Latest Windows 10 Insider build 17040 includes Windows Timeline features

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Published onNovember 20, 2017

published onNovember 20, 2017

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Back at Build 2017, Microsoft’s Joe Belfioredemoed Windows Timeline, a feature intended for the Windows 10 Fall Creators Update, meant to help a user resume apps and content from their other (iOS, Android, and Windows) devices. Unfortunately,the feature didn’t make the cutand instead is being developed for the upcoming Spring Redstone 4 release.

As expected, the latest Windows 10 Insider build includes some functions for Windows Timeline, putting in place the necessary settings and links to control future Timeline content (via ITPro.)

In Windows Insider build 17040, these settings are accessible by navigating to Privacy, and then selecting activity history from the sidebar. There’s a helpful explainer on the page, detailing the settings are for Activity History, eventually allowing the user to “jump back into what you were doing with apps, docs or other activities on your PC or your phone.”

Seen below, the user can turn this off from, or clear a device’s activity history altogether. Again, to be clear, there is still no user interface elements for Windows Timeline, but just a settings page for it, likely meaning the final feature could be coming soon.

Interestingly, the setting page also includes a link to manage activity information, which takes the user to an updatedMicrosoft Privacy Dashboard. This page shows all information which the user granted permission for Microsoft to collect, including the full audio playback of Cortana searches, Bing searches, and location history. The data can be deleted, and this is not some jaw-dropping stuff, but it is obviously the content which will be a crucial part of Windows Timeline in the future.

Given these settings and the updated Privacy Dashboard, one can hope that Windows Timeline will come to its full fruition soon in the Spring. For now, users interested in continuing their experiences across devices can try out theEdge app on iOS and Android, theContinue on PC app, or the newNear Share feature for Windows Insiders.

Radu Tyrsina

Radu Tyrsina has been a Windows fan ever since he got his first PC, a Pentium III (a monster at that time).

For most of the kids of his age, the Internet was an amazing way to play and communicate with others, but he was deeply impressed by the flow of information and how easily you can find anything on the web.

Prior to founding Windows Report, this particular curiosity about digital content enabled him to grow a number of sites that helped hundreds of millions reach faster the answer they’re looking for.

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Radu Tyrsina

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