Microsoft’s controversial Recall feature, that automatically screenshots nearly everything on a Copilot Plus PC, is meeting resistance from app developers. Signal kicked off a trend of blocking Recall earlier this year, with AdGuard and the Brave browser now also blocking the Windows AI feature.

Tyson Jominy routinely summons Microsoft Corp.’s AI assistant by tapping the Copilot key on his computer. Not because he means to. He’s actually aiming for what was once the Control key and is annoyed to see Copilot pop up on-screen.

"Windows 11 is the home for AI," it adds, "offering the most expansive and capable AI experiences for consumers today on Copilot+ PCs – with exclusive AI superpowers like Recall (preview), Click to Do (preview) and improved Windows search, as well as groundbreaking new ways to interact with your PC, like Copilot Vision on Windows."

Microsoft’s much-maligned Recall feature, which automatically screenshots everything you do on your Copilot+ PC to create a “photographic memory,” is not making many fans across the app developer community. According to a report from The Verge, ad blocker AdGuard and privacy-minded browser Brave have decided to block Recall and its prying eyes.

More apps are blocking Microsoft's Recall feature over privacy concerns, with Brave and AdGuard following Signal's lead in restricting screenshot access

The domain is currently up for sale, and a quick WHOIS search showed it's managed by eName Technology Co. Ltd, a Chinese registrar with no known ties to Microsoft. The domain has been active since 2005, according to the listing, long before Microsoft 365 branding was even a thing.

Coming to Windows Insiders, the update will let users share their "whole desktop with Copilot," allowing it to see what's on screen and offer contextual help. This was previously only available to use in a couple of apps at a time, but now Copilot Vision can analyze content on everything shown on a PC.

Microsoft first announced Recall at a May 2024 event at its headquarters in Redmond, Wash., where the company debuted several upcoming Windows features to complement its newly announced Copilot+ PCs.

Microsoft is rolling out an update to Copilot Vision for Windows Insiders that lets the AI tool see everything that’s on your screen. Previously, the tool was able to look at two apps at a time and connect the dots between the two, but with this change, it can look at your whole desktop or “any specific browser or app window,” Microsoft says.

Copilot is Microsoft's branding for various AI-powered tools embedded across its ecosystem, including in Windows, Edge, Bing, Microsoft 365 (all the Office apps), Teams, GitHub and security tools.