Microsoft postpones Windows Recall after major backlash — will launch Copilot+ PCs without headlining AI feature

News
By
published

Windows Recall will arrive at a later date, available in preview "in the coming weeks."

Windows Recall icon
(Image credit: Windows Central)

What you need to know

  • Microsoft has announced that it will not ship Windows Recall alongside Copilot+ PCs on June 18.
  • New Copilot+ PCs will receive a Windows Update in the future that adds Windows Recall.
  • At launch, Copilot+ PCs will support enhanced Studio Effects, Cocreator and image generation, and live caption translations.

In an unprecedented move, Microsoft has announced that its big Copilot+ PC initiative that was unveiled last month will launch without its headlining "Windows Recall" AI feature next week on June 18. The feature, which captures snapshots of your screen every few seconds, was revealed to store sensitive user data in an unencrypted state, raising serious concerns among security researchers and experts. 

Last week, Microsoft addressed these concerns by announcing that it would make changes to Windows Recall to ensure the feature handles data securely on device. At that time, the company insisted that Windows Recall would launch alongside Copilot+ PCs on June 18, with an update being made available at launch to address the concerns with Windows Recall.

Now, Microsoft is saying Windows Recall will launch at a later date, beyond the general availability of Copilot+ PCs. This means these new devices will be missing their headlining AI feature at launch, as Windows Recall is now delayed indefinitely. The company says Windows Recall will be added in a future Windows update, but has not given a timeframe for when this will be.

The company does say that Windows Recall will be made available to test in the Windows Insider Program for users with Copilot+ PCs "in the coming weeks." An updated Microsoft blog post states the following:

"Recall will now shift from a preview experience broadly available for Copilot+ PCs on June 18, 2024, to a preview available first in the Windows Insider Program (WIP) in the coming weeks. Following receiving feedback on Recall from our Windows Insider Community, as we typically do, we plan to make Recall (preview) available for all Copilot+ PCs coming soon. "

So, what will Copilot+ PCs launch with? The rest of the AI features that Microsoft touted last month will still be available to use on day one, these include:

  • Live Caption translations
  • Advanced Windows Studio Effects
  • Cocreator in Paint
  • Image Generator in Photos

Windows Recall was the big headlining AI feature that was supposed to drive sales of Copilot+ PCs, and now that feature isn't launching until later. Still, there are plenty of other reasons to purchase a Copilot+ PC, including the incredible performance and efficiency gains made possible by Qualcomm's new Snapdragon X SoC.

Zac Bowden
Zac Bowden
Senior Editor

Zac Bowden is a Senior Editor at Windows Central. Bringing you exclusive coverage into the world of Windows on PCs, tablets, phones, and more. Also an avid collector of rare Microsoft prototype devices! Keep in touch on Twitter and Threads

20 Comments Comment from the forums
  • JamesDax3
    Thank you to all the luddites and doom sayers. You people make me sick.
    Reply
  • bazanime
    JamesDax3 said:
    Thank you to all the luddites and doom sayers. You people make me sick.
    Uh oh! You're going to get the 10-point essay reply from them with all the expected ire and glee.

    Either way, I look forward to the updated version when it is eventually released. No rush.
    I'm more excited about the Snapdragon performance and battery life.
    Reply
  • bradavon
    This is a shame.

    Microsoft were fixing it. I'd have given it a go, see if it was for me.

    But like others it's the ARM SOC that's the main draw. It's so odd Microsoft is downplaying this over AI features I've little interest in.
    Reply
  • bradavon
    Planning to buy a Surface Laptop (Plus/512GB) this weekend.

    Has anyone else seen it says "receive by 8th of August if you choose Express checkout"?

    8th of August 😱

    I'd like to order direct from Microsoft to get their Microsoft extended warranty plan but waiting 2 months is crazy.
    Reply
  • bazanime
    bradavon said:
    This is a shame.

    Microsoft were fixing it. I'd have given it a go, see if it was for me.

    But like others it's the ARM SOC that's the main draw. It's so odd Microsoft is downplaying this over AI features I've little interest in.
    They had a whole conference about the many Snapdragon ARM laptops releasing soon, no downplaying there. Alongside they showcased the new AI-powered features of their OS which is reasonable to do.

    The online furore around Recall has just overshadowed everything lately that folks have forgotten the other good stuff, unfortunately.

    No fret, Recall will be released later when all requirements have been met.
    Reply
  • dkstrauss
    JamesDax3 said:
    Thank you to all the luddites and doom sayers. You people make me sick.
    You’re welcome. Since you can’t recognize a security nightmare if it bit you in the xxx no need for me to give you the (much more) than 10 point list. Safer to pull than to face liability claims at this point.
    Reply
  • dharmababa
    bradavon said:
    Has anyone else seen it says "receive by 8th of August if you choose Express checkout"?
    I preordered a SL7 Elite/512 a couple of weeks ago and the ship date was already pushed back to July 3rd.
    Reply
  • CosmicTourist
    Just where did Microsoft get the idea that a groundswell of customers wanted to have their screens saved every few seconds?
    This sounds like a classic case of implementing a feature just because you can, without considering whether you should or, more importantly, whether anyone really WANTS it!
    I have absolutely NO desire to avail myself of this "feature" and would be one of the first to disable it when it shows up on my PC.
    Am I the only one who feels that all of these additions to Windows merely creates yet another vector for bad actors to find ways to hack into the OS and cause us all a lot of grief? I just want an operating system that lets me run the application programs I use. I don't want to have the OS bloated up until it is unrecognizable with capabilities that I don't want and won't use. What ever happened to KISS?
    Reply
  • ShinyProton
    Big mistake - this move only gives credits to the naysayers and will contribute even more to tarnish the feature.

    Releasing it now with an opt-in strategy and implementing quickly mitigating measures would have been a better option - by standing behind the product.

    What a disaster.
    Reply
  • Kaymd
    bradavon said:
    This is a shame.

    Microsoft were fixing it. I'd have given it a go, see if it was for me.

    But like others it's the ARM SOC that's the main draw. It's so odd Microsoft is downplaying this over AI features I've little interest in.
    The reason is because while the ARM soc may be more efficient, it may not nearly be 'enough reason' to get the SL7 over the SL6 for example or even the SL5, especially if you want zero compatibility/software risks.

    Sure, the current Intel core ultra chips on the market are not as efficient as the Snapdragon Elite, but for the vast majority of users, the core ultra PCs are more than good enough.

    To put this in perspective, I'm still using an 11th gen Intel Surface Laptop Studio, and performance has been great so far for my tasks. Pen is great, studio mode works well, etc. Battery life is mid, but I'm nearly always plugged-in/docked, like most other home/office workers. I have zero motivation to upgrade until maybe 2 years' time. And I'm what you may call a 'power user' - Visual Studio, Matlab, lots of CAD tools etc.

    The average Office and web browser user is totally fine with the recent mainstream x86 machines despite their lower efficiency (which is 'adequate'). This is why the NPU and AI recall features had to hyped - features you can't get with any existing machine on the market.
    Reply