Microsoft now activates 'Recall', a Copilot AI feature that's making your private emails & messaging obsolete by saving screenshots of these every few seconds. So what does this Windows update mean, is it really "opt in" and how can you turn it off? Let's take a deep dive!
I really liked LMDE. I eventually moved to arch though because I’m a tinkerer at heart. If I need stability without constant updates though, a Debian based distro is my go-to. LMDE for a desktop, or just straight up Debian with no thrills for a server.
It would also be a interesting question if under GDPR companies need to tell you that they might have shared your emails with Microsoft because they enabled Recall ( if they so do ) …
I have almost none of the issues people complain about around here. For example, my install has no Recall to turn on if I wanted to. My only guess is that I used a vanilla ISO. And yes, it’s updated as of this morning.
My work laptop is a Surface 7 with that NPU (miss my Thinkpad T15 already), and it has absolutely zero “Recall” feature that I could find. Company uses W11 Enterprise though, so maybe that has something to do with it?
Watching Windows gets worse and worse is a lot more fun when you don’t have to use it. I use Mint btw.
Fun for us. Not so fun for people who have to use it.
It is sad to see the mental gymnastics people do to justify their inertia.
“It’s opt-in!”
“You can disable feature X easily by editing the registry”
“You can install this tool from a shifty site to restore that feature MS disabled”
LMDE here. No ragrets. Mint features, Debian stability, and none of the Canonical weirdness.
I really liked LMDE. I eventually moved to arch though because I’m a tinkerer at heart. If I need stability without constant updates though, a Debian based distro is my go-to. LMDE for a desktop, or just straight up Debian with no thrills for a server.
For my servers I also really liked Truenas scale and Proxmox, but if I need something generic I go with Debian as well yess
The emails you write to people who use Windows are not private anymore too
Emails you write to literally anyone are no longer private the moment it leaves your outbox.
Well, unless you are one of the dozen people using gpg encryption.
That is not going to stop Windows Recall from screenshotting the message once decrypted.
What I mean is that you don’t have control over it anymore, whoever received it can show it to whoever and whatever they choose.
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Unless you used PGP or something, emails were never “private” in any meaningful sense of the word.
@knatschus @SaharaMaleikuhm This is an interesting take. I hope that Email Clients which supports GPG ( none Microsoft Products ) will also deny recall from function like brave does by default -> https://www.theregister.com/2025/07/23/brave_browse_block_microsoft_recall/
It would also be a interesting question if under GDPR companies need to tell you that they might have shared your emails with Microsoft because they enabled Recall ( if they so do ) …
So many questions …
Debian Rolling here. Have used different distros and I dont judge anyone who wants to use Linux. Glad you made the switch.
I have almost none of the issues people complain about around here. For example, my install has no Recall to turn on if I wanted to. My only guess is that I used a vanilla ISO. And yes, it’s updated as of this morning.
Think you need an AI processor for it
My work laptop is a Surface 7 with that NPU (miss my Thinkpad T15 already), and it has absolutely zero “Recall” feature that I could find. Company uses W11 Enterprise though, so maybe that has something to do with it?
Yeah, your company IT department probably blocked it with group policy. I suspect most companies will do so if they care about security.