Jump in the Timeline

Microsoft unveiled Timeline a year ago at its Build developer conference, and it was initially expected for last fall's Creator's Update. Well, the company obviously missed that deadline, choosing instead to focus on mixed reality for that release. At its most basic, the feature is an interactive log of everything you're working on, similar to your web browser history. What makes it truly interesting, though, is that it's tied to your Microsoft account. That means it can track your progress across multiple machines, be it your home and work PCs, as well as your smartphone.

On Windows 10, you can access the Timeline by hitting the Windows and Tab keys together or by clicking on the icon in the taskbar. Previously, that key combination unlocked a slightly prettier version of the Alt + Tab task switcher. At the top of the Timeline, you'll find all of your open apps -- scroll down, though, and you'll find everything you were previously working on. The feature also lets you see what you're browsing on Edge on your iPhone or Android device, or continue on documents from Office 365 apps.

Timeline will track your progress for up to 30 days, and you also have full control of the feature in a new "Activity History" section in Control Panel. You can wipe out your Timeline progress at any time, or choose to stop tracking activity from your machine entirely. If you use multiple Microsoft accounts in Windows 10 (for example, if you're juggling work and personal logins), you can also select which one Timeline can track.

It's a feature that many Windows users likely won't notice at first, but after testing it for a few weeks, it's something I can't live without. Timeline was helpful whenever I needed to quickly find a document I was working on, but couldn't quite remember the name of. It also helped me get back up and running quickly whenever I needed to reboot my laptop. Browsing through weeks' worth of activities was a cinch, though it would sometimes take a fraction of a second for icons to pop up if I scrolled too quickly. I didn't have a chance to test it on multiple Windows 10 PCs, unfortunately, but I'd imagine it'll be even more useful when I bounce from my home desktop rig to laptops for work.

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