Microsoft will release controversial Windows Recall AI search feature to testers in October

Microsoft said Wednesday it will release its controversial Recall artificial intelligence search feature for Windows users to test beginning in October.

Recall takes screenshots of activity on screen so people can search for information they saw earlier. Security researchers quickly expressed concerns about the risks of Windows automatically capturing images, without users opting in. Researchers released open-source software showing how personal information might become easily accessible to attackers. Microsoft responded in June and said Recall would be turned off by default. It also committed to security enhancements for the feature.

Microsoft did not specify the timing for a broader release for Windows computers that meet the system requirements for the Recall feature, which the company calls Copilot+ PCs. Microsoft unveiled this new class of Windows PCs from a variety of device makers that can run AI workloads and showed Recall running on them at an event in May.

Device makers are keen on showing that people can run AI models on their local PCs, rather than relying on cloud-based servers from OpenAI or other companies to service their requests. Apple has released MacBooks that can run AI models, and Microsoft’s newest Surface Pro is a Copilot+ PC that can also run local AI.

Timing for the wide release of Recall might be critical. Consumers could be more interested in buying new computers during the holiday season if Microsoft brings Recall to all devices that support it by then.

“With a commitment to delivering a trustworthy and secure Recall (preview) experience on Copilot+ PCs for customers, we’re sharing an update that Recall will be available to Windows Insiders starting in October,” Microsoft said in Wednesday’s update to a June blog post. “As previously shared on June 13, we have adjusted our release approach to leverage the valuable expertise of our Windows Insider community prior to making Recall available for all Copilot+ PCs.”

Security has become a higher priority for Microsoft’s rank-and-file engineers. In the current fiscal year that started July 1, the company will evaluate cybersecurity contributions in employee reviews that will factor into pay. The company promised to revamp security processes after a Department of Homeland Security report in April on China’s breach of U.S. government officials’ Microsoft-based email accounts raised several concerns.

“We continue to prioritize security above all else,” Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella told analysts on a July conference call.