Microsoft has come up with a new feature for Windows 10. Timeline feature is an improvement of task view. Task View shows the history of activities you have been undertaking in your computer. Timeline shows the activities you are undertaking and can help you access those tasks days later when needed. It can help access activities you were undertaking thirty days ago. In addition, it enables you to access previous tasks on different windows 10 devices including iOS and Android. It enables retrieval of files and the web pages visited in Edge browser only. It is mostly advantageous if you have various Windows 10 devices.
It is mostly beneficial as it helps you to resume tasks from a different device especially if the former device is not accessible. With Cortana app, you can continue any task from a variety of Windows 10 devices. By just using another Windows 10 device, which you are signed in; you can resume all the activities you had started. Timeline is a form of file backup that does not require an external storage. It has improved convenience and productivity by a high degree by following up each of your activities on your PC.
How to access windows 10’s timeline
First, you should ensure you have the latest version of Windows 10 with the timeline feature.
If you already have it you can skip to the next step but if not, go to settings, then under updates and security, click on check for updates button under windows updates. Follow the instructions to install the latest version.
Secondly, click on the task view icon right of the Cortana search box on the task bar. You can also press Windows with tab on your keyboard.
The timeline screen shows your activities from the most recent under “earlier today”. You can scroll down by use of a scroll bar at the side and get to see the previous activities you were involved in. These include activities such as web pages visited using Microsoft Edge, files opened for example in Microsoft word, and spreadsheets. It also includes images, videos and music files here.
To resume an activity, you simply click on it since the activities display in tabs or snapshots. It is also possible to remove some of the activities. This is by long pressing or right clicking on the activity then select remove. Alternatively, you can delete the activities from a certain time.
How to synchronize timeline activities in different PCs
With the latest version of windows, the timeline is by default on but it does not synchronize activities to the cloud unless enabled to. Without synchronizing to the cloud, the windows devices cannot be able to view activities on other PCs timelines.
It is not necessary however to synchronize activities for all the PCs to the cloud. You can synchronize only one PC and it will be the only device able to view the other PCs activities. You could, for instance, sync your laptop and not your desktop. Your laptop will hence be able to sync activities in your desktop but your desktop will not be able to sync activities in your laptop.
To be able to synchronize activities successfully, scroll to the bottom of the timeline and click on turn on button under see more days. Alternatively, you can go to the settings app and click on privacy. Under privacy go to activity history and enable let my Windows sync activities from this PC to cloud option.
How to stop synchronizing timeline activities to the cloud
If you do not like the idea of synchronizing of timeline activities to the cloud, there is an option that enables you to stop the synchronizing of activities to the cloud. However, with this option you will only be able to retrieve your activities only within the last four days and not the previous thirty days. Moreover, you will not be able to sync across devices hence you will not resume activities on different windows 10 devices.
To disable syncing, go to the settings app and click on privacy option. After that click on activity history then uncheck the let windows sync my activities from thisPC to the cloud. With these steps, you will have successfully disabled the syncing of timeline activities.
Despite the fact that timeline feature is very beneficial in enabling continuity, it might be disadvantageous where it tracks activities that you would prefer to keep private. Just as in web browsing history, where you clear some or all the history for privacy purposes the may be a necessity here. You can hence disable your timeline if you do require privacy.
How to disable Windows 10’s timeline
Go to settings then click on privacy.
Under privacy, go to activity history.
Disable the option, filter activities from accounts.
After that disable the option, let windows collect my activities.
How to clear activity history in Windows 10’s timeline
Go to the settings app and click on privacy.
Under Privacy, go to activity history.
On the right side of the window, click on the clear button under clear activity history.
You will see a confirmation box. Click OK to clear all history.
A tick will appear beside the clear button for assurance that the history is cleared.
Other than the disadvantage of invasion of privacy that may be due to unauthorized persons accessing your PC and meddling with your history, timeline feature has improved productivity hence more advantageous.
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