer.

Method 4: Enable or disable via the Windows Registry using a .reg file

This method automates the enabling or disabling of Recall snapshots using .reg files.

📌 Use Cases: Deploying the setting across labs or enterprise environments and automating the task for system imaging or onboarding processes

📌 Prerequisites: Administrator permissions

To enable Recall snapshots:

1. Open Notepad and copy the following code:

Windows Registry Editor Version 5.00

[HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\PolicyManager\default\WindowsAI\DisableAIDataAnalysis]

"value"=dword:00000000

[HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Policies\Microsoft\Windows\WindowsAI]

"DisableAIDataAnalysis"=-

[HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Policies\Microsoft\Windows\WindowsAI]

"DisableAIDataAnalysis"=-

2. Save and name it with a .reg extension.
3. Locate and double-click the .reg file to merge it with the registry.
4. Confirm the User Access Control (UAC) prompt.
5. To apply the changes, reboot the system.

To disable Recall snapshots:

1. Open Notepad and copy the following code:

Windows Registry Editor Version 5.00

[HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\PolicyManager\default\WindowsAI\DisableAIDataAnalysis]

"value"=dword:00000001

[HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Policies\Microsoft\Windows\WindowsAI]

"DisableAIDataAnalysis"=dword:00000001

[HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Policies\Microsoft\Windows\WindowsAI]

"DisableAIDataAnalysis"=dword:00000001

2. Save and name it with a .reg extension.
3. Locate and double-click the .reg file to merge it with the registry.
4. Confirm the UAC prompt.
5. To apply the changes, reboot the system.

⚠️ Things to look out for

What is Recall?

Recall is an AI-powered feature introduced in Windows 11 (version 24H2 and later) that captures and stores periodic snapshots of a user’s screen activity. This creates a searchable timeline of past activities indexed locally, allowing users to quickly locate and revisit content they accessed before, from documents and websites to emails and applications. Recall offers a more visual recall of the workflow than traditional history and access logs, so users spend less time retracing their steps.

What devices support the Recall feature?

Recall is supported on Copilot+ PCs that adhere to the secured-core PC standard, with these minimum requirements:

• Neural Processing Unit (NPU): A minimum of 40 TOPs (trillion operations per second)
• Memory (RAM): At least 16 GB
• Processor cores: At least 8 logical processors
• Storage: 256 GB storage capacity, at least 50 GB of free space
• Encryption: Device encryption or BitLocker must be enabled
• Windows Hello: Enrolled in Windows Hello Enhanced Sign-in Security with at least one configured biometric sign-in method

Why manage Recall snapshots?

Recall has benefits and potential drawbacks, so IT administrators must consider each before enabling or disabling the feature. Here are some general reasons to manage it:

Enabling the feature

• Gives quick access to viewed content, enhancing productivity
• Offers a visual timeline history for easier recall of actions
• Can be beneficial for knowledge workers handling large volumes of data or multitasking frequently
• Eliminates the need for internet access when retracing steps

Disabling the feature

• Can help protect recently viewed sensitive or confidential information, such as passwords and financial data
• Can prevent the accumulation of frequent snapshots and maintain storage
• Ensures compliance with privacy and security policies in regulated industries like healthcare, legal, and finance
• Reduces the risk of data exposure if the device is shared, lost, or compromised
• Restricts Microsoft Recall snapshots if deemed unnecessary and ensures standard configurations

Additional considerations when managing the Recall snapshots feature

Before you deploy or modify this feature in individual or organizational environments, it’s crucial to understand some points that can affect the functionality of Recall and what changes may imply.

• Overriding policies: Disabling Recall Snapshots via Group Policy or Registry overrides user configurations, preventing end users from changing the feature through the Settings app.
• Privacy policy compliance: Before enabling, check if recording screen content is legal in your industry to ensure compliance with privacy policies.
• Storage monitoring: Recall Snapshots can consume significant storage space, so monitoring storage usage proactively is essential, especially when disk space is limited.
• Feature availability: Recall is not universally available, so organizations planning to standardize the usage of this feature must ensure all devices meet the mentioned hardware and software requirements.

Managing the Recall snapshots feature securely

It’s essential to manage Recall snapshots effectively to balance the benefits of AI-powered productivity with the need for privacy, security, and compliance. With a few different methods available, administrators and power users should choose the most appropriate one while thoughtfully evaluating privacy and operational considerations. Ultimately, this feature offers great potential for maintaining full control over data integrity and user trust.

Related topics:

• Understanding and Using Windows Shadow Copy: Everything You Need to Know
• IT Guide: File History Retention Best Practices in Windows
• How to Restore Previous Versions of Files, Folders, and Drives in Windows 10