One of the most contentious new functionalities in Windows is living up to its notoriety for all the incorrect reasons.

Microsoft Recall, an AI-driven tool aimed at continuously capturing screenshots of your PC activities and establishing a searchable archive of your actions, is provoking serious privacy issues. Based on evaluations by [Tom’s Hardware](https://www.tomshardware.com/software/windows/microsoft-recall-screenshots-credit-cards-and-social-security-numbers-even-with-the-sensitive-information-filter-enabled), the tool occasionally fails to filter out confidential information, such as credit card details and Social Security numbers. This implies that such data—whether authentic or placeholder text—can sporadically be included in Recall screenshots, potentially rendering it visible to others.

### SEE ALSO:
[I just demoed Windows 11 Recall: 3 useful features that may surprise you](https://mashable.com/article/windows-recall-demo)

The security threats associated with this are both serious and apparent. Although Recall incorporates a standard filter designed to prevent sensitive data from being recorded, it doesn’t consistently function as intended. For example, credit card numbers are usually filtered out on major e-commerce platforms, but the filter encounters difficulties in other contexts, like PDF forms. This inconsistency exposes users to the risk of unauthorized data exposure.

Recall has rapidly emerged as the most divisive element of Microsoft’s recent venture into artificial intelligence. Security professionals have [labeled it a “disaster”](https://mashable.com/article/microsoft-copilot-recall-cybersecurity-disaster), and its launch was postponed earlier this year before being [reintroduced for testing](https://mashable.com/article/microsoft-recall-copilot-relaunch-october) in October.

If you often engage in online shopping or manage sensitive information on your PC, it may be wise to disable Recall for the time being.