Windows Recall in the tax office: Benefits, risks, RDP special cases – and where the journey is headed

Windows Recall is one of the most controversial, yet technologically exciting, features of the Copilot+ PC generation. The service creates snapshots of the screen at short intervals, analyzes them locally using AI (OCR/computer vision), and makes your work searchable both chronologically and semantically. This can accelerate searches, reconstructive processes, and prepare consultations in everyday law firm life—but it also raises the issue of GDPR and Section 203 of the German Criminal Code (StGB) .

What Recall really does – beyond the headlines

Recall runs on-device on supported Copilot+ PCs, takes periodic screenshots, and converts them into searchable representations using OCR and computer vision . The content is locally encrypted (TPM-bound keys, unlocked via Windows Hello ESS), is semantically discoverable, and can be controlled via retention and storage boundaries. Microsoft positions Recall as opt-in : Users can enable, pause, limit, and remove the feature; administrators receive policies for controlled configurations within the enterprise. See Recall Overview , Privacy & Control , and Security Architecture .

Important for practice: There are filters to exclude apps/websites, as well as built-in mechanisms for suppressing sensitive information. However, this is not a mathematical proof of completeness. Microsoft describes the setup and limitations in Filtering apps, websites and sensitive information .

The appeal of everyday office life: context instead of search frustration

Tax firms lose time every day trying to reconstruct context: Where was that profit and loss statement chart located, which comment paragraph was crucial, which tab contained the VAT-related peculiarity? Recall addresses precisely this friction. Semantic search focuses on meaning rather than mere keywords. Someone who marked anomalies in Excel yesterday can now jump to the relevant work state with a single sentence ("show the personnel costs chart for client X") – including the environment in which the decision was made. This improves research, traceability, and the preparation of meetings, provided the function is embedded in the workstations in a legally compliant manner .

RDP, Azure Virtual Desktop & Co.: When Recall actually “sees nothing”

The critical point in law firms is remote work via terminal servers/AVD. Microsoft explicitly documents that Recall does not save snapshots when using supported remote desktop clients with Screen Capture Protection (including mstsc.exe , VMConnect, Azure Virtual Desktop MSI, and RAIL windows). This very protection feature blocks remote content on the system side in screen recordings and screen sharing, and thus also in Recall. Details: Filter documentation and AVD Screen Capture Protection .

The consequence: RDP is not "automatically excluded," but only reliably neutralized if the client used supports capture protection, is actively configured, and the law firm enforces it (MDM/Intune/GPO). For third-party clients or unprotected paths, the following applies: manually filter in Recall or disable the feature on the affected workstation. The admin guidelines are described in Manage Recall .

Data protection, professional law & governance: the hard homework

Recall – by its very nature – captures a comprehensive visual work trail. This may seem contradictory in light of data minimization , but it is technically manageable as long as organizational obligations are taken seriously. For tax advisors, confidentiality under Section 203 of the German Criminal Code (StGB) and the GDPR are crucial. Even the additional local data storage creates obligations: purpose limitation, storage limitations, deletion policies, rights and roles, and traceability. Microsoft's on-device security model (TPM-bound keys, Hello protection, process isolation) creates good conditions, but it is not a carte blanche – the responsibility for configuration, disclosure, and monitoring lies with the firm. See Security & Privacy Architecture .

Authorities and the trade press have been critical of Recall; Microsoft has therefore adjusted the preview roadmap and tightened security measures (opt-in, better controls, and a clearer admin narrative). Recall is now available as an optional feature and can be removed again – including the deletion of existing snapshots – see Recall Help .

Where the journey is going: Computer Vision & Copilot Agents

Recall is more than "convenience search." It is the local memory layer for the agent era : In the medium term, copilot functions will not only respond, but act proactively – and to do so, they require reliable context. This is precisely where Recall comes in: It knows which Excel analysis was checked yesterday, which passage was highlighted in the commentary, and which BWA view was discussed in Teams. Recent Windows/IT Pro announcements clearly point to increasing controllability and enterprise suitability ( Windows IT Pro Blog ). At the same time, the web ecosystem is seeing how apps are actively combating unwanted screen recordings (e.g., Signal, Brave, AdGuard) – a trend that will shape the coexistence of privacy protection and AI memory ( The Verge: Signal , The Verge: Brave/AdGuard ).

Recommendations for tax advisors – pragmatic and resilient

Start with clear guidelines and a small pilot. Leave recall disabled by default and define a few, clearly defined workstations where the feature will be tested under controlled conditions. Enforce screen capture protection on terminal servers/AVDs via Intune/GPO and maintain a positive list of supported RDP clients. Set strict retention limits (short retention, automatic deletion) and document training, opt-in, filters, and role permissions. Anchor all of this in a recall policy that consolidates business and technical responsibilities.

At the same time, it's worth looking ahead: Examine how recall context can be embedded in Purview rules, DLP , and Teams/Outlook Copilot in the future. This is where the potential to systematically improve consultations lies: Recall provides the raw, local context , while Copilot agents prepare decisions, structure protocols, and proactively secure deadlines. As long as the administrative bridges aren't seamless, the following applies: " Professionally exclude or professionally secure " – there's no in-between.

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