Mark Saltveit

Microsoft Recall is even worse than you think.

It has apparently been snuck into the Edge web browser even if you don't have the Windows version that adds it.

h/t @laimis who pointed out to me that #Recall starts with Windows 11 24H2; I only have 23H2.

BUT I found it in my Edge Browser which updated today to Version 125.0.2535.51.
The setting is:
{3 dots button} =>
Settings =>
Privacy Search and Services =>
Save screenshots of sites for history
(all the way down, default on).

#Microsoft

May 23, 2024 at 1:03amWeb
Show threadH4Heights 🇪🇺🇵🇸🇺🇦🇨🇦May 23, 2024
@taoish @laimis Should’ve bought an Apple, Microsoft is a Lemon.
Show threadPaul H May 23, 2024
@taoish @laimis Same here on the my Windows 11 VM (10.0.22631 Build 22631) on my MacOS ( Edge Version 125.0.2535.51 (Official build) (arm64)). It was turned off by default.
Show threadMatthew MalthouseMay 23, 2024

@taoish @laimis

Version 126.0.2592.11 (Official build) dev (64-bit)

On Linux.

It updated this morning.

For reasons I don't change the Edge settings so under the default it's off. For the moment.

Show threadWagsterMay 23, 2024
@taoish @laimis I'm on Windows 10 and this feature is there in Edge and defaulted to On.
Show threadMichael GrummittMay 28, 2024
@Wagster @taoish @laimis I am on Win10 and it is default off. My other laptop for my spouse is on Win11 23H2 and is defaulted off. Good to know about this and keep checking. I only use Edge for work otherwise I use Firefox with containers. When I get a new laptop for work purposes my current one will be having a Linux distro loaded. Unfortunately need MS for work as that is what our clients use 😡
Show threadDr. FyzziksMay 23, 2024

@taoish @laimis Uuuugh.

I just checked my Windows test laptop (which I rarely use but happened to power up / update today) and that setting is there. Although interestingly it defaulted to disabled/off on my system.

Still, yuck.

Show threadMark SaltveitMay 24, 2024
@drfyzziks @laimis
Mine was defaulted to on. Who knows why?
Show threadJulius Schwartzenberg - ЮліусMay 23, 2024
@taoish this feature seems to just capture screenshots to associate them with your bookmarks. There is no suggestion these screenshots are used for anything else.
Show threadMark SaltveitMay 24, 2024
@jschwart
Thanks. But aren't all screenshots a security risk?
Show threadJulius Schwartzenberg - ЮліусMay 24, 2024

@taoish of course, certainly if your mailbox or internet banking page gets captured that may not be great. I guess for many people it could also be a significant aid with little risk though. It seems to make sense that one would need to enable it explicitly.

So I am surprised that people claim it was enabled on their end without them knowing before. I guess it never actually captured screenshots though, because you'd notice the moment you would use any bookmarks there.

Of course Firefox ftw ;)

Show threadMark SaltveitMay 24, 2024
@jschwart
Yeah, speaking purely for myself, the correct number of unrequested screen shots stored on my computer is always zero.
Show threadÉric FreyssinetMay 26, 2024

@taoish @laimis Hello ! What I find interesting is that the category it is in mentions "Web services", in French I have: "Microsoft Edge peut utiliser des services web pour améliorer votre expérience de navigation. Vous pouvez toujours choisir de les désactiver."

=> Does it mean that when you select the screenshot option below it uploads them to an online Web service ?

Show threadmind.itMay 26, 2024
@taoish @laimis not sure if this is Recall, it has been around for some months to show thumbnails of recent visited sites (it should be turned off). Recall may be inspired by this history feature. I will turn it off, when it arrives (or throw Win 11 out of the window, haha) https://www.thewindowsclub.com/enable-save-screenshots-of-site-for-history-edge
How to enable Save screenshots of site for History in Microsoft Edge

This post shows how to enable the Save screenshots of site for History setting in Microsoft Edge via Options or Registry Editor.

The Windows Club
Show threadLuke PembletonMay 26, 2024

@taoish @laimis ohhhh… can we roll back to internet explorer 🤣

Yeh defs steer clear and use something like Brave or Firefox.

Show threadprincess pancake ​May 26, 2024
@taoish @laimis how fast did they fucking rush this shit
Show threadParalax^SDMay 26, 2024
@taoish @laimis This seems like a very different feature though. They don't want to feed an AI with screenshots but make thumbnails for the history so users can find their sites from the history in a visual way.
Show threadJ.Sʜᴀʀᴘ🌍🇺🇦Fʀᴇᴇᴅᴏᴍ&DᴇᴍᴏᴄʀᴀᴄʏMay 27, 2024

@taoish @laimis

This is an NSA job where they made Microsoft an offer they could refuse.

Bye bye privacy and freedoms.

Show threadCyclesBecauseSummerIsComing😀May 27, 2024
@taoish @laimis if you have the browser on your laptop, but do not use it. Does Recall still takes all the screen shots etc?
Show threadMark SaltveitMay 28, 2024
@CyclesSmiles @laimis
I don't believe that i have a new enough version of Windows to have Recall proper. And I use Edge browser frequently, so I dunno.
Show threadMichael KohneMay 27, 2024
@taoish @laimis It defaulted off for me as well. Though I will also note that the description on the control indicates it just saves a screenshot for each item in your history (as opposed to a screenshot every few seconds). If that's true, it makes it a HELL of a lot less invasive than recall, because it would ONLY be saving info for things you already know it's saving the URL of anyway.
Show threadAndrewMay 27, 2024
@taoish @laimis time to either delete/sandbox anything from Microsoft on my machines
Show threadDaniel Fisher(lennybacon)May 27, 2024
@taoish @laimis Sorry to say, that is NOT #Recall
Show threadMark SaltveitMay 28, 2024
@lennybacon @laimis
They're SPAWNING!