With the evolution of productivity tools, Microsoft has introduced “Recall,” a cutting-edge feature in Windows 11 designed to capture and index your past on-screen activities for quick retrieval. Imagine having a photographic memory for your digital interactions—Recall enables just that. Whether you’re looking for a past document, a visited webpage, or a conversation, this AI-powered tool can help you retrieve it instantly.

If you’re also using MS Windows 11 Pro + MS Office 2021 Pro Plus, the combination enhances productivity by integrating recall data seamlessly with Office apps like Word, Excel, and PowerPoint.

In this comprehensive guide, we will explore what Recall is, how to unlock and use it effectively, and how to export the retrieved snapshots into Microsoft Office 2021 documents.

1. What is Windows 11 Recall?

Recall is a feature introduced with select AI-capable Windows 11 devices that allows the system to take snapshots of your activity at regular intervals. These snapshots are stored securely on your device and indexed using AI for fast search and recall.

Key Highlights:

  • Records screenshots periodically while you work. 
  • Indexes them with AI to understand content contextually. 
  • Allows timeline browsing to revisit past moments. 
  • Fully stored and encrypted on your local system. 

It is essentially a “time machine” for your PC, making it easier to go back to previous sessions, extract relevant data, and move forward without missing a beat.

2. Prerequisites to Use Recall

Before you can use Recall, you need to ensure your device and software meet the following criteria:

  • Operating System: Windows 11 24H2 or higher 
  • Device Requirements: 
    • Snapdragon X Elite/Plus processor 
    • 256 GB SSD minimum 
    • At least 16 GB RAM 
  • AI Capabilities: NPU (Neural Processing Unit) support is essential 
  • Microsoft Account: Required to sync and unlock some features 
  • Software: Ensure you have Ms Windows 11 Pro + Ms Office 2021 Pro Plus installed and activated. 

This AI-focused feature is only available on Copilot+ PCs, so if your hardware isn’t compatible, Recall won’t be available to you.

3. How to Unlock Windows 11 Recall

If your device meets the hardware and software requirements, Recall is usually enabled by default, but in case it’s not, follow these steps:

Step 1: Enable Recall from Settings

  1. Go to Settings > Privacy & Security. 
  2. Click on Recall & Snapshots. 
  3. Toggle the switch to Enable Recall. 
  4. Configure the storage space for snapshots and retention time. 

Step 2: Check Permissions

Make sure you have administrative rights on the device to enable Recall. If you are part of a corporate network, your IT admin might control this feature.

Step 3: Optional – Configure Recall Frequency

You can also set:

  • Interval for taking snapshots (every 5 sec to every 1 min) 
  • Apps and folders to exclude 
  • Auto-deletion period for older snapshots 

4. Navigating and Retrieving Snapshots

After enabling Recall, you’ll see a new app or UI element allowing you to navigate through your snapshot timeline.

Using the Timeline Interface:

  1. Open the Recall App from the Start Menu. 
  2. Use the timeline scrollbar to move to the desired date/time. 
  3. You can also search by keyword, topic, or window title. 

Viewing Snapshots:

Each entry shows a thumbnail of the screen at that time, plus metadata like the app name, window title, and content tags.

Filtering Options:

  • Application filters 
  • Date range 
  • Contextual search (like “Excel budget sheet from last week”) 

5. Exporting Recall Snapshots to Office 2021

This is where the integration with Ms Windows 11 Pro + Ms Office 2021 Pro Plus becomes powerful.

Step-by-Step Guide:

A. Copying Text or Images to Word

  1. Open a snapshot in Recall. 
  2. Use the “Select Text” or “Copy Image” feature. 
  3. Launch Microsoft Word 2021. 
  4. Paste the content directly into your document. 

B. Export Entire Snapshot as Document

  1. Right-click on a snapshot. 
  2. Select Export to Office. 
  3. Choose between Word, PowerPoint, or Excel depending on content type. 
  4. The exported file will open in the selected Office app. 

C. Drag-and-Drop to Office

  • Recall supports drag-and-drop: Simply drag snapshots or content into an open Office document window. 

D. Insert as Screenshot or Annotation

  • In Word or OneNote 2021, use Insert > Pictures > From Clipboard after copying a snapshot. 

6. Use Cases for Professionals

Recall and Office 2021 integration opens up productivity avenues for:

Business Analysts

  • Track previous Excel sheets and export snapshots for financial reporting. 

Writers & Editors

  • Recover drafts, notes, or source materials with Recall and consolidate them in Word. 

Educators

  • Save and reuse teaching slides from previous sessions via Recall-to-PowerPoint export. 

Designers

  • Retrieve past visual references or software states and drop them into a project brief. 

7. Managing Privacy and Security

Local Data Only

  • All snapshots are stored locally, not on the cloud. 

Encrypted Storage

  • Files are protected using Windows Hello or BitLocker encryption. 

Exclusion Options

You can prevent Recall from capturing sensitive apps:

  • Go to Settings > Recall > Exclusions 
  • Add apps like Banking, Password Managers, Private Browsers 

Pause and Delete

You can:

  • Temporarily pause Recall 
  • Delete specific snapshots 
  • Wipe all saved data 

8. Tips for Maximizing Productivity

  • Use Natural Search Terms: The AI understands queries like “email with attachment from last Tuesday.” 
  • Customize Storage Quotas: Allocate enough disk space for longer recall history. 
  • Enable Notifications: Get prompted when high-priority moments are captured. 
  • Combine with Timeline/Clipboard History: For a comprehensive memory map. 
  • Frequent Exports: Export useful data weekly to Office files for record-keeping. 

FAQs

Q1. Can I use Recall on any Windows 11 device?
 No, Recall is only available on Copilot+ PCs with specific hardware like Snapdragon X Elite and minimum system specs.

Q2. Does Recall store my data online or share it with Microsoft?
 No, all data is stored locally and encrypted. Nothing is uploaded unless you manually back it up.

Q3. Can I disable Recall completely if I find it intrusive?
 Yes, Recall can be fully disabled from the system settings, and all snapshots can be deleted permanently.

Q4. What file formats does the export support?
 Snapshots can be exported to .docx, .pptx, and .xlsx formats when integrated with Microsoft Office 2021.

Q5. Is there a way to automate snapshot export to Office weekly?
 Not yet natively, but users can use task schedulers or third-party automation tools to script this behavior.