The Microsoft Store has been rejigged with a nifty change to its interface, and it’s also set for a major performance boost in the future, all in a bid to modernize the app and make it more attractive to users.

Let’s start with the performance improvement, which Windows Latest noticed flagged up in a DevBlogs post. In that post, Microsoft revealed that it’s currently working to migrate the Microsoft Store to .NET 9, while also incorporating Native AOT in the ‘near’ future.

Native AOT refers to Ahead-Of-Time compilation, and we saw earlier this week that Microsoft plans to use this to speed up default Windows 11 apps like Photos and Phone Link.

So, the idea is that the latest version of the .NET framework will improve the overall performance of the Microsoft Store, and native AOT’s method of compiling code should mean that the store is faster to launch. Furthermore, you might even notice that pages within the Store are quicker to load. 

A senior software engineer at Microsoft, Sergio Pedri, posted on X about this, confirming that the Microsoft Store will benefit from better performance thanks to these measures (as will other ‘large and complex’ apps in Windows 11, we’re told). 

This is part of an ongoing process to make the Microsoft Store better which is being implemented in a gradual way to reduce risks (throwing too many changes in at once is never the safest way to proceed, of course).

An interface change for more effective app management

As well as the enhancements to performance and loading times that are in the pipeline, the Microsoft Store has received some fine-tuning of its interface that’s in place right now.

With the latest update for the store, Microsoft has introduced a new ‘Downloads’ page that lets you keep track of and manage updates for apps you currently have installed, highlighting when they were last updated, as well as allowing you to check any available release notes. This is split off from the existing ‘Library’ page in the store which lists all the apps you’ve downloaded or purchased, and now has a handy search bar in place, as shown in screenshots provided by Windows Latest.

In the recent past, Microsoft has fired up a number of initiatives to improve the store, including previous efforts to speed up performance (and to get the store loading faster). However, the Microsoft Store has been regarded lukewarmly at best so far - but maybe steps like these will win more favor with Windows 11 users and make them change their minds about it.

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Microsoft’s latest update for Windows 11 arrived last week, and the patch for September 2024 delivers some nice boosts for PC gaming on some machines with AMD Ryzen processors - but it has emerged there are some catches reportedly present in the form of bugs.

The September patch (KB5043076) comes packing the full release of the branch prediction code improvements that benefit Ryzen 7000 or newer CPUs that we saw in last month’s optional update. We’re talking about frame rate boosts to the tune of 10% or more in some cases, which will doubtless delight gamers. (These improvements were actually witnessed in Windows 11 24H2 first, but were backported to the current 23H2 version).

Because of this major stride for gaming on modern Ryzen processors, more folks have rushed to download the latest cumulative update for Windows 11 - and they’ve encountered some nasty problems.

If you install update KB5043076 and face issues, you're not alone

Unfortunately, Windows Latest reports that some users have found update KB5043076 fails to install, or they’ve hit other problems like File Explorer crashing when trying to open it from the taskbar. 

A similar problem with File Explorer was observed in August’s optional update, so it seems that this bug has carried over into the September update. 

Another problem you might bump into after installing this update is that your device’s Phishing Protection in Windows Security (which is important for keeping you safe from online scams) might be switched off after restarting or shutting down your PC.

Furthermore, one user has taken to Microsoft’s Feedback Hub to report issues with specific Windows system files that affect certain key features like User Account Control. 

Other issues that have been observed are Windows 11’s search feature taking longer than usual to load, certain apps failing to run, issues with internet connectivity, and the PC’s restart and shutdown functions not working.

How you can deal with these problems (for now)

KB5043076, the update for September 2024, is a mandatory patch, meaning it will automatically be delivered to your Windows 23H2 (or 22H2) PC. If these reported problems make you nervous, you could pause your updates - although only for up to a month on Windows 11 Home installations. Remember, though, that without the September update, you will be lacking some vital security fixes that are inevitably part of these patches.

Those experiencing problems already having installed the September patch could remove it. To do so, simply go to Windows Update (in Settings) and then Update History, where you’ll find the option to Uninstall Updates - here, you can find the patch which is KB5043076 as we’ve mentioned, and elect to uninstall it. After that, you can pause updates (for a month, as noted).

Microsoft has yet to comment on these reported issues with the September 2024 update, but we’ll let you know if we hear from the company, or anything about fixes being implemented.

We are waiting for the full rollout of Windows 11 version 24H2, which should be coming pretty soon, and patches like this one don’t give me the greatest confidence in Microsoft, it has to be said.

