How to disable Timeline in Windows

Disable Timeline via Settings by turning off "Let Windows collect my activities from this PC" and "Store my activity history on this device" in Privacy & Activity history (Windows 10) or System & Shared experiences (Windows 11). 2. Turn off Timeline in Task View by opening Win Tab, clicking the gear icon, and toggling off "Show Timeline" or "Show suggestions occasionally in Task View". 3. Use Group Policy (Windows 10/11 Pro or Enterprise) by navigating to Computer Configuration > Administrative Templates > System > Activity Feed and setting "Enable Activity Feed" to Disabled. 4. Edit the Registry on all Windows versions by going to HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Policies\Microsoft\Windows\System, creating a DWORD named EnableActivityFeed, setting its value to 0, and restarting the computer—this method requires manual key creation if missing and should be done with a backup. Disabling Timeline reduces distractions, enhances privacy, and minimizes background data collection, with the Settings method being sufficient for most users while Group Policy or Registry edits offer more permanent results.

Disabling Timeline in Windows is useful if you want to reduce distractions, improve privacy, or just prefer a simpler task-switching experience. Here’s how to turn it off in Windows 10 and Windows 11.

1. Disable Timeline via Settings (Windows 10 & 11)

The easiest way to disable Timeline is through the system Settings:

• Open Settings (press Win I)
• Go to Privacy > Activity history (in Windows 10) or System > Shared experiences (in Windows 11)
• Uncheck the box for "Let Windows collect my activities from this PC"
• Also uncheck "Store my activity history on this device" if present

This stops Windows from recording your app and file usage, effectively disabling Timeline functionality.

2. Turn Off Timeline in Task View

Even after disabling activity history, you might still see the Timeline section in Task View. To remove it:

• Press Win Tab to open Task View
• Click the Settings icon (gear symbol) in the lower-right corner of the Timeline panel
• Toggle off "Show Timeline" or "Show suggestions occasionally in Task View"

This removes the Timeline section from the Task View interface entirely.

3. Use Group Policy (Windows 10/11 Pro or Enterprise)

If you're using a Pro or Enterprise edition, you can disable Timeline via Group Policy:

• Press Win R, type gpedit.msc, and press Enter
• Navigate to:
  Computer Configuration > Administrative Templates > System > Activity Feed
• Double-click "Enable Activity Feed"
• Set it to Disabled
• Click Apply and OK

This prevents Timeline from functioning across the system and is more thorough than the Settings method.

4. Registry Edit (For All Windows Versions)

If Group Policy isn’t available (e.g., Home edition), you can use the Registry:

• Press Win R, type regedit, and press Enter
• Navigate to:
  HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Policies\Microsoft\Windows\System
• Right-click in the right pane > New > DWORD (32-bit) Value
• Name it EnableActivityFeed
• Double-click it and set its value to 0
• Restart your computer

Note: If the System key doesn’t exist, you may need to create it. Also, ensure you have a backup before editing the registry.

Disabling Timeline helps reduce background data collection and can slightly improve system performance. The Settings method works for most users, but Group Policy or Registry changes offer a more permanent solution.
Basically, just turn off activity history and hide the Timeline in Task View — that’s usually enough for everyday use.

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