Microsoft has today announced its next big update to its Microsoft Launcher for Android, bringing with it a brand new Your Feed page, and support for Windows Timeline. I've been playing with it over the weekend, and so far it's looking pretty good. The new update introduces an updated Your Feed page that is now split into three tabs; Glance, News, and Timeline.

Microsoft has been promising Timeline support in the Microsoft Launcher since earlier this year, and it's now available for beta testing. When signed into the same Microsoft Account on your PC and phone, your Timeline activity will sync across devices, just as it does across PCs. If you browse with Edge on PC, all that activity will show up in your phones Timeline, and vice-versa. This even works with documents too; if you have the Office apps on your phone, you can jump directly into whatever documents you were working on with a single tap on your phone.

The News tab is essentially just the old news widget but extended out into its own area. You can customize it with your favorite topics too, meaning you can filter out any news items you don't really care about, such as politics, or technology, or lifestyle. This does mean the news widget that used to sit alongside your other widgets in the feed is no longer present, but I much prefer having News in its own tab anyway.

The new Glance tab is just like the old Feed page, but with a much cleaner UI. You can still add custom widgets to it, and reorganise what shows up where. The top of the Feed page has also been refined, featuring a cleaner interface that makes good use of space, while still showing all the relevant information, including Microsoft Rewards point, weather, and calendar events.

Microsoft Launcher 5.0 is rolling out today for beta users, and will likely roll out to the public in the coming weeks. iPhone users can expect to see Timeline support show up within the Microsoft Edge app as beta in the next month or so. What are your thoughts on the latest Microsoft Launcher for Android? Let us know in the comments.

Download Microsoft Launcher at Google Play

Windows 10's Timeline feature lets you jump back to previous sessions of apps. It's a great way to jump back to a website or document you worked on before. Unfortunately, not many developers support it. Thankfully, developer Dominic Maas has made an add-on for Mozilla Firefox that adds Timeline support to the browser.

The add-on is free and available for Firefox on both desktop and mobile. There is also a version of Timeline Support for Google Chrome, though we did not test it for this review because it was available during the time of writing.

Download Timeline Support for Firefox

Time travel

The add-on does exactly what the title says: it brings Timeline support to Firefox. When you've browsed a webpage, you can then jump back to it by opening your task view button and scrolling down to your Timeline. Timeline shows a preview of the webpage, so you can easily identify any instance of browsing. You can select how many seconds you need to be on a page before it's added to your Timeline, which helps keep your Timeline clean when you quickly bounce between websites.

Timeline Support is also available on the mobile version of Firefox. I used it on my Galaxy S8+ and it worked very similarly to the desktop version. Unfortunately, my mobile browsing didn't show up on my PC's Timeline. You can use the add-on to continue browsing a website from your phone on your PC's default browser.

Sadly, not that common

There really isn't much else to say about the add-on, but it's a great chance to highlight the fact that this feature isn't used by many developers to its potential. Some normal big names among the Windows community support it, such as myTube! But overall, it's mostly just Microsoft apps that support the feature.

I'm not surprised Google wouldn't support it, because it has very few apps available on anything running Windows. But the fact that opening Timeline on my device shows basically just my Edge history with a few other apps thrown in is disappointing. If Timeline doesn't want to become the next My People, a great feature that basically no one uses, more developers need to get on board.

Overall thoughts on Timeline Support for Firefox

It's great to see this add-on for a big-named browser like Firefox. Too few developers utilize Timeline and adding it to one (soon to be two) of the world's most popular browsers is great.

The ability to push a website from one device to another is nice, but I'd also like my histories from multiple devices to show up on my Timeline, like they do for Microsoft Edge. Overall, it's a great add-on that's free and brings a lot of functionality.

Pros

• Works seamlessly
• Available across multiple platforms
• Customizable
• Free

Cons

• Sites from mobile and desktop don't show up on each other's timelines

Download Timeline Support for Firefox

Updated August 13, 2018: We updated this post to add availability information and a link to the Google Chrome version of Timeline Support.