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Microsoft is promising some major performance improvements when it comes to Windows 11 apps, specifically those that are based on Windows App SDK technology, such as Photos for example.

This comes courtesy of a change that Windows Latest spotted in the support document for the latest Windows App SDK preview release, which mentions a new improvement in ‘native AOT (Ahead-Of-Time) compilation’ support.

Testing indicates that this feature could make apps load 50% faster and also use less memory, saving your precious system resources. It should mean that apps based on Windows App SDK, like Photos and Phone Link in Windows 11, will run better in general as well as loading more swiftly. It’ll also have benefits in terms of app packages apparently being eight times smaller.

If you’re wondering exactly what Windows App SDK is, it’s a collection of tools (SDK stands for Software Development Kit) that helps developers make Windows apps with the newest features while working with older Windows software frameworks (like Win32). 

Better performance for a bunch of apps before too long

These improvements may take some time to be realized, though, as we’ll have to wait for Microsoft to adopt WinAppSDK 1.6 with native AOT, and for third-party developers to update their software (which I hope they do pretty soon).

When that happens, the results should be pretty eye-opening, at least going by Microsoft’s early testing. As Windows Latest observes, almost all apps built with Windows App SDK are hit by sluggish launch times, and they can also be unresponsive in terms of slowdowns when loading animations, or even when just interacting with the interface.

Overall, these improvements in the pipeline are great news for Windows 11 users, as they promise apps that perform more smoothly all around, as well as loading more quickly. Although it may take some time for these updates to roll out, as noted, the benefits of native AOT support will eventually translate into a noticeable improvement in the day-to-day performance of essential Windows 11 apps like Photos and Phone Link.

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Many of us are still waiting for the rollout of Windows 11’s annual major update, version 24H2, which is already available for new Copilot+ PC devices, and with it, Microsoft has introduced smaller “checkpoint cumulative updates” or (‘differential updates’) intended to make monthly updates smaller and faster by only downloading the files your computer is missing - and it looks like it could already be causing problems. 

Basically, your PC will grab only the new or changed parts of freshly released updates instead of downloading the whole update every time. 

These updates will begin with the September 2024 checkpoint update, KB5043080, which is now available for Copilot+ PCs. Copilot+ PCs are Microsoft’s new generation of Windows 11 computers which are designed to leverage advanced AI capabilities (most of which are still in the pipeline).

A bump in the Windows Update road

Unfortunately, it appears that Microsoft’s efforts are looking a little wobbly, as after installing update KB5043080, some users are reporting issues. 

According to Windows Latest, users have taken to Microsoft’s Windows Insider Feedback Hub to express their frustrations, with one user detailing how their update installation would stall at a certain percentage and then begin a rollback procedure. Some users have been met with an ‘Operation not supported’ error, and while Microsoft hasn’t responded to users’ claims about failure to install KB5043080, it has put out a support document about potential issues that users might run into if they’ve installed the recent September 2024 Patch Tuesday update. 

It looks like the issue is primarily affecting people using PCs with certain Intel or AMD chips, and users who choose to install the update manually (through the Windows Insider Program or with installation files from the Microsoft Update Catalog). 

I imagine Microsoft will acknowledge this issue and release a fix soon enough, but in the meantime, you’ll have to resolve this manually if you’re affected by downloading and reinstalling update KB5043080 or newer.

You’ll be able to do this by finding update KB5043080 in the Microsoft Update Catalog. I would point you to Windows Latest’s advice on how to make sure you download and install the correct version for your PC (based on the kind of hardware it has). You’ll have to carefully follow those instructions step-by-step or by utilizing a special command line Windows tool. 

I hope to see Microsoft issue an automatically available fix soon and that the rest of the rollout of 24H2 goes more smoothly. Many of us are still waiting for the update to come to our non-Copilot+ PC devices, and Microsoft doesn't have the best reputation when it comes to problem-free releases of major Windows 11 updates. Here’s hoping that Microsoft continues ironing out issues as they come up so that the transition to Windows 11 24H2 is as painless as possible. 

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If you’ve stuck with Windows 10 because you don’t like how Microsoft is seemingly pumping Windows 11 full of adverts then we have some bad news, as it looks like the company could start doing the same with Windows 10’s Start menu. 

The tech giant is currently testing out bringing the “Microsoft account manager” flyout menu in a couple of different layouts to the Start menu. This would enable Windows 10 users to manage their Microsoft accounts in various ways, including switching between different accounts, changing account settings, or signing out completely. 

