Microsoft is now testing its Recall photographic memory search feature, but it's not yet flawless.

• Microsoft has begun allowing individuals to test Recall, a photographic memory search feature for the latest Copilot+ PCs, after postponing its release for several months.
• With Copilot+ PCs equipped with Qualcomm artificial intelligence chips, Recall captures screenshots of your computer's activity to help you search for previously seen words and images.
• After receiving criticism about certain aspects of the original design, Microsoft made efforts to enhance the security of the feature. However, despite early testing, it is not yet flawless.

On Friday, Copilot+ PCs began testing Recall, their so-called photographic memory search feature. However, an initial evaluation revealed that it does not work perfectly.

Microsoft initially announced Recall as a standout feature that would only be accessible on advanced Copilot+ PCs running Windows 11, including the latest Surface Pro. Executives stated that Recall would employ artificial intelligence to capture screenshots of your computer screen as you use it, allowing you to search for keywords in previously viewed images.

Microsoft revamped Recall after receiving criticism from cybersecurity experts regarding its potential risks. The company encrypted Recall's database and made the feature optional by default. Microsoft announced in August that Recall would be tested by testers in October.

Copilot+ users with Snapdragon chips and neural processing units can download and install a build with Recall, but PCs with or chips are not eligible yet. To be eligible, PCs must be enrolled in the dev channel of the Windows Insider Program.

Microsoft releases pre-release software to allow early adopters to test features and fix any issues before they are made available to the public. However, Recall, an accessibility program, may not work with some websites, and if you specify that it should not save content from a particular website, it may still be captured while using the built-in Edge browser, as stated in a blog post.

Those aren't the only issues. Here are more problems I noticed:

• Although you may assume that Recall will capture every action you view immediately once activated, it can take several minutes to take photos, resulting in gaps in the timeline.
• Although I can prevent screenshots from being made when accessing certain apps, some apps installed on my Surface Pro are not included in the list.
• The search results may not be accurate or complete when you enter a search string to find words. For instance, when I searched for "Yankees" in Recall, only one of the two screen images that contained the word appeared as a text match. Similarly, when I searched for my last name, Recall produced only two text matches out of the eight images that contained it.
• I took a screenshot while browsing BlueSky's social network and found a photo of a New York street scene with a stoplight, smokestack, and street signs. Despite typing in each of those terms into the search box, Recall did not provide any results. However, when I searched for "one way," Recall displayed the screenshot.
• While the search function is quick, scrolling through images in Recall can be slow. It may take a few seconds for screenshots to load as you swipe between them.

Microsoft did not immediately provide a comment for this article.

Although there were initial difficulties, Recall can be valuable and engaging when it produces positive outcomes. Additionally, clicking the button beneath the image will transport you back to the app or web link you were accessing at the time of the screenshot.

Microsoft is planning to launch its Windows Recall AI search feature for testing in October.