Set up Windows 11 Recall filters before saving any snapshots

Recall is a preview feature for supported Copilot+ PCs, not a feature every Windows 11 machine has. Microsoft says saving snapshots is opt-in per user and off if you do not choose it. If you decide to enable it, plan what should never be captured first. Website filters only work in supported browsers, while app filters can exclude an entire browser. Sensitive-information filtering is helpful but cannot promise that every secret or private page will be omitted.

Before you start​

Confirm the device is eligible and that you have Windows Hello biometric sign-in configured, as Microsoft requires for Recall access. Decide whether the value of searchable local history outweighs the extra data stored on this device. On a shared or work machine, check policy and household expectations. Do not enable Recall simply to demonstrate the settings.

Do it step by step​

1. Open Settings > Privacy & security > Recall & snapshots. Confirm Save snapshots is Off until filters, retention and storage limits are reviewed. If the page is absent, do not install an unofficial substitute.
2. List sensitive apps, such as a password manager, private messaging or financial software, and add them to the app-filter list if you opt in. For a browser with sensitive browsing, consider an app-wide filter.
3. Inspect website filters and confirm your browser is among those Microsoft says are supported. Do not assume a domain filter covers an unsupported browser or every page embedded in an app.
4. Review sensitive-information filtering, storage maximum and retention. Treat automatic deletion of old snapshots as housekeeping, not a guaranteed immediate purge of one sensitive item.
5. Opt in only after this review, authenticate with Windows Hello and inspect the tray icon. Use the pause control when handling material you did not pre-filter.
6. Open Recall and test whether a harmless app is captured while a filtered app is absent. If a private snapshot appears, use the control to delete that snapshot or matching app/site history, then tighten the filter or turn saving off.

Check the result​

The Save snapshots state is intentional, the exclusions pass a harmless test and you know how to pause and delete. If you choose not to opt in, no snapshots should be saved for your user.

If something goes wrong​

If a filter fails, stop saving while you review support for that app or browser. If the tray icon is absent, confirm the feature and user-specific opt-in state. A work policy may disable Recall altogether.

Know the limit​

Microsoft says snapshots are stored locally and encrypted, but that does not make every possible capture appropriate. Filtering is imperfect. Supported hardware, Windows build and preview behavior may change; check the live setting before relying on any exclusion. Microsoft Recall privacy controls

Decision checkpoint​

Make a harmless test document containing a unique phrase, open it in an allowed app and confirm Recall can find it only after you explicitly opt in. Then open a similarly harmless filtered app and verify no snapshot from it appears. Delete the test snapshots afterward. This is a more useful check than trusting the filter name alone. If you cannot accept a single accidental capture of a sensitive screen, leave snapshot saving off; the feature's convenience does not require you to opt in.