This would be fairly benign if that was the whole story, but it appears that Microsoft account manager could be used to encourage users to sign up for Microsoft’s own products and services like Microsoft 365, a subscription service for apps like Word, Excel, and OneDrive. 

Windows Latest explains that Windows 10 users might start seeing more notifications and prompts reminding you (or as some might put it, nagging you) that your Microsoft account actually exists, to set up a recovery plan, and to learn more about Microsoft 365. Apparently, this doesn’t go away even if you've subscribed to the basic Microsoft 365 plan. 

More bad news - it looks like you can't get rid of it

As reported by Windows Latest, Microsoft seems to be playing around with a couple of different designs for this account manager feature. In screenshots provided by Windows Latest, you can see the dedicated button in different parts of the left-hand Start menu sidebar, and while it’s not fully functional at the moment, it does look like it could be easier to jump to account management (if that’s something you’re after). 

I personally don’t manage my Microsoft account that often so this wouldn’t do very much for me, and unfortunately, if you want to remove this feature, it doesn’t appear that there’s a straightforward way to switch it off. 

I’ve gone through cycles of frustration with Microsoft and it’s a bummer that this intrusive method of pushing its own services appears to be the new normal. Also, it wants to convert its Windows 10 user base to Windows 11, even if users are reluctant to do so. However, Microsoft also peppers Windows 11’s UI with ads so it doesn’t look like there will be an easy escape from these kinds of interruptions - unless you switch to a different, non-Microsoft, operating system such as macOS 15 Sequoia or Linux.

Of course, Microsoft understandably wants more people to subscribe or purchase its products and services, but there’s a real danger that this heavy-handed approach could do more harm than good. In these financially uncertain times, many people are looking to cut down on their subscriptions, for example, and they won’t like feeling like they are being encouraged to sign up for more.

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Microsoft’s Photos app in Windows 11 is getting a “Visual Search with Bing” feature, which will enable you to search for images similar to whatever pictures you’re viewing.

The updated version of the Photos app also brings improved navigation for your photo gallery, quick access to image editing capabilities, and some tweaks to make Photos a better user experience overall. 

Photos is the default app for viewing and organizing pictures in Windows and this update brings some long-awaited features to it. While you’re looking at a picture and feel a tinge of curiosity about something in it, you can use Visual Search with Bing to perform an instant reverse image search, which will prompt Bing to scour the internet for similar images and any information that might be relevant to the image you’re looking up (similar to Google’s reverse image search). 

A similar feature already exists in the Snipping Tool app, which enables you to do this after you take a screenshot. 

What else is in the pipeline for the Photos app?

As well as the new reverse image search capabilities, smoother gallery navigation will make flicking through pictures easier and you’ll be able to jump straight into image-editing tools from your desktop or File Explorer. 

The enhanced Photos app is currently available via the Windows Insider Program, a special group of Windows users who get early access to Windows features. Regular users hopefully won’t have to wait long, as the majority of features that make it to this preview state are usually rolled out widely later on in future cumulative Windows 11 updates. 

Users of the Photos app in Windows 10 can also now sync their iCloud photos, Apple’s cloud storage for images, a feature that’s been in Windows 11 for some time. This means if you have a Windows PC and an iPhone or iPad, you can easily access your iCloud photos after syncing them in the Photos app on your Windows 10 device. 

I don’t know how many people will find this useful as Google search still currently dominates the search market and offers its own image-searching capabilities, but it’s good to give users more tools and possibilities to interact with their own media. Bing reverse image search has more convincing to do, as most people who have even heard of reverse image search would usually think of Google or TinEye - if at all.  

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If you’re still using Windows 11 version 21H2 or 22H2, watch out: your device is due for a force update to Windows 11 23H2, the last major update to the operating system released in October 2023. Microsoft has released a 30-day reminder in the Windows message center to inform users of End of Service (EoS) for these Windows versions. 

If you don’t update your device to 23H2 on your own and you have automatic updates turned on (which is by default), an automatic update will prompt the installation of 23H2 on Patch Tuesday (October 8, 2024). Patch Tuesday is Microsoft’s monthly update to address bugs and vulnerabilities and sometimes to deliver new features and other OS changes. If you don't install this, your version of Windows 11 could become outdated and be left potentially vulnerable to new security threats. 

It’s crucial to make sure your device is protected, so it’s highly recommended that you update your device to 23H2 to ensure your device stays secure. 

