Introduction

Microsoft's recent update to Windows 11 introduces a suite of AI-driven features designed to enhance user productivity and creativity. Among these, Recall and Click to Do stand out as transformative tools that redefine how users interact with their PCs. This article delves into these features, providing context, technical details, and discussing their implications.

Recall: Your Digital Memory

Recall is an AI-powered feature that captures snapshots of your active screen at regular intervals, creating an explorable timeline of your past activities. This allows users to search and retrieve content they've previously viewed, even if they don't remember where they saw it.

How Recall Works

  • Snapshot Capture: Recall takes frequent screenshots of your active window, storing them locally on your device.
  • Local Storage and Encryption: These snapshots are encrypted and stored locally, ensuring privacy and security.
  • Search and Retrieval: Users can search for content using natural language, and Recall retrieves relevant snapshots, allowing them to jump back into the content seamlessly.

Privacy and Security Considerations

Microsoft has implemented several measures to address privacy concerns:

  • Opt-In Feature: Recall is disabled by default; users must enable it manually.
  • Data Control: Users can manage their snapshots, including deleting them or excluding specific apps or websites from being recorded.
  • Local Processing: All data processing occurs locally; no data is uploaded to the cloud.

Click to Do: Contextual Actions at Your Fingertips

Click to Do is an AI-enhanced feature designed to simplify workflows by providing contextual action suggestions based on the content displayed on your screen.

Key Features

  • Text Actions:
    • Copy: Copies selected text to the clipboard.
    • Open with: Opens the selected text in a text editor like Notepad.
    • Search the web: Performs a web search using your default browser.
    • Send email: Opens your default email app to compose a new email to the selected address.
    • Open website: Opens the selected URL in your default browser.
  • Image Actions:
    • Copy: Copies the image to the clipboard.
    • Save as: Saves the image to a specified location.
    • Share: Opens the share options for the image file.
    • Open with: Opens the image with apps like Photos, Snipping Tool, or Paint.
    • Visual search with Bing: Performs a visual search using Bing.
    • Blur background with Photos: Blurs the background using the Photos app.
    • Erase objects with Photos: Removes unwanted objects in the image using the Photos app.
    • Remove background with Paint: Removes the background of the image using Paint.

How to Use Click to Do

  • Activation: Click to Do is active automatically as you browse through your snapshots in Recall. You can also activate it by pressing the Windows key and clicking your mouse.
  • Cursor Indication: When active, your cursor changes to a blue and white color, indicating that Click to Do is ready to assist.
  • Contextual Actions: Depending on the content beneath the cursor, Click to Do suggests relevant actions, streamlining your workflow.

Technical Details and System Requirements

These AI features leverage the Windows Copilot Runtime, which provides over 40 AI models running concurrently to detect text, images, videos, audio, and more. To utilize Recall and Click to Do, your system must meet the following requirements:

  • Processor: ARM or x86 CPU with a Neural Processing Unit (NPU) capable of 40 or more TOPS.
  • Memory: 16GB or more.
  • Storage: 256GB or more of SSD.
  • Security: Trusted Platform Module (TPM) 2.0.

These features are currently exclusive to Copilot+ PCs, ensuring optimal performance and integration.

Implications and Impact

The introduction of Recall and Click to Do signifies a significant shift in personal computing, emphasizing:

  • Enhanced Productivity: By allowing users to quickly retrieve past activities and perform contextual actions, these features reduce time spent searching for information and streamline workflows.
  • Privacy-Centric AI: Microsoft's approach of local processing and storage addresses common privacy concerns associated with AI features, fostering user trust.
  • Hardware Evolution: The reliance on NPUs and advanced hardware specifications highlights the industry's move towards more AI-capable devices, setting a new standard for future PCs.

Conclusion

Windows 11's new AI features, Recall and Click to Do, offer users powerful tools to enhance productivity and creativity. By integrating these capabilities directly into the operating system, Microsoft is paving the way for a more intuitive and efficient computing experience. As these features continue to evolve, they promise to redefine our interaction with technology, making our digital lives more seamless and responsive.

For more detailed information and support, refer to Microsoft's official documentation on Retrace your steps with Recall and Click to Do in Recall: do more with what’s on your screen.