Uninstalling Microsoft Recall? That’s A Bug, Not A Feature

The Newest Of Microsoft’s Permanently Added Features

Microsoft certainly doesn’t like to learn from past mistakes, as evidenced by the kerfuffle over their ‘AI’ powered Microsoft Recall feature which is soon rolling out to every compatible computer.  At least one user spotted it under the Turn Windows features on or off section of the Control Panel, and shared the fact that you could indeed remove Microsoft Recall from your machine.  Microsoft noticed the posts and sent out an official communication that it’s presence in that section was actually a bug and it will soon disappear from there.  That suggests it will be quite difficult to remove once it infects your system.

Microsoft have tried permanently linking certain apps with Windows in the past and every time it has been legally challenged, Microsoft has lost and were forced to make the mandatory apps removable.  Most recently it was the Bing powered Start Menu search that was legally challenged in the EU and Microsoft lost that case and now has to offer a way to uninstall it in the EU.

The same thing is likely to happen with Microsoft Recall as it will definitely fall afoul of their privacy laws.  The fact your OS will constantly capture screenshots detailing your use obviously creates some privacy concerns, and that’s before you realize it’s unencrypted.  That total lack of security caused Microsoft to have to delay the launch of Recall and they have yet to properly address the concerns of their users.   They may indeed managed to encrypt it using your computers Bitlocker key, which unfortunately means that if a hacker does gain access to your system, they will be able to slurp down those screenshots to peruse everything you’ve ever done on that computer since Microsoft Recall first started running on the system.

Keep an eye out for more developments on the app from Microsoft that no one asked for, but apparently everyone is going to be forced to get.