AdGuard Introduces Blocking Feature for Microsoft Recall Function

The AdGuard application for Windows 7.21 has introduced a new feature that allows users to disable the Recall option in Windows, which takes screenshots of the user’s activity and stores them on the device. The Recall feature is specifically available on Copilot+ computers equipped with an NPU and running Windows 11.

Recall enables the system to «remember» what the user has done on their computer throughout the day. Microsoft claims that this feature protects personal data, noting that it is turned off by default, requires authentication, and a PIN must be entered upon each login. However, Recall does not save «sensitive data» such as ID numbers, and the stored screenshots remain only on the device and are encrypted.

AdGuard developers express concern about the very concept of the Recall feature, arguing that PIN codes can be easily compromised and the system may not accurately identify sensitive information, potentially capturing screenshots nonetheless. «It is unwise to leave vulnerabilities and rely on Microsoft’s good intentions,» AdGuard warns.

AdGuard users can find the new option to «Disable Windows Recall» in the «Settings» > «Tracking Protection» section.

This month, a non-security update has made Windows Recall accessible to a broader range of users, including those in the European Economic Area. As Intel develops next-generation desktop processors with enhanced neural processing capabilities, it is expected that Recall and other recently introduced artificial intelligence functions will become available to even more desktop users, reports Neowin.

The Microsoft Recall feature, which screenshots everything the user does based on artificial intelligence, will be blocked by the updated Brave browser version 1.81.