Microsoft Recall blocked by Brave & AdGuard: What it means for your privacy

Brave browser and AdGuard have moved to block Microsoft's Recall AI tool due to privacy concerns.

Microsoft Recall's dashboard, showing the active "Saving snapshots" feature that raises digital privacy concerns. Image: Microsoft

Microsoft Recall, a controversial AI feature designed to provide a "photographic memory" of your PC activity, is once again at the center of privacy concerns from prominent security entities. Initially released in May 2025 for Copilot+ PCs running Windows 11, this innovative yet contentious tool is now facing blocks from Brave browser and AdGuard. Both companies have taken action to disable this new AI feature on their platforms, citing significant privacy concerns, following a similar block previously implemented by Signal in May.

The Re-emergence of Concern: Brave and AdGuard Join the Fray

The core functionality of Microsoft Recall involves taking frequent snapshots of active screens on your PC. This aims to help users easily retrace their past activities and quickly return to previously accessed content. However, this "snapshotting" capability has raised considerable apprehension across various browsers and privacy tools. After Signal led the way in blocking Recall during its initial public availability, AdGuard and Brave browser have now joined the ranks, preventing the use of the Recall feature within their environments.

Understanding Recall's "Snapshots" and AdGuard's Stance

In a recent blog post, AdGuard explicitly stated, "Microsoft Recall doesn’t quite cut it for us at AdGuard." The company elaborated on its decision, explaining that since Recall operates continuously in the background throughout the day, there's a risk that sensitive information, such as credit card details or other confidential information, could be captured and saved as snapshots by the feature, raising data security alarms. This "unsettling" idea of background screen captures directly contradicts their commitment to user privacy.

Brave's Proactive Block and Security Insights

Brave browser also highlighted similar worries regarding the snapshots taken by Recall every few seconds. Emphasizing user control, Brave has ensured that the Recall feature is disabled by default for their users. In their own blog post, Brave browser acknowledged Microsoft's efforts to address some concerns, particularly regarding the saving of snapshots in local storage within a plain text database, which was previously vulnerable to malware exploitation and other threats. While acknowledging positive changes, Brave noted that the feature remains in preview and subject to wider release. They critically added, "but the initial tone-deaf announcement does not inspire confidence." Inspired by Signal, Brave browser utilizes a similar DRM flag technology to prevent other applications from taking screenshots of their browser windows. However, Brave clarifies that this measure specifically targets Recall, ensuring that other legitimate screen readers and screenshot tools remain functional. This proactive online security measure aligns with Brave's privacy-first browser philosophy.

The Future of Recall and User Privacy

The collective resistance from various platforms underscores the very serious digital privacy concerns associated with the Recall feature introduced by Microsoft. The future trajectory of Microsoft Recall remains uncertain, given the strong opposition from major browsers and privacy tools to enabling this feature. The paramount concern, unequivocally, rests with users like us, who prioritize the security of their screens and the confidentiality of their personal data and credentials, which we certainly do not wish to be shared or saved without explicit consent. This raises a critical question: What strategies will Microsoft employ to safeguard the Recall feature while simultaneously ensuring robust user privacy and data security? Only time will tell how this evolving landscape of AI and online security unfolds.