Earlier this year, Microsoft surprised many with the introduction of a controversial AI-powered feature known as Recall. This functionality, when activated, captures snapshots of a user’s screen, cataloging them for future reference in a scrollable timeline. Initially intended to be disabled by default, it appears that Microsoft has reverted to enabling this feature automatically with the recent 24H2 release, which now installs Recall across all PCs, not just those equipped with Copilot+.
However, the implications of Recall extend beyond mere privacy concerns. Disabling this feature inadvertently disrupts a critical component of the Windows operating system, raising alarms among users. Reports indicate that even though there is a method to uninstall Recall from Windows 11 PCs, Microsoft has not streamlined this process, leaving many users frustrated.
Disabling Recall Breaks Important Functionality
In a recent discovery by Chris Titus, a user shared their experience on the GitHub repository for Windows Utility, a tool designed to help users eliminate unnecessary bloatware from their Windows installations. The user reported that creating a Windows Pro 24H2 ISO using MicroWin resulted in a downgrade of the File Explorer to an older version. This is noteworthy because Windows Utility and MicroWin are both popular for customizing Windows images to better suit individual preferences.
After a series of discussions among contributors, it became evident that Recall and Copilot are integral to the operation of the new File Explorer, which boasts multi-tab functionality. This dependency was not present in the previous 23H2 release, highlighting a significant change that Microsoft has implemented without clear communication. The official release blog for 24H2 notably omits any mention of this critical linkage.
To mitigate the issues arising from the interaction between winutil or MicroWin and File Explorer, a contributor named CodingWonders devised a workaround. This solution allows Recall components to remain intact while disabling them only after user login. Nevertheless, this situation raises concerns for many users. If Microsoft is embedding Recall within essential services like File Explorer without transparent communication, one must wonder what other functionalities may be similarly affected.
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