Windows 10 April 2018 Update (version 1803) introduces Timeline, a feature part of Task View that allows you to quickly get back to activities (e.g., app, document, website) you were working in the past from any supported device connected to your Microsoft account.
One of the caveats with this feature is that your activities must be uploaded to the cloud in order to sync them across devices, and while this data will remain private, there are still privacy concerns among many users.
If you don’t like the idea of your activity history being stored in the cloud, Windows 10 includes an option that allows you to stop syncing activities.
In this guide, you’ll learn the steps to prevent Windows 10 from uploading your activities to the cloud while still being able to use Timeline.
How to prevent Timeline activities from syncing to the cloud
If you want to stop Windows 10 from syncing your PC activity history to the cloud, use the following steps:
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Open Settings.
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Click on Privacy.
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Click on Activity history.
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Clear the Let Windows sync my activities from this PC to the cloud option.
Activity history with Timeline settings
Once you’ve completed the steps, activities will no longer sync to the cloud.
Also, after disabling the sync option, you’ll still be able to use Timeline, but you’ll only be able to see the last four days of activities, instead of thirty days. In addition, your activities will no longer sync across devices, which means that you won’t be able to resume tasks on another computer.
If you don’t see these settings, it’s likely because you’re not running Windows 10 version 1803 (April 2018 Update). This is an update expected to be available sometime in 2018.
Mauro Huculak is a Windows How-To Expert who started Pureinfotech in 2010 as an independent online publication. He has also been a Windows Central contributor for nearly a decade. Mauro has over 15 years of experience writing comprehensive guides and creating professional videos about Windows and software, including Android and Linux. Before becoming a technology writer, he was an IT administrator for seven years. In total, Mauro has over 21 years of combined experience in technology. Throughout his career, he achieved different professional certifications from Microsoft (MSCA), Cisco (CCNP), VMware (VCP), and CompTIA (A+ and Network+), and he has been recognized as a Microsoft MVP for many years. You can follow him on X (Twitter), YouTube, LinkedIn and About.me. Email him at [email protected].