The Controversial Feature of Windows 11 Is Being Transformed

One of the most controversial features of Windows in recent years is about to undergo three major changes.

Since Microsoft initially pulled back on releasing the Recall feature, the company has been actively working to improve it in Windows 11.

According to Windows Central, the Recall feature has been available to a number of Windows 11 users for some time, and now there are signs that major changes are on the way—likely in three key areas. These new updates are already available to members of the Windows Insider Program, but there’s no confirmed timeline for a public release yet.

The new changes reportedly include a redesigned home page, a new reset option, and the ability to export data.

Microsoft is updating the Recall user interface with a left-hand navigation pane to give users a more modern experience. This pane allows users to switch between the timeline and the new home page, and also provides access to settings at the bottom.

The new home page now resembles browser tabs in design and includes a search bar powered by AI to help find specific activities. The rest of the page is dedicated to sections for recent activity and frequently accessed content.

In the Recent Snapshots section, you’ll find the latest captured images. Clicking on this card takes you to the Timeline page. However, if you click on the icon of a specific snapshot, the associated app will open directly.

Microsoft is also working on a feature that will allow users in Europe to export Recall data and share it with other websites and applications. This functionality is being developed to comply with the EU Digital Markets Act (DMA).

When users launch Recall for the first time on Windows 11, they will receive a unique code from the new Advanced Settings section, which is required to export their data. Microsoft states that it does not store this code, and if it is lost, there is no way to recover it.

If you ever need a new code, you’ll have to reset the Recall feature from scratch, which means losing all your existing data and settings in order to enable data export again.

The new Advanced Settings page includes two options:

• Export past snapshots – used to export all snapshots from the past week or month.
• Export snapshots from now on – allows exporting only the snapshots taken after this option is enabled.

Finally, Microsoft plans to offer users a full reset option for the Recall feature. Once reset, Recall will remain disabled until the user chooses to enable it again.

To access the reset option, you’ll need to navigate through the following path:
Settings > Privacy & security > Recall & snapshots > Advanced settings > Reset Recall.