Microsoft's new Timeline feature allows users to see all the stuff they've been doing on their PC over the last 30 days, including an overview of all the webpages they've viewed in Edge. Unfortunately, being able to resume your browsing activity with Timeline doesn't work with any other browsers officially, but now with the help of a third-party extension, you can add that functionality with ease.

Developer Dominic Maas has build a free extension for Chrome, Firefox and Vivaldi web browsers, that adds Windows Timeline support. This means that you'll now be able to see all the webpages you view in those browsers within Timeline, just like you already can with Microsoft Edge. This is great news for those that find Timeline useful and want to resume activities across devices simply and securely.

You can also send open tabs from one device to another using the extension, using the Project Rome APIs that let you send activities across devices. Essentially, this extension adds further Windows 10 integration that should have been done by the official browser developers at this point. Thanks to the work by Dominic Maas, we now have that functionality.

Make sure you check out Dominic Maas on Twitter and download the extensions for Chrome/Vivaldi here, and Firefox here!

Download "Windows Timeline support" for Chrome/Vivaldi Download "Windows Timeline support" for Firefox {.cta .shop}

At Build 2018, Microsoft has today announced that it is bringing support for Windows Timeline to Android and iOS later this year. Edge activities are already logged on Windows 10 PCs from the Edge app on your phone, but coming soon is the ability to see that same timeline directly on your phone for resuming web browsing activities and more.

On iOS, Timeline will be built into the Edge app, and on Android, you'll find it integrated with the Microsoft Launcher. The company says it'll be sharing more on Timeline for iOS and Android in its day two keynote tomorrow at Build, which we'll be watching. Windows Timeline is one of the more useful features to come out of the Windows 10 April 2018 Update, and now that feature should get even more useful with integration with third-party platforms.

From Microsoft:

Bringing Timeline to smartphones will also enable the ability to resume activities within different apps directly on your phone too. For example, you could be working on a Word document on your PC, and then resume that same Word document on your smartphone with the Timeline integration found on Android. It'll be interesting to see how Microsoft further implements Timeline on iOS, as it's much harder to integrate with Apple's mobile platform than it is Google's.

Regardless, it's great to see Microsoft committed to bringing Windows 10 integrations to Android and iOS users. Microsoft also announced today a new feature called Your Phone, that's designed to show you the most important information about your phone directly on your PC so that you don't have to switch between your Windows 10 PC and smartphone when working on an essay or document. Make sure you check out that announcement too!

On Windows 10, Timeline is an experience that debuts with the April 2018 Update, and it introduces a new way to resume activities you were working in the past, but it's not a standalone feature. Instead, it's an extension of Task View that allows you to see and resume a web page you were reading (using Microsoft Edge), finish working in a Word document, or pick up an app where you left off in addition to switching between running apps and work with virtual desktops.

Timeline works by tracking the stuff you do on your computer and then organizing them into a list within Task View. Using this feature, you can resume activities originated on the same or from another computer, or pick up documents you started on your Android or iOS device as long as they're connected with the same Microsoft account.

Also, it integrates with Cortana, which means that you'll see the digital assistant popping up now and then suggesting tasks you should continue, as such you might hardly need to lift a finger to resume a previous activity from other devices, including your phone.

In this Windows 10 guide, we'll walk you through the steps to get started with Timeline on the April 2018 Update.

• How to navigate Timeline on Windows 10
• How to hide account activities in Timeline
• How to disable activity syncing in Timeline
• How to delete activity history in Timeline
• How to disable suggestions in Timeline
• How to disable Timeline completely on Windows 10

How to navigate Timeline on Windows 10

You can access the Timeline experience in at least two different ways. You can click the new Task View button in the taskbar, or you can use the Windows key + Tab keyboard shortcut.

Once in Task View, you'll find your Timeline activities below the list of your current running applications.

Task View organizes your timeline activities using links, but these are deep-links to a specific piece of content within an application, which makes it easier to pick up right where you left off.

Items are sorted in chronological order and each day contains two rows of activities, but the number of links will depend on the size of your screen.

If you can't see the task you want to resume, you can click the See all button in the header of the group to view that day activities organized by hours.

