SOLVED: What is Windows Timeline & How Can I Use Timeline?

MINOR UPDATE: Aug 19 2019 – Windows Timeline is a new feature in the just released Windows 10 Spring 2018 (1803) build that lets you easily see and resume your activities from the last 30 days:

What Windows Timeline Includes:

• Windows Timeline will only display apps that support Timeline and today that includes primarily Microsoft Office, “modern apps” (like the Calculator, News, Weather, Maps…) and the Edge browser.
• It will also have a “basic card” for any program you start through Windows Explorer.You can search through Timeline but clicking the magnifying glass at the top of the vertical Timeline bar on the right side of the screen
• MS Office products on IOS and Android will add to your timeline
• You can hide anything in your Timeline by right clicking and selecting REMOVE
• There is a CLEAR ALL feature if you want to flush the entire Timeline history
  • SETTINGS (cog) > PRIVACY > ACTIVITY SETTINGS > COLLECT ACTIVITIES > CLEAR button on CLEAR ACTIVITY HISTORY
• You can drill into a specific day to see more than the 6 or 8 most used apps of the day, by clicking the SHOW ALL XX at the top of the day
• Timeline data storage costs you nothing
  • the data is stored in the Microsoft Cloud at no expense to you, IF you are signing into Windows using a Microsoft Account

What Windows Timeline Does Not Include:

• You cannot check your timeline from a webpage
• The 30 day default Windows Timeline ‘memory’ is not configurable
• Windows Timeline will NOT include information from InPrivate Browsing / Incognito sessions
• You cannot exclude specific apps from Timeline
• You cannot change the number of items displayed in Timeline, it is configured automatically to match the size of your screen
• Google Chrome is working on support for Timeline but no ETA for release has been announced

Can Windows Timeline Be Completely Disabled?

If you really hate Timeline tracking you, you can disable Windows Timeline completely:

1. Click the START button
2. Click SETTINGS (cog) > PRIVACY > ACTIVITY SETTINGS
3. set COLLECT ACTIVITIES to off