In the release notes to the latest Windows 10 Insider Preview build, Microsoft reveals that it could be killing its Timeline feature. Granted, this is a Windows Insider blog post, so it’s not at all clear.

“If you have your activity history synced across your devices through your Microsoft account (MSA), you’ll no longer have the option to upload new activity in Timeline,” a note under “Changes and Improvements” in the blog post describing the new build reads. “[Azure Active Directory-] AAD-connected accounts won’t be impacted. To view web history, Edge and other browsers have the option to look back at recent web activities. You can also view recently used files using OneDrive and Office.”

So, um. Hm.

I read that to mean that Microsoft is taking the next logical step away from Timeline, it’s “pick up where you left off” technology, which once spanned both Windows 10 PCs and Android devices using the Microsoft Launcher. But Timeline was exorcised from the Microsoft Launcher in late 2020. So it’s been a Windows 10-only feature since then.

With this change, however, Timeline is now only available to those with work- and education-based AAD accounts, severely limiting its impact. And it’s probably fair to assume that’s temporary, and that AAD support will be on the cutting board next.

If only there was a way to communicate this properly.

Tagged with Timeline