Windows Recall can save screenshots of client information displayed on a compatible Windows laptop. For brokerage computers that handle client files, keep Recall off unless the brokerage has approved a specific use and its controls. Encryption protects saved snapshots, but it does not remove the extra copies that recording the screen creates.
What Windows Recall Does
Windows Recall saves periodic snapshots of screen activity so you can search for something you previously saw. You can describe a document or image in ordinary language and search a timeline of saved screenshots. Recall does not record audio or continuous video.
Recall is a Windows 11 feature for compatible Copilot+ PCs. Its rollout starts with Windows 11 version 24H2 and the relevant updates, with later supported builds also covered by Microsoft’s management controls. Installing Windows 11 on an ordinary older laptop does not by itself make Recall available.
Microsoft’s Recall requirements include a neural processing unit rated at 40 trillion operations per second. The Copilot+ PC must meet the Secured-core standard and have at least 16 GB of memory and a 256 GB drive. Device Encryption or BitLocker and Windows Hello Enhanced Sign-in Security are required. Windows Hello must have a biometric sign-in option enrolled.
Saving snapshots requires the individual user’s opt-in. On managed commercial and education devices, Recall is removed by default until an administrator allows it. Allowing the feature does not let the administrator opt users into capture on their behalf.
Recall is separate from the assistant that works with your organisation’s Microsoft 365 content. The Copilot safety guide covers that service’s data handling.
How Recall Stores and Protects Snapshots
Recall stores and analyses snapshots locally on the PC. Microsoft says Recall does not automatically share snapshots or their associated data with Microsoft, third parties or other Windows users on the same computer.
The Recall privacy controls protect snapshots and their search data with encryption. Encryption keys are tied to the user’s Windows Hello identity and protected through the device’s Trusted Platform Module. Decryption occurs within an isolated security environment. Opening Recall or changing its settings requires Windows Hello authentication.
These controls reduce the risk of someone reading snapshots merely by obtaining the laptop’s files. They do not decide whether a brokerage needs to collect screenshots of client documents in the first place.
What the Sensitive Information Filter Covers
Sensitive information filtering is on by default and skips snapshots when it detects potentially sensitive information. Microsoft’s reference list of detected information includes Australian bank account numbers, driver’s licence numbers and tax file numbers.
Detection of recognised data types does not mean every confidential client document is excluded. A client’s spending history or comments about a separation can reveal private information without containing a recognised number. Treat the filter as a limited control, not permission to capture client files.
You can also exclude apps and websites. Microsoft’s filtering instructions explain that website exclusions require a supported browser and apply to the foreground page. Content embedded elsewhere and website names in browser history can still appear. A website exclusion also does not cover a downloaded statement opened in a separate PDF application.
If the brokerage approves a limited Recall use, exclude every application and website used for client files. Test those exclusions with fictitious information in each actual work context. Keep sensitive information filtering enabled alongside the exclusions.
Recall and Client Documents
A broker’s normal working screen can contain information that does not belong in a searchable screenshot history. Consider this hypothetical sequence on a laptop with snapshots enabled:
| Work on screen | Information a snapshot could retain | Brokerage consequence |
|---|---|---|
| Reviewing a bank statement | Client name, transaction descriptions and account details, subject to filtering | A second record of financial information exists outside the client-file system. |
| Reading identity documents | Photograph, address or document details, subject to filtering | Identity information needs protection across another storage location. |
| Working in the client record | Income notes, family circumstances and lending preferences | A search history can retain details from several clients together. |
| Opening a lender email | Client correspondence and application information | Closing the email does not remove a previously saved snapshot. |
The table describes possible capture, not a claim that every screen bypasses the filters. The risk comes from retaining information the brokerage did not deliberately select for a client record.
A lost, locked laptop does not automatically expose Recall snapshots. Encryption and Windows Hello protect them. A lost device still needs the brokerage’s incident response because it contains client information and its actual security state matters.
Separate Windows accounts have separate Recall data. Sharing one staff account removes that clear separation between people’s work, even though Windows Hello still protects access to Recall. Give each staff member their own account and lock the laptop whenever they leave it.
A snapshot is a separate stored record. Removing the source document from a folder or losing access to a client portal does not itself delete an earlier snapshot. Include Recall in the device’s information-retention decision instead of assuming the client-file system controls every copy.
Turn Recall Off or Manage It
Turn off Save snapshots to stop future capture. If the brokerage wants Recall unavailable, remove the Windows feature or enforce a management policy. A temporary pause is unsuitable for a permanent brokerage rule because it automatically expires.
Check and Turn Off Saving Snapshots
Use these steps in each Windows account that handles client information:
- Open Settings, then Privacy & security, then Recall & snapshots.
- Authenticate with Windows Hello if prompted.
- Set Save snapshots to Off.
- Reopen the settings after restarting the PC. Confirm Save snapshots remains Off.
Microsoft’s snapshot-management instructions distinguish stopping capture from deleting existing snapshots. Turning saving off leaves an existing history to address separately.
Where the brokerage’s retention requirements and complaint holds permit deletion, expand Delete snapshots and choose Delete all. Confirm the deletion and check the reported storage use. Keep any required evidence through the brokerage’s approved records process before removing it.
If Recall & snapshots is missing, check Settings, System, About for the Windows version and device model. The PC might lack compatible hardware, the feature might have been removed or management policy might make it unavailable. A missing tray icon alone does not establish which condition applies.
Remove the Recall Feature
Removal deletes previously saved Recall snapshots. Resolve any records hold before using it.
- Search Windows for Turn Windows features on or off and open that control.
- Clear the Recall checkbox.
- Apply the change and restart when prompted.
- Reopen Windows features and confirm Recall remains unchecked.
These are Microsoft’s documented removal steps. If the entry is absent or locked by policy, have the device administrator inspect the feature state. Do not enable Recall just to make its settings appear.
Enforce the Brokerage Rule by Policy
For managed PCs, use the controls in Microsoft’s Recall management guide. A user’s preference can change. An enforced policy prevents staff from opting into a feature the brokerage has excluded.
| Required result | Policy | Setting |
|---|---|---|
| Make Recall unavailable and remove its component | Allow Recall to be enabled | Disabled |
| Prevent saving snapshots for Recall | Turn off saving snapshots for use with Recall | Enabled |
| Permit an approved user to choose Recall | Allow Recall to be enabled, with snapshot saving permitted | User must still opt in |
The policy wording can be confusing: enabling “Turn off saving snapshots for use with Recall” blocks capture. Both blocking controls can delete existing snapshots, so apply the records-hold check before deployment. Removing the Recall component requires a restart.
Administrators can deploy these settings through device management or the Windows AI section of Group Policy. Microsoft’s WindowsAI policy reference lists the supported editions and builds. It also distinguishes the feature-availability policy from the snapshot-saving policy.
After policy applies, restart a pilot device and sign in with a normal staff account. Confirm that Recall is unavailable or snapshot saving is blocked, according to the chosen rule. Then confirm the management console reports the policy applied across every in-scope laptop, including replacement devices.
Record the result in the brokerage’s laptop setup checklist. Recheck it when a device is reissued or its management enrolment changes, before the next staff member opens client files.