Microsoft notes in the reminder message that the October patch “will be the last update available for these editions” and that after that date, “devices running these editions will no longer receive monthly security and preview updates containing protections from the latest security threats” - in other words, this ‘forced’ update is ultimately being done in the name of security.

What happens when you update to Windows 11 23H2

Many Windows 11 users would probably agree that the OS has room for improvement, but Microsoft continues to make changes and adjustments to Windows 11. Most of these are generally to try and make using Windows 11 a better experience, though unfortunately, that isn’t always the case. As Neowin recently noted, “Recent performance testing has shown that even a seemingly good Windows 11 installation can lead to a lot of performance loss, even though nothing appears to be the issue.”

We are also expecting the arrival of Windows 11 24H2, the next major update for the OS, any day now, and if you want the newest major improvements and features that Microsoft intends to add to the operating system. 23H2 is a more tested version, having been out for nearly a year and widely rolled out in July of this year. 

Ultimately, whether you choose to let your device be updated to 23H2 or 24H2, make sure your device is updated. While updates can be annoying, this is a big one and you don't want your device to be left vulnerable to external threats.

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If you've ever tried to type using a gamepad or gaming device, you know it can be tricky, especially with this new generation of handheld gaming PCs like the Steam Deck and Asus ROG Ally X, so it’s good to see that Microsoft is currently trialling a new and improved gamepad keyboard layout for Xbox controllers in Windows 11.

The Verge reports that the new layout isn’t the only thing PC gamers with Xbox controllers can look forward to - they will also be able to use the X button for backspace, the Y button for spacebar, and the menu button of a connected Xbox controller to hit enter (as you would on a physical keyboard). Microsoft is also adding vertical alignment (consideration for the arrangement of keys in the vertical direction) to make it easier to type with the on-screen keyboard. 

The new on-screen keyboard is currently in user testing in the Windows Insider Program’s Beta Channel, which means we expect it to roll out to all eligible users pretty soon (unless Microsoft changes its mind). 

The bigger picture of Windows handheld gaming

I think it’s smart for Microsoft to continue developing Windows 11 to improve its gaming abilities while also working on other things like its AI-powered Copilot tool. Windows 11 is now the most-used operating system by PC gamers (at least according to a recent Steam survey), and while it performs fine for gaming laptops and desktop PCs, the operating system isn’t quite as well suited to gaming handhelds, which have smaller screens and rely on controller inputs, rather than traditional keyboards and mice, which Windows was originally designed for.

While the new gamepad-friendly on-screen keyboard has been well received by many so far, there’s more work that can be done - and handheld PC gaming is an exciting, and growing, market. As The Verge points out, Microsoft can still improve things like being able to log into Windows with an Xbox controller, as well as ensure that the on-screen keyboard automatically appears when you select text fields to write in them. 

I could see Microsoft addressing these in the near future, as we recently wrote about Microsoft’s improved Windows Game Bar with Compact Mode, making it easier to control your device while you’re playing a game - even on a smaller screen. The Xbox app has also gotten controller improvements to make it easier to navigate the app while using an Xbox controller, so it’s good to see that Microsoft isn’t completely distracted by adding AI into all parts of Windows 11.

If Microsoft’s handheld gaming offerings continue to improve, I think it could make Valve, the company behind the Linux-based SteamOS operating system that the Steam Deck uses, sweat a little bit. I’m certainly excited to see what else Microsoft has up its sleeve when it comes to Windows on handheld devices, which is something I haven’t felt in a long time. 

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The next major release for Windows 11, version 24H2, is expected to be released by Microsoft any week now, and it’s bringing some neat new features to the operating system.

Version 24H2 has been in development for a while now and has been in testing with Windows 11 users for at least a couple of months, so here are some of the features, changes, and improvements we’re looking forward to. 

Some of these will require that you have a new-generation Copilot+ PC that has the necessary hardware to support some of the new features Microsoft is bringing to Windows 11, but if you’re on a device with an older Intel or AMD processor, you can still expect some new developments. This is not an exhaustive list; I’m just pointing out some of the features and changes that I think could genuinely improve the user experience. 

Features we expect to see, whether you have a Copilot+ PC or not

The Start menu has been seeing many revisions recently (some better and more useful than others), and with 24H2, the Start menu is getting a new integrated Phone Link panel. 

This will sit directly next to the Start menu, displaying handy information to have on hand about your phone and links to locations such as recent messages, battery information, and photos. If you have an Android phone, I can see this making your overall computing experience across multiple devices easier and smoother.

