Copilot Plus PC Recall Settings Missing in Windows 11: Fix

You opened Windows 11 Settings expecting to configure Copilot Plus PC Recall, but the entire Recall section is absent. This problem appears on Copilot Plus PCs where the feature should be available by default. The root cause is typically a missing or disabled Windows feature, a blocked system update, or an incompatible driver that prevents the Recall components from loading. This article explains why the Recall settings disappear and provides step-by-step fixes to restore them.

Why the Copilot Plus PC Recall Settings Section Is Missing

Copilot Plus PC Recall is a feature that captures snapshots of your screen activity and makes them searchable using natural language. Its settings panel lives under Settings > Privacy & security > Recall and snapshots. When the panel is absent, one of three things is wrong.

First, the Recall feature is tied to the Windows Feature Experience Pack, a set of dynamic updates that Microsoft rolls out gradually. If your PC hasn’t received the latest optional update from Windows Update, the Recall components are not installed. Second, the required Windows feature called “Recall” may be turned off in the Windows Features dialog. Third, a corrupted system file — often from a failed update or disk error — can prevent the Recall service from registering its settings page in the Settings app.

On Copilot Plus PCs, Recall is preinstalled but not enabled by default. Microsoft designed it this way to give you control over privacy. If you never saw the initial setup prompt for Recall, the feature may be inactive and hidden from Settings entirely.

Steps to Enable Recall and Restore the Settings Section

The following methods address each root cause. Start with Method 1, which resolves the majority of cases, then proceed to Methods 2 and 3 if the settings remain missing.

Method 1: Install the Latest Optional Updates for Recall

1. Open Windows Update
   Press the Windows key, type Windows Update settings, and press Enter.
2. Check for updates
   Click Check for updates. Install any pending updates, then restart your PC if prompted.
3. Open optional updates
   After restarting, go back to Windows Update settings and click Advanced options. Under Additional options, click Optional updates.
4. Install all driver and feature updates
   In the Optional updates window, expand the Driver updates and Feature updates sections. Select every update listed, especially any labeled “Recall” or “Copilot Plus PC.” Click Download and install.
5. Restart your PC
   After installation completes, restart your PC. Open Settings > Privacy & security > Recall and snapshots. The settings should now appear.

Method 2: Enable Recall in Windows Features

1. Open Windows Features
   Press the Windows key, type Turn Windows features on or off, and press Enter.
2. Locate the Recall feature
   In the Windows Features dialog, scroll down until you see an entry named Recall. If it is not present, skip to Method 3.
3. Enable Recall
   Check the box next to Recall. Click OK.
4. Restart your PC
   Windows will apply the change. Click Restart now when prompted.
5. Verify the settings are present
   After restart, navigate to Settings > Privacy & security > Recall and snapshots. The settings page should be visible.

Method 3: Repair System Files with DISM and SFC

1. Open Command Prompt as Administrator
   Press the Windows key, type cmd. Right-click Command Prompt in the results and select Run as administrator. Click Yes in the User Account Control prompt.
2. Run DISM to repair the system image
   Type the following command and press Enter: DISM /Online /Cleanup-Image /RestoreHealth. Wait for the process to complete. This may take 10 to 20 minutes.
3. Run SFC to restore corrupted files
   After DISM finishes, type sfc /scannow and press Enter. SFC will scan all protected system files and replace any that are corrupted.
4. Restart your PC
   When SFC completes, close Command Prompt and restart your PC.
5. Check for the Recall settings
   Open Settings > Privacy & security > Recall and snapshots. If the settings are still missing, proceed to Method 4.

Method 4: Use Windows Recovery Environment to Run Startup Repair

1. Boot into Windows Recovery Environment
   Press the Power icon in the Start menu, hold the Shift key, and click Restart. Continue holding Shift until the blue recovery screen appears.
2. Open Advanced options
   Click Troubleshoot, then click Advanced options.
3. Run Startup Repair
   Click Startup Repair. Windows will scan for issues that prevent system components from loading. Click Restart when prompted.
4. Verify the fix
   After restart, open Settings > Privacy & security > Recall and snapshots. The settings should now be visible.

If the Recall Settings Are Still Missing After the Main Fix

Recall section is present but grayed out

If you see the Recall and snapshots settings page but all options are grayed out, your PC may not meet the hardware requirements. Recall requires a Copilot Plus PC with a Qualcomm Snapdragon X Series, AMD Ryzen 8000 series, or Intel Core Ultra 200V series processor, plus at least 16 GB of RAM and 256 GB of storage. Go to Settings > System > About and check the Processor and Installed RAM entries. If your hardware falls short, Recall will never enable.

Windows Update error 0x800f0922 when installing optional updates

This error indicates a corrupt update cache. Open Command Prompt as Administrator and run net stop wuauserv followed by net stop bits. Then delete the contents of C:\Windows\SoftwareDistribution\Download. Run net start wuauserv and net start bits, then retry the optional updates in Method 1.

Recall feature is not listed in Windows Features at all

If the Recall entry is absent from the Windows Features dialog, the feature package may be unregistered. Open Command Prompt as Administrator and run dism /online /add-capability /capabilityname:Recall~~~~0.0.1.0. Wait for the operation to succeed, restart, and check Settings again.

Item	Method 1: Optional Updates	Method 2: Windows Features
Purpose	Installs missing Recall components from Microsoft	Activates the preinstalled Recall feature package
Time required	15–30 minutes including downloads and restarts	5–10 minutes
Requires internet	Yes	No
Best for	Recall settings missing after a fresh Windows installation	Recall settings missing after a feature update

After applying one of the methods above, the Copilot Plus PC Recall settings should appear under Settings > Privacy & security > Recall and snapshots. You can then configure snapshot storage, disable Recall for specific apps, or delete saved snapshots. For ongoing maintenance, check Windows Update monthly for optional feature updates — Microsoft may expand Recall functionality in future releases. A final tip: if you use a Microsoft Work or School account, your IT administrator may block Recall via Group Policy. Check Settings > Accounts > Access work or school to verify your account type.