In the left side, there's a convenient annotated scrollbar to quickly scroll through all the items. Also, on the top-left side, above the scrollbar, you'll find an option that you can use to search an activity using keywords.

Although you can clear your activities using the Settings app, within Timeline, it's possible to right-click an item to access a context menu with options to open or remove a particular task, or you can use the Clear all option to delete every activity for a specific day.

The cloud powers Timeline, so if you have more than one computer, you'll see the same activities across all your devices using the same Microsoft account. (Activities from other devices will appear with a label in the upper-right corner indicating the name of the computer.)

Also, if the activity was started with a Microsoft Store app that isn't available on the PC you want to resume the task, Windows 10 will guide you to get the app.

How to hide account activities in Timeline

Timeline can show activities from one or multiple accounts, including from your Microsoft and work accounts, but you can control which accounts activities appear in your timeline.

To show or hide accounts in your timeline, do the following:

1. Open Settings.
2. Click on Privacy.
3. Click on Activity history.
4. Under the "Show activities from accounts," turn on or off the toggle switch to show or hide activities for your connected accounts.

After completing the steps, activities associated with the account you've turned off will no longer show up in your timeline. However, the activities will still be available on other devices and in your account for up to 30 days.

How to disable activity syncing in Timeline

The basic idea with Timeline is to collect and make your activities available on all devices using the cloud as the medium to sync this information. However, to prevent privacy concerns, by default, Windows 10 doesn't upload your activities to the cloud. Instead, it collects and shows only those tasks you've been working on your computer.

The caveat with this default behavior is that keeping the sync option disabled, it only shows up to four days of activities. If you want to resume tasks from other devices and go back as far as 30 days, you must enable the sync option.

To enable Timeline sync, do the following:

1. Open Settings.
2. Click on Privacy.
3. Click on Activity history.
4. Check the Let Windows sync my activities from this PC to the cloud option.

If you want to stop activities from syncing to the cloud, you can use the same instructions, but on step No. 4, make sure to clear the option.

How to delete activity history in Timeline

If your device has been collecting activities, but you don't use Timeline, you can clear the activity history from your computer as well as from your Microsoft account.

To clear your timeline history, do the following:

1. Open Settings.
2. Click on Privacy.
3. Click on Activity history.
4. Clear the Let Windows sync my activities from this PC to the cloud option.

5. Click on Diagnostic & feedback.
6. Click on Activity history again. (It's odd, but jumping to another page and coming back to the settings app is what enables the option to clear your activities after disabling the sync activities option.)
7. Under "Clear activity history," click the Clear button.
8. Click the OK button to confirm.

Once you've completed the steps, the activities from all the devices associated with your Microsoft account will be deleted along with the activities in your timeline.

If Timeline isn't working correctly, you can use this option to delete your history to troubleshoot and fix issues with this feature.

You can also click the Manage my Microsoft Account activity data link to review and delete activities stored in the cloud.

Clearing only specific activities

If you only want to delete certain activities, you can do this using Task View.

1. Open Task View.
2. Scroll down and find the activity you want to remove.
3. Right-click the activity, and select the Remove option to delete just the one activity or click the Clear all from option to delete activities for a given day.

How to disable suggestions in Timeline

Cortana also works with Timeline, and it'll pop notifications suggesting previous activities that you should continue. If you're not interested in receiving these type of notifications, do the following:

1. Open Settings.
2. Click on Cortana.
3. Click on Cortana across my devices.
4. Turn off the Help me pick up where I left off on other devices toggle switch.

Also Timeline can occasionally show suggestions as well, but you can disable them using these steps:

1. Open Settings.
2. Click on System.
3. Click on Multitasking.
4. Under "Timeline," turn on or off the Show suggestions occasionally in Timeline toggle switch.

After completing the steps, you'll no longer see Timeline suggestions on Windows 10.

How to disable Timeline completely on Windows 10

Timeline is a feature that comes enabled by default, but you can completely disable the experience if you don't find a use for it.

Unfortunately, there's not a "turn off Timeline" master switch. Instead, you need to follow a number of steps:

1. Open Settings.
2. Click on Privacy.
3. Click on Activity history.
4. Clear the Let Windows collect my activities from this PC option.
5. Clear the Let Windows sync my activities from this PC to the cloud option.
6. Under "Show activities from accounts," turn off the toggle switch from all the accounts connected to your PC.

