How to Enable or Disable Timeline in Windows 10
Timeline is now available in Windows 10 starting with build 17063.
It can be difficult to get back to stuff you were working on in the past. You might sometimes forget which site or app you were using or where you saved a file. Now you can finally close apps without worrying—with Timeline, you can get right back to where you left off.
Timeline introduces a new way to resume past activities you started on this PC, other Windows PCs, and iOS/Android devices. Timeline enhances Task View, allowing you to switch between currently running apps and past activities.
In Timeline, a user activity is the combination of a specific app and a specific piece of content you were working on at a specific time. Each activity links right back to a webpage, document, article, playlist, or task, saving you time when you want to resume that activity later.
This tutorial will show you how to enable or disable the Timeline feature in Task View for all accounts on a Windows 10 PC.
You must be signed in as an administrator to enable or disable Timeline.
Disabling Timeline will clear the activity history of all users from the PC.
Timeline requires the Windows Search service to be enabled, running, and set to Automatic (Delayed Start).
CONTENTS:
- Option One: Enable or Disable Timeline in Local Group Policy Editor
- Option Two: Enable or Disable Timeline using a REG file
EXAMPLE: Timeline enabled and disabled
OPTION ONE
Enable or Disable Timeline in Local Group Policy Editor
The Local Group Policy Editor is only available in the Windows 10 Pro, Enterprise, and Education editions.
All editions can use Option TWO below.
1. Open the
Local Group Policy Editor.
2. In the left pane of Local Group Policy Editor, navigate to the location below. (see screenshot below)
Computer Configuration\Administrative Templates\System\OS Policies
3. In the right pane of
OS Policies in Local Group Policy Editor, double click/tap on the
Enables Activity Feed policy to edit it. (see screenshot above)
4. Do
step 5 (enable) or
step 6 (disable) below for what you would like to do.
5. To Enable Timeline
A) Select (dot)
Not Configured or
Enabled (recommended), click/tap on
OK, and go to
step 7 below. (see screenshot below)
Not Configured[/B]
is the default setting.
6. To Disable Timeline
A) Select (dot)
Disabled, click/tap on
OK, and go to
step 7 below. (see screenshot below)
When finished, you can close the Local Group Policy Editor if you like.
OPTION TWO
Enable or Disable Timeline using a REG file
The downloadable .reg files below will add and modify the DWORD value in the registry key below.
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Policies\Microsoft\Windows\System
EnableActivityFeed DWORD
0 = Disable
1 = Enable
1. Do
step 2 (enable) or
step 3 (disable) below for what you would like to do.
2. To Enable Timeline
This is the default setting.
A) Click/tap on the Download button below to download the file below, and go to
step 4 below.
Enable_Timeline.reg
3. To Disable Timeline
A) Click/tap on the Download button below to download the file below, and go to
step 4 below.
Disable_Timeline.reg
Save the .reg file to your desktop.
5. Double click/tap on the downloaded .reg file to merge it.
6. When prompted, click/tap on
Run,
Yes (
UAC),
Yes, and
OK to approve the merge.
7. Sign out and
sign in or
restart the computer to apply.
8. You can now delete the downloaded .reg file if you like.
That's it,
Shawn
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