Microsoft has found itself in a bit of a PR Nightmare since announcing CoPilot+ a few weeks ago. This “AI” upgrade includes a feature called “Windows Recall” that is meant to remember everything you do, from web pages to voice chats… plus (gasp) taking the occasional screenshot of your computer “for your benefit.”
Clearly… Microsoft has delayed rolling this out amidst privacy concerns. But little does anyone know…
Windows 11 is already tracking what you do through a feature called “Activity Tracking.”
And it’s turned on by default.
So let’s go through how to disable this feature quickly. Thankfully, it’s simple.
- Open Settings (you can find this in the start menu)
- Click on Privacy & Security (see screenshot below)
- Click on Activity History (see screenshot below)
- UNCHECK “Store activity history on this device” (see screenshot below)
- Then CLEAR the existing Activity History (see screenshot below)
That should do it. Activity History will no longer be tracked on this computer. This has no impact on the functionality of Windows 11.
When Windows rolls out the “Recall” feature… I’ll be there showing you how to disable that as well. There is no reason Microsoft needs to take an occasional screenshot of your computer.
Of course, if your business needs help locking down the hatches, let us know. We’re pros at helping you secure your business’s digital footprint.
