Using timeline
Note: Cross-device syncing of Microsoft Entra user activity history will stop starting in January 2024. Microsoft will stop storing this data in the cloud, aligning with the previous change for Microsoft accounts (MSA) in 2021. The timeline user experience was retired in Windows 11, although it remains in Windows 10. The timeline user experience and all your local activity history still remains on Windows 10 devices. Users can access web history using their browser and access recent files through OneDrive and Office.
It's easy to forget what we were working on, especially when it was days or weeks ago. Timeline helps you jump back into something you were doing – like working on a document or browsing a website.
Timeline is a Windows 10 feature that enhances Task View to show you currently running apps and past activities. By default, timeline shows you snapshots of the things you were working on from earlier in the day or a specific past date. An annotated scrollbar lets you know where you are in your timeline, and if you’d rather not scroll, you can search for the item or activity you’d like to pick back up.
To get started with timeline, select Task View on the taskbar, or press Windows logo key + Tab, and select an activity.
There are several things you can do to control what timeline shows:
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In the Settings app on your Windows device, select Privacy > Activity history, and then turn off the accounts you don’t want to show in your timeline under Show activities from accounts
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To remove an activity from timeline, right-click an activity card and select Remove. You can clear all items from an entire day by right-clicking an activity card and selecting Clear all from Earlier Today (or for whatever time you’re viewing)
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To clear all activities from timeline, select Clear activity history
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To clear timeline activities saved to the cloud, select Manage my Microsoft Account activity data
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To prevent web-browsing activities from showing up, select the More icon in Microsoft Edge, and then select New InPrivate window
Microsoft helps you stay in control of your privacy and takes data protection seriously.
For more info, see Windows 10 activity history and your privacy.
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In the Settings app on your Windows device, select Privacy > Activity history, then clear the check box next to Show my activity history on this device and Send my activity history to Microsoft
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Scroll down to Show activities from accounts and make sure the toggle(s) is set to Off
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Scroll down to Clear activity history and select Clear
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If you sign in with a Microsoft account, select Manage my Microsoft Account activity data to clear your information saved to the cloud
Troubleshooting timeline
Make sure that the Task View isn't turned off. To check:
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Right-click a blank spot on the taskbar
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Select the Show Task View button
It could be because the app that you used to create an activity – let’s say, Microsoft Word – isn’t installed on the device you’re currently using to view timeline. Also, documents can’t be opened if they were moved, deleted, or stored on a different device than the one you’re currently using.
