Microsoft Delays Recall

Microsoft announced that it will take the unprecedented step of actually testing software before it releases it to the public. No, it’s not April 1.

But I kid.

“Today, we are communicating an additional update on the Recall (preview) feature for Copilot+ PCs,” an updated version of last week’s Recall update blog post explains. “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.”

It’s unclear what motivated this change, though in my many complaints about the sporadic way in which Microsoft tests updates via the Insider Program–or, in many cases, doesn’t test them at all–I’ve expressed a frustration that this type of software only amplifies.

Customers that wish to test Recall will, of course, need a Copilot+ PC: As should be obvious to anyone, this feature relies on several additional security protections that are not available in standard Windows PCs.

“This decision is rooted in our commitment to providing a trusted, secure and robust experience for all customers and to seek additional feedback prior to making the feature available to all Copilot+ PC users,” Microsoft added. “Security is our top priority at Microsoft, in line with our Secure Future Initiative (SFI).”

Bravo, I guess. But this is how Recall should have rolled out in the first place. But this change also gives us a clearer view of the schedule I outlined in Windows 11 24H2 Features are Coming to 23H2, 22H2 Too. That big change to the initial release of 24H2 isn’t about fixing Recall so much as it is about temporarily removing it.