Signal Blocks Recall to Protect Chats on Windows 11

Highlights

Signal now blocks Recall from capturing chats on Windows 11,raising new privacy safeguards—though accessibility concerns remain unresolved.

Encrypted messaging app Signal is taking a stand againstMicrosoft’s controversial Recall feature on Windows 11, which captures screencontent for AI-assisted recall. In its latest update, Signal has enabled screensecurity by default to protect users’ private conversations from being archivedby the system’s “photographic memory.”

This update applies the same DRM technology used to blockscreenshots of Netflix or other protected content. While it effectively shieldsSignal chats from Recall’s snapshots, it may unintentionally impact accessibilitytools, particularly screen readers. Fortunately, Signal has made the settingeasy to disable under Settings > Privacy > Screen Security.

Developer Joshua Lund expressed frustration that it evercame to this workaround. He emphasised that: “Operating system vendors like Microsoft need to ensure thatthe developers of apps like Signal always have the necessary tools and optionsat their disposal to reject granting OS-level AI systems access to anysensitive information within their apps.”

Despite Microsoft delaying Recall’s launch twice, thefeature rolled out last month without an API for developers to excludesensitive content from Recall’s indexing. While Recall might help users locatepast conversations or images using vague descriptions, critics argue it createsserious privacy risks.

Lund also pointed out that while Microsoft excludes privatebrowser windows by default and allows users with Copilot Plus PCs to manuallyexclude apps from Recall, that safeguard only works if users know how toconfigure it.

For now, Signal is relying on available tools to protect itsusers. As Lund stated: “Signal is using the tools that are available to us, even though we recognise that there are many legitimate use cases where someone might need to take a screenshot.”

The privacy-first platform is prioritising user security,even if it means compromising some features along the way.