Signal Will Black Out Windows Recall Screenshots to Preserve Privacy

The privacy-minded Signal messaging service is putting a blindfold on the prying eyes of the newly returned Windows Recall, an AI-powered feature from Microsoft that takes a screenshot of whatever you’re doing on your computer every few seconds to give your PC the “photographic memory” you never asked for.

In a blog post Wednesday, Signal announced a new “screen security” feature for its Windows 11 app so that said screenshots will appear as a black screen when it tries to snap what you’re doing, much like what happens if you try to take a screenshot of digital rights management content from Netflix and the like.

Last year, Microsoft pulled Recall from new Copilot Plus PCs in response to backlash over security and privacy concerns, which continued to plague it in the ensuing months as Microsoft worked through revisions. Neither Signal nor Microsoft responded to a request for comment on the matter.