Microsoft is set to relaunch its AI-powered Recall feature for Copilot+ PCs running Windows 11, following a delay due to privacy concerns.

The updated Recall feature will now require users to opt-in during setup, enhancing user control over their data.

This decision comes after Microsoft faced criticism for the initial version of Recall, which stored unencrypted screenshots, raising significant privacy alarms.

In response to these concerns, Microsoft has implemented substantial changes to ensure better data handling and privacy protection.

Recall will operate within a secure Virtualization-Based Security (VBS) Enclave, ensuring that sensitive data is encrypted and stored locally.

All snapshots taken by Recall will be encrypted, with encryption keys secured by the Trusted Platform Module (TPM), linked to users' Windows Hello identities.

The feature is designed to exclude sensitive information, such as credit card details and passwords, from being stored.

Access to Recall's stored screenshots will require user authentication through Windows Hello, adding an extra layer of security.

Microsoft assures users that Recall does not share data with the company or third parties, nor between different users on the same device.

During Windows installation, users will see Recall marketed with the phrase 'Unlock your photographic memory with Recall,' but they can fully remove it later if desired.

The Recall system includes privacy controls that allow users to delete snapshots, pause the feature, or disable it entirely, giving them greater control over their information.

Initially, Recall will be available only to participants in Microsoft's Windows Insider program starting in October, with no plans for broader availability yet.