Timeline isn’t leaving Windows 10, but a big feature from it is getting axed for normal people.
What you need to know
- Microsoft clarified that the Timeline feature for Windows 10 isn’t going away.
- It is, however, losing the ability to sync activity across devices when using a Microsoft account.
- AAD-connected accounts will continue to be able to sync activity across devices.
When Microsoft announced Windows 10 build 21359 for Dev channel Insiders, one change started making the headlines. Starting with that build, the Windows 10 Timeline feature stopped having the ability to sync activity across devices when using a Microsoft account. This led many to believe that the timeline feature is on the way out. That doesn’t exactly appear to be the case, though some major functionality of the feature is going away.
Microsoft has since included bolded text in its blog post to clarify what’s going on with the Timeline feature (emphasis by Microsoft):
If you have your activity history synced across your devices through your Microsoft account (MSA), you will no longer have the option to upload new activity in Timeline. AAD-connected accounts won’t be impacted. To view web history, Edge and other browsers have the option to look back at recent web activities. You can also view recently used files using OneDrive and Office. Note: Timeline and all your local activity history still remain on Windows 10.
If you’re using a Microsoft account, you’ll no longer be able to sync activity across devices. This could greatly hinder the effectiveness of the feature for people who want a shared timeline of activity between multiple PCs. AAD-connected (Azure Active Directory-connected) accounts won’t see any change.
To replace some of the functionality of the Timeline feature, Microsoft points people to the ability to view recent activity in OneDrive, Office, and Edge. These aren’t exactly the same, but they do allow you to locate and jump back into previous activity.