File Explorer is another Windows 11 feature that’s recently seen renovations and it looks like more improvements are on the way. This includes the ability to browse a connected Android device’s file systems and contents directly in File Explorer, the ability to quickly duplicate an opened File Explorer tab, and the ability to compress files into a variety of archive formats without the need for a third-party app - farewell, WinRAR! 

There’s also Voice Clarity, a feature designed to minimize background noise to make you sound clearer while you’re on calls. This was previously exclusive to devices with NPUs (Neural Processing Units) like the new Snapdragon X Elite laptops, but that looks like it might change with 24H2. Microsoft has optimized the AI model used to power Voice Clarity to make this possible on x86 PCs equipped with NPU-less Intel and AMD processors.

Copilot gets a makeover

The actual Copilot app in Windows 11 is also getting some big changes - though perhaps not for the better. As we reported when it was first unveiled, Copilot now behaves a lot more like a traditional windowed app, no longer anchored in the bottom-right of the interface.

This makes it easy to use, since it can be pinned or unpinned to the taskbar, resized, minimized, and moved around like a regular app on your desktop. You can also now uninstall it - a somewhat surprising move given Microsoft's previous bullishness around its AI helper, but a welcome one.

As for what has actually changed, well... not much, it seems. Neowin noted that it seems some of the integrations Copilot had in version 23H2 have simply vanished, such as turning on Do Not Disturb - now, the bot just explains how to do so. It's unclear as to whether the AI has gained any actual new powers in 24H2, but it's entirely possible that Microsoft is just holding back the juicy stuff for the full release.

Copilot+ PCs prepare for take off, we wait to see what 24H2 will be like

Now, we expect features like these to be available to all Windows 11 users with a suitable device, but some features are only expected to be available on Copilot+ PCs. These include Live Captions, which will be able to generate subtitles in real time for whatever you’re watching or listening to in any app (though we don’t know what it’ll look like), and an improved Paint Cocreator AI assistant in the Paint app. 

We don’t expect changes that transform Windows 11 into a whole new operating system (perhaps Microsoft is waiting for the next iteration of Windows to really show off), but it packs in all kinds of improvements that I expect will feel tangible for most people. With Windows 10’s deprecation on the horizon, Microsoft desperately wants users to make the transition, and I don’t know if 24H2 will convince Windows 10, but it will probably be a substantial improvement to Windows 11 anyway.

There’s also the matter of the fact that we’ll have to see how these features look and feel when they’re actually rolled out to the general public, as we’ve only seen glimpses and hints for the most part from Windows Insiders and what they’ve gleaned from preview versions of 24H2. 

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Windows Search is supposed to be a powerful tool designed to help you find anything on your Windows 11 computer, kind of like Spotlight search in macOS, but it’s a feature that I’ve seen multiple people complain about due to it not working all that well. The good news is that as Windows Latest reports, it looks like Microsoft is trying to address Search’s drawbacks with artificial intelligence (AI).

The aim is to power up Windows 11’s Search using AI to enable you to search through audio and video files, and Windows Latest suggests this feature could be related to Microsoft's controversial Recall feature, which is also largely AI-powered. 

Windows Recall is designed to take snapshots of your activity on your device and make them searchable for specific content, compiling a timeline. So far, it’s been getting mixed reviews (and that’s putting it generously), but that apparently hasn’t put off Microsoft from trying to infuse Windows Search with “intelligent media search,” which is likely based on similar tech. This is term was discovered by X user @XenoPanther, in Windows 11 Preview Build 27695. 

AI-powered media search in Windows 11

In this early Windows 11 build, there are references to an AI feature that will search through the contents of your media files, which @XenoPanther observed will become available once your device downloads the necessary AI models to do this. This process will involve first transcribing whatever audio or video you want to search, and making those transcripts searchable - which could be useful if you’re looking for an audio clip that mentions a specific word, for example. These transcripts will then need to be indexed in a way as to make it possible to search through it.

There’s no mention of this feature in Microsoft’s blog post announcing the Windows 11 Preview Build, so I imagine it’s still very much a work in progress, but I do hope Windows Search is being improved. It could be a really useful feature that actually makes it easier to use your device. 

Given the privacy concerns associated with processing sensitive media files, this feature would likely rely on on-device AI to ensure that all transcriptions and searches are handled locally, rather than being sent to the cloud, making it both more secure and responsive. This means it will likely require a new Copilot+ PC with the necessary hardware such as an NPU. 