These steps will disable Timeline on your computer, but your previous activities will remain in your account for up to 30 days. If you want to remove tasks as well, use the instructions outlined above.

In the case that Timeline is disabled, you can enable the feature by making sure to turn on all the options described in the above steps.

Additional details about Timeline

Here's some additional information you need to know as you get started with Timeline on Windows 10:

• Timeline works only on devices running the Windows 10 April 2018 Update and later.
• Timeline is a feature that works on every version of Windows 10 that is connected using a Microsoft account.
• Office applications will appear in your timeline, but after saving the document or if autosave is enabled.
• You can't control which applications appear in your timeline.
• You can't check your timeline on the web, but you can view your activities in the privacy dashboard of your Microsoft account.
• You can't change the number of days that Timeline tracks on your devices. It's either 4 days or 30 days if the sync option is enabled.
• Timeline is supported on a multi-monitor setup, but your timeline will only appear in the display you invoked it.
• Developers must implement the feature in their applications. However, if the app doesn't support Timeline, and you open a file with it, Windows 10 will create a basic card to for that activity that works until the app gets updated with the new integration.

More Windows 10 resources

For more helpful articles, coverage, and answers to common questions about Windows 10, visit the following resources:

• Windows 10 on Windows Central – All you need to know
• Windows 10 help, tips, and tricks
• Windows 10 forums on Windows Central

The Microsoft Edge mobile apps for Android and iOS have picked up support for one of the cooler new features coming in the spring Windows 10 feature update: Timeline. Both the public release of Edge for iOS and the Edge beta for Android have received updates today adding integration with Timeline, along with bug fixes and more.

Timeline integration will allow you to see your mobile browsing history in the timeline on your PC alongside other apps and websites you browsed on Edge for desktop. That can help you easily get back to something you were browsing while on the go, going back for a period of 30 days. In addition, those using Edge on an iPhone or iPad will now be able to move and rename their favorites, while both versions have picked up a batch of performance improvements. Here's a look at what's new:

Edge for iOS

• See mobile browsing history in your PC's timeline
• Rename and move favorites
• Performance improvements

Edge (beta) for Android

• See mobile browsing history in your PC's timeline
• Performance improvements

To get started with sharing your mobile browsing history to Timeline, you'll want to make sure that you've turned on the "Share history" setting within the mobile app's Settings menu.

Everyone on iOS can grab the latest update with Timeline integration now. If you're using an Android device, you'll have to be a beta tester to dive in. You can easily enroll in the Edge for Android beta via the app's Play Store page on your phone.

• See at the App Store
• See at Google Play

One of the biggest new features coming in Windows 10 Redstone 4 is a feature called Timeline. Announced last year, Timeline allows users to pick up where they left off within an app up to 30 days in the past, congregating all the work you do on your Windows 10 PC into one convenient timeline for you to look through. It works across devices too, meaning you can resume work you were doing on another device whenever it suits you.

When Timeline was first announced, I wasn't sure anybody would find the feature useful. After all, it's essentially a glorified "recent apps" screen. But now I've had a few weeks to properly play with the Timeline feature, I can't imagine myself going back to a time where Timeline didn't exist. Timeline has changed how I use Windows to open apps and be productive, and this should only improve once Sets is ready for primetime.

Hands on with Windows 10's new Timeline feature

The biggest advantage of Timeline, at least for me, is the ability to resume apps and documents across devices. I use both a Windows 10 desktop PC and a laptop, and being able to resume a document or browsing session that you were partaking in on one device on another is beyond useful. Of course, this scenario is only beneficial to you if you're someone who uses multiple Windows 10 devices.

Shared across devices

For example, just this past week, I was working on a Word document on my Surface Laptop, which I then clumsily left as a friends house. Thanks to the magic of Timeline, however, I was able to open up Task View on my Windows 10 PC at home, and find my Word document in my timeline under "Earlier today." All I had to do was click on the document, and it opened up and put me exactly where I left off on my Surface Laptop. It's incredible.

