How to Adjust the Maximum Storage Duration for Recall Snapshots in Windows 11

Microsoft Recall is an AI-powered feature introduced in Windows 11 on Copilot + PCs that captures periodic snapshots of screen activities, allowing you to revisit your past interactions when needed. While this feature helps in productivity, one thing to consider is that it also consumes local disk space over time.

Many users are, therefore, concerned about storage and privacy. It’s a good thing Windows allows users to set a retention period for these snapshots. This guide explains how to configure the maximum Recall storage duration in Windows 11 using three different methods.

📌 Recommended deployment strategies:

Click to Choose a Method	💻 Best for Individual Users	💻💻💻 Best for Enterprises
Method 1: Configure via Settings	✓
Method 2: Configure via Group Policy Editor		✓
Method 3: Configure via Registry Editor	✓	✓

How to adjust the maximum Recall storage duration

Make sure you’re using a Windows 11 device before proceeding with any of the methods below.

Method 1: Configure via Settings

This method is ideal for users who prefer a user-friendly, visual approach. It requires no administrative access.

📌 Use Cases: Suitable for a non-admin user who wants personal customization.

1. Press Win + I to open the Settings app.
2. Navigate to Privacy & security > Recall & snapshots.
3. Click Storage to expand the section.
4. Under Maximum storage duration for snapshots, click the drop-down menu.
5. Select your preferred duration from the list of options:
   • 30 days
   • 60 days
   • 90 days
   • 180 days
   • Unlimited
6. Click OK if prompted by Windows Security.
7. Close the Settings window to finish.

Method 2: Configure via Group Policy Editor

This method is ideal when managing multiple devices in business or school environments. It allows for centralized policy enforcement.

📌 Use Cases: Use this if you’re an IT admin configuring settings for multiple devices.

📌 Prerequisites:

• Only applicable to Windows 11 Pro, Enterprise, and Education editions.
• You must be signed in as an administrator.

1. Press Win + R to open the Run dialog box.
2. Type gpedit.msc and click Enter to launch the Group Policy Editor.
3. Navigate to one of the following paths:

• • For all users:

Computer Configuration > Administrative Templates > Windows Components > Windows AI

• • For specific users:

User Configuration > Administrative Templates > Windows Components > Windows AI

4. In the right pane, double-click Set maximum duration for storing snapshots used by Recall.
5. Select Enabled.
6. Under Options, choose your desired duration from the drop-down menu:
   • 30 days
   • 60 days
   • 90 days
   • 180 days
   • Let the OS decide the maximum amount of time the snapshots will be saved.
7. Click Apply, then OK.
8. Close the Group Policy Editor.

Method 3: Configure via Registry Editor

This method provides direct access to Recall’s storage retention setting for systems that lack Group Policy Editor (e.g., Home edition).

📌 Use Cases: This is for power users or IT admins who want manual control over settings without policy tools.

📌 Prerequisites: You must be signed in as an administrator.

⚠️ Warning: Editing the registry can cause system issues. Create a backup before proceeding.

1. Press Win + R to open the Run dialog box.
2. Type regedit and click Enter to launch the Registry Editor.
3. Navigate to:

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Policies\Microsoft\Windows\WindowsAI

💡 If WindowsAI doesn’t exist:

• • Right-click Windows, select New > Key, and name it WindowsAI.

4. Inside the WindowsAI key, right-click the right pane, select New > DWORD (32-bit) Value.
5. Name it SnapshotMaxDurationDays.
6. Double-click SnapshotMaxDurationDays and set its value data to one of the following in decimal:
   • 30
   • 60
   • 90
   • 180
   • 0 (for unlimited)
7. Click OK to save the changes.
8. Close the Registry Editor.
9. Restart your PC to apply the changes.

⚠️ Things to look out for

Risks	Potential Consequences	Reversals
1. Selecting Unlimited duration in Settings without checking disk space	Recall may gradually consume excessive disk space, leading to performance issues or low storage warnings.	Check available disk space before enabling Unlimited, or select a time-based option such as 30 or 60 days.
2. Misconfiguring Group Policy across user groups or not syncing policies properly	This may cause inconsistent settings across devices or prevent Recall from following the intended retention limits.	Open gpedit.msc, confirm settings under Windows Components > Windows AI, and run gpupdate /force to reapply policies.
3. Editing the Registry without admin rights or proper permissions	Changes will not take effect, and Recall will revert to default behavior.	Sign in with administrative privileges, double-check the Registry path, and reapply the DWORD value.
4. Entering incorrect or unsupported values in the registry	Recall ignores the retention limit or behaves inconsistently.	Open Registry Editor, delete or correct the SnapshotMaxDurationDays value, then restart your device.

Additional considerations

Discover a few more key points when configuring Windows Recall snapshots:

Privacy and storage

The main goal of the maximum storage duration is to ensure older snapshots get automatically deleted once they exceed the retention period set. This helps you easily conserve disk space and maintain privacy by not holding the snapshots for long.

Default behavior

If you don’t set a specific duration, Recall will continue to store snapshots until it reaches the maximum storage capacity. Once full, it deletes the oldest snapshots to make room for new ones.

Storage cap

System administrators or advanced users can also define a maximum storage size for Recall, regardless of the duration. This provides an additional layer of control, useful on shared or work-managed devices where disk usage needs to be tightly managed.

Configure the Recall data storage duration to stay in control of your data

Administrators and power users can efficiently manage disk space and maintain privacy standards by controlling the maximum storage duration for Recall snapshots.

The Settings app provides the most user-friendly interface for individual users. Meanwhile, the Group Policy Editor is a great tool for IT administrators who manage multiple devices to enforce consistent retention policies. On systems where the Group Policy Editor is unavailable, the Registry Editor is a reliable alternative.

Related topics:

• How to Delete Recall Snapshots in Windows 11
• How to Enable or Disable Recall Snapshots in Windows 11
• How to Turn On or Off Recall’s Click to Do feature in Windows 11