Microsoft releases KB5055627 update to start the rollout of Recall to Windows 11
Ahead of next month’s Patch Tuesday release, Microsoft has released a preview, non-security update for Windows 11. The KB5055627 update is an interesting one, largely because it sees the launch of a preview version of the controversial Recall feature.
But there is more to this update than the feature that sparked so many privacy concerns. While there are changes and fixes for all Windows 11 PCs, the vast majority of the KB5055627 update -- or at least the most exciting elements of it -- are for Copilot+ PCs only. This is the start of a two-tier Windows 11 user experience.
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The elements of the KB5055627 update, which are rolling out on a normal schedule, are all fixes. There are a lot of patches for well-publicized issues in this update, which includes blue screen errors, Windows Hello problems, and several others.
The Copilot+ PC focused changes and additions are subject to a gradual rollout, and in some cases this is due to different approaches in different parts of the world. Recall is a good example, with the European Economic Area gaining access later than others. In case anyone had forgotten about Recall, or had somehow managed to remain oblivious to it, Microsoft offers up the following reminder of its purpose:
You work across so many apps, sites, and documents it can be hard to remember where you saw something you want to get back to. Recall (preview) saves you time by offering an entirely new way to search for things you’ve seen or done on your PC securely. With the AI capabilities of Copilot+ PCs, it’s now possible to quickly find and get back to any app, website, image, or document just by describing its content. To use Recall, you will need to opt-in to save snapshots, which are images of your activity, and enroll in Windows Hello to confirm your presence so only you can access your snapshots. You are always in control of what snapshots are saved and can pause saving snapshots at any time. As you use your Copilot+ PC throughout the day working on documents or presentations, taking video calls, and context switching across activities, Recall will take regular snapshots and help you find things faster and easier. When you need to find or get back to something you’ve done previously, open Recall and authenticate with Windows Hello. When you’ve found what you were looking for, you can reopen the application, website, or document, or use Click to Do to act on any image or text in the snapshot you found.
Other changes and additions include massively enhanced Windows Search -- again a Copilot+ PC exclusive.
In terms of what everyone has access to, there’s the following highlights:
- [Narrator] New!Keep track of what Narrator has spoken and access it for quick reference. With speech recap, you can quickly access spoken content, follow along with live transcription, and copy what Narrator last said -- all with simple keyboard shortcuts.
- [Phone Link]New!You can do even more with your Windows PC and your mobile device with direct access to cross-device features from the Start menu. For example, you can make phone calls, send SMS messages, access your photos, or share content between your mobile device and PC.
- New! Web developers can use their existing content to create interactive widgets that can be added to multiple widgets surfaces.
- New! There are some new updates to the new Widgets on Lock experience for devices in the European Economic Area (EEA). In addition to accessibility and craftsmanship improvements, the Lock screen weather widget now supports customization. To configure your weather widget, go to Settings > Personalization > Lock screen and select the “Customize widget” option from the weather widget more options menu. More widgets will be customizable in the future.
- New! Pivot-based curated views on File Explorer Home that supports ease of access of Microsoft 365 content on Windows. Be more productive and get highly relevant content at your fingertips on File Explorer Home.
More details are available here.
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