How to Enable or Disable Recall Snapshots in Windows 11 Concerned about security and compliance risks from new AI features? Windows Recall is a feature that captures snapshots of your screen activity, raising control concerns for IT environments. Managing this feature is necessary. Before we begin, be sure to subscribe to NinjaOne’s IT video hub and our YouTube channel for more tech content like this. The Essentials: What is Recall and Why You Need to Manage It Windows Recall is an AI-powered feature in Windows 11 (version 24H2 and later) for Copilot+ PCs that captures snapshots to create a searchable timeline. It requires specific hardware, including a minimum 40 TOPs NPU, at least 16 GB of RAM, and device encryption such as BitLocker enabled. IT administrators must manage Recall to balance productivity with critical factors, such as data privacy compliance, avoiding unintended data exposure, and preventing storage overuse. How to Enable/Disable Snapshots Using the Built-in Settings The simplest method for home or personal computers is the Settings app. First, navigate to Privacy & security Then select Recall & snapshots under Windows permissions. Find the Save snapshots entry and use the toggle to switch the feature On or Off. This is best for individual users with standard permissions. How to Enforce Recall Policies via Group Policy Editor For centralized control across enterprise fleets, use the Group Policy Editor with administrator privileges. First, go to User Configuration Navigate to Administrative Templates, then go to Windows Components and select Windows AI. Next, double-click the Turn off saving snapshots for use with Recall policy. Setting it to Enabled will disable Windows Recall Snapshots, while Disabled or Not Configured enables it. Finally, remember to run gpupdate /force or reboot the system. How to Configure and Deploy Settings Manually with the Registry For advanced control or large-scale automated deployment, administrators can leverage the power of the Windows Registry. Registry Editor (Manual Control): This method offers granular control for advanced users and systems without Group Policy access. You directly modify keys under HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE and HKEY_CURRENT_USER. .reg Files (Automated Deployment): For large-scale deployments, create a .reg file to automate the process. Use Value Data: 0 to enable and Value Data: 1 to disable Windows Recall Snapshots across multiple machines. CRITICAL WARNING: Incorrectly modifying the Registry can cause system issues, so always back up keys first. Deployment Checks: Always verify hardware prerequisites (insufficient specs will cause activation failure). Proactively monitor storage usage, as snapshots consume significant space, impacting performance. Policy Override: Disabling Windows Recall Snapshots via Group Policy or Registry will override settings chosen by the end-user. The decision to enable or disable Windows Recall Snapshots isn't just a technical toggle; it's a critical administrative choice balancing user productivity with legal and security compliance. We've shown you methods ranging from the quick Settings app switch to powerful, enterprise-wide deployments via Group Policy and Registry files. Remember, Group Policy and Registry settings override user configurations, giving you full control over your environment. Always consult your organization's privacy policy and monitor storage consumption diligently. For more information, check out our official blog post on How to Enable or Disable Recall Snapshots in Windows 11 linked in the description below.