Now Cortana has technically had the ability to do this for some time, but since Cortana is only available in limited markets, and the fact that the pick up where I left off feature was random and unreliable, Timeline makes the entire syncing activity across devices feature so much more accessible and easy to use. It's so nice being able to see a complete overview of all the tasks you've done over the past 30 days.

The usefulness of Timeline will depend heavily on what apps you use. As someone who uses Edge as their default browser on all devices, along with Office, and other built-in Windows 10 apps, Timeline is incredibly useful to me as it logs my browsing sessions and more. However, if you're someone who uses Google Chrome or Google Docs, and rarely uses any Microsoft software or services, Timeline is kind of useless. At least right now.

Developer support will be key

Third-party developers are more than welcome to build support for Timeline into their apps and services, but will they? My People, a feature that has been available in Windows 10 officially since September last year, is yet to see any real adoption from any big players. This casts doubt over whether any developer will want to support Timeline too.

And that's a real problem because for Timeline to succeed, it needs support from developers. Timelines biggest access point is via web browsing, which is what is logged the most. Being able to open up Timeline and jump back to a webpage you had open a few days ago is really useful, but it only works if you use Edge. And soon, Timeline will incorporate Sets, allowing you to jump back in time and resume entire groups of apps.

If people are going to find Timeline useful, it will very likely need support from the likes of Google's Chrome, Spotify and more. Being able to resume a playlist or track you were listening to last week via Timeline would be incredibly useful. Right now, however, it's only useful if you're all in on the Microsoft ecosystem, which, unfortunately, most people aren't.

Timeline will be arriving with the Windows 10 Redstone 4 update this Spring. Do you think Timeline is a feature you're going to use? Let us know in the comments.

Microsoft today announced that Windows Insiders can expect one of Windows 10 Redstone 4's blockbuster features, known as Timeline, to show up in the next insider Preview build for the Fast ring. Announced earlier this year, Timeline was initially scheduled for release with the Fall Creators Update but was pushed back to Redstone 4 due to time constraints.

Timeline gives users the ability to jump back in time and continue experiences that were first started on other devices. It's a "glorified recent apps screen," showcasing your recently used apps and files across devices, allowing you to jump right back in and continue where you left off. The feature sits comfortably in the Task View area, so it's instantly accessible via the Taskbar.

From Microsoft:

Of course, Timeline is still in development and will continue to improve and change throughout Redstone 4's development. This week's Insider build will be the first that includes Timeline for the public, and feedback about this feature will be incredibly important for Microsoft. Timeline should work well with the newly-announced "Sets" feature, which allows users to group related apps and websites under one tabbed window.

Insiders can expect to see more features, such as "Cloud Clipboard," an improved Windows Shell with Fluent Design and more, to show up in the coming year. For now, however, Timeline is the latest big feature available for testing and is going to be one of Redstone 4's most significant new features.

Earlier this year, Microsoft announced a new feature called "Timeline" that allows the user to see all of the apps they've opened over a certain period of time, across devices, enabling them to jump back in time to any app they've had open in the past and pick up exactly where they left off. Today, Microsoft has announced that it has cut said feature from the Fall Creators Update release.

Similarly to how Microsoft cut My People from the Creators Update release, Timeline won't be showing up in the October release of Windows 10 as originally scheduled. This is because the feature simply isn't ready, and sources tell Windows Central that Microsoft is reworking the UI to make it more simple and les confusing to the user.

I've had the privilege of briefly trying out Timeline, and as of current internal builds it's simply a glorified recent apps screen that houses apps that were open in the past as well as apps that were open across devices. I'm not sure how useful this is for users, so it makes sense to hear Microsoft may be reworking the UI slightly.

Timeline will have likely been delayed until the next feature release, codenamed Redstone 4 and scheduled to official release in March/April 2018. Insiders will be able to test it before then, of course. I'm also hearing that Cloud Clipboard has also been delayed, but Microsoft hasn't confirmed this yet.

In the meantime, keep it locked to Windows Central for more news regarding Windows 10 and the Fall Creators Update!