I am a little wary of how AI is applied and I hope it’s being meticulously thought out, but otherwise an improved Windows Search is something I’ve seen users asking for - and I hope they get it. 

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Windows 11 has finally done it and managed to overtake Windows 10 when it comes to market share with PC gamers.

As you might have guessed, this is the Steam Hardware Survey which is conducted every month and is a snapshot of the configurations of the various gaming PCs used on Valve’s platform.

The figures for August 2024 show that Windows 11 has gained 3.36% of Steam users, so now it has a total of 49.17%.

Windows 10 dropped by a proportionate amount, dipping by 3.07% to finish on 47.09% for the month – so there are now over 2% more gamers on Windows 11, than on its predecessor.

Other Windows versions are basically negligible on Steam, with Windows 7 being the only OS worth mentioning, but even that only has 0.37% adoption. Outside of Windows, Linux holds a 1.92% share of gamers, and macOS accounts for 1.3%.

Windows 11 represented 46.63% of gamers on Steam in June, and 47.45% in July, and was increasing in jumps of a percentage point, or half a percent or so, in recent times – so this is a pretty big growth spurt for August.

Analysis: Sudden surge

We weren’t expecting Windows 11 to outgun Windows 10 quite so quickly, in short. Is there any particular reason for the sudden surge? None that springs to mind, though it could just be that the need to move from Windows 10 is feeling a bit more pressing now there’s not much more than a year left before the older operating system reaches its End of Life (in October 2025).

If you look solely at Windows versions on Steam, Windows 11 now holds just a touch over 50% of that market now.

Sadly for Microsoft, this progress isn’t remotely reflected outside of the world of gaming. For overall users, according to Statcounter, Windows 11 is on 31.6% for August, compared to 64.1% for Windows 10, so the latter still has double the headcount of the former – it’s not even close.

Microsoft will be hoping that overall picture changes radically over the next year, that’s for sure – and AI will be a big part of that drive, wrapped up with Copilot+ PCs which are predicted to do big things in terms of shifting units.

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Windows 11 won’t offer an option to uninstall the divisive Recall feature after all, it seems, when clues in a preview build appeared to suggest it might – at least in some regions, anyway.

Deskmodder, a German tech site, recently flagged up the option in a new preview for Windows 11 24H2, the big update due to land later this year.

This prompted Microsoft’s Brandon LeBlanc, who is Windows senior product manager, to contact The Verge with a statement to clarify: “We are aware of an issue where Recall is incorrectly listed as an option under the ‘Turn Windows features on or off’ dialog in Control Panel. This will be fixed in an upcoming update.”

So, presumably the next build of 24H2 will have this option removed from the Control Panel.

Windows 11’s Recall feature is essentially an AI-powered search that takes regular screenshots of the activity on your PC, and uses them to find things, going way beyond the scope of a typical Windows search (and no, that isn’t difficult, we’d agree).

The trouble is Recall has been making serious waves and causing a whole bunch of concerns to be aired since it was first announced, to the point that Microsoft pulled plans to debut it (in preview) with Copilot+ PCs, and then yanked it from test builds of Windows 11. It is now coming back to testing, mind, in October – so ready your surfboards for more waves of controversy (no doubt).

We should also note that Recall is only for Copilot+ PCs, although down the line, it’s likely a lot more computers will have the requisite NPU (and security) in place to be classified as such a device.

Analysis: The option to remove has been removed

We found it difficult to believe Microsoft would include a choice to completely strip out Recall from Windows 11, when the software giant can simply offer an option to disable it (the scheme previously in place). Removing the entire workings of Recall from a Windows PC would mean it’s more of a hassle to turn it on, should any given user dump it, and then maybe change their mind at a later date – a niche scenario, perhaps, but still, why would Microsoft facilitate such an uninstall option?

It probably wouldn’t, but the company might have to do so in the EU, where data and privacy regulations may push back against Recall harder than in other regions. If this option is a bug, though, does that mean a choice will be present for European users somewhere else – or just that they won’t get Recall? Or might there be no difference for EU users at all? Possibly.

It has to be said that this is a bit of a strange bug, too (not that odd bugs being visited upon Windows is anything hugely new, of course). Whatever’s going on here, some folks were pleased to see the ability to strip out Recall, and now that Microsoft has clarified that this isn’t happening, they’ll probably be less than happy about the functionality even sitting in the background of their PC.

The worry for some is that the feature will eventually end up being turned on in the future – or rather that the concrete presence of Recall, embedded in Windows 11, is an indication of this being the direction Microsoft is heading in at some point, anyway.

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