Microsoft's privacy invasion attempt thwarted: Brave browser denies Microsoft Recall access
Microsoft's Recall feature, introduced in May 2024 for Copilot+ Windows PCs, captures repeated screenshots of the user's screen to enable local image recognition and natural language search of past screen activity. However, concerns about user privacy have been raised, as this functionality creates a persistent visual record of everything shown on the screen, including sensitive and temporary information.
Privacy Concerns and Criticism
Critics have highlighted the risks associated with Recall, particularly in terms of cybersecurity. The persistent storage of screenshots makes Recall a potential target for cybercriminal attacks that could expose extensive personal and professional data. Additionally, in domestic abuse or stalking contexts, detailed activity logs could be exploited by intimate partners for surveillance.
Initially, Recall was opt-out and faced heavy criticism for its privacy implications. In response, Microsoft delayed and redesigned the feature, moving Recall to an opt-in basis with added local security protections and integrations such as Windows Hello Enhanced Sign-in Security (ESS).
Microsoft's Updates and Mitigations
Microsoft shifted Recall from opt-out to opt-in, enhancing local data protections and providing APIs to allow software to opt out from being screenshotted. Recall is now available as a preview on Windows Insider builds for Windows 11 Copilot+ PCs, with improvements aimed at better security and user control.
Brave Browser's Response
In response to these privacy concerns, Brave browser version 1.81 (July 2025) blocks Microsoft Recall from capturing screenshots of browsing activity by default. Brave treats all browser tabs as private, instructing the OS not to allow Recall to capture them, extending Microsoft's exclusion of private browsing windows to all Brave browsing sessions.
Brave Software's Vice President of privacy and security, Shivan Kaul Sahib, believes disabling Recall in all Brave tabs is necessary to protect user browsing history. This action is part of Brave’s broader privacy-centered approach, including ad blocking, tracker protection, and minimizing user data profiling.
Other Developments
Signal, a secure messaging app, also instituted a Recall block in May. Signal Desktop for Windows 11 includes a default Screen Security setting that blocks screenshots for privacy reasons. Unlike Signal, Brave only blocks browser screenshots initiated by Recall, while Signal disables all screenshots, including those taken by accessibility software.
Microsoft has introduced Copilot Vision, an opt-in extension of Recall that streams captured screenshots back to Microsoft's servers. However, Brave has no current plans regarding Copilot Vision but is looking into it. Joshua Lund, a Signal developer, has expressed concerns about AI agents with pervasive permissions, questionable security hygiene, and a data-hungry nature potentially breaking the barrier between applications and operating systems.
In summary, while Microsoft has made significant changes to improve privacy and security in its Recall feature, substantial concerns remain about the implications of persistent screen capturing. Brave's proactive approach in blocking Recall from capturing its browser windows by default serves as a stronger privacy safeguard for its users.
Critics have raised concerns about the cybersecurity risks associated with the persistent storage of screenshots in Microsoft's Recall feature, citing potential cyber-attacks that could expose extensive personal and professional data. Brave Software's response to this issue was to block Recall from capturing screenshots of browsing activity in their browser version 1.81, treating all tabs as private and instructing the OS not to allow Recall to capture them. Joshua Lund, a Signal developer, has expressed concerns about AI agents, like Copilot Vision, which stream captured screenshots back to servers, questioning their security hygiene and data-hungry nature.
