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Clean Windows 10 ActivitiesTimeline


ThomasB

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Hello,

It seems CCleaner doesn't detect nor clear the Windows 10 Activities Timeline view. The list of opened files recently can be view in the "Task View" (click on Task View button in Taskbar, the desktop is displayed with existing applications, and below, are listed the files opened recently, with a timeline.

I tried cleaning several times with CCleaner with differents options checked but it didn't worked (I finally cleaned the items manually...)

For information, the activites can be synchronized on Microsoft account, see screenshots and features here : https://www.thewindowsclub.com/timeline-feature-windows-10

Best Regards

Thomas

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Unfortunately it's just the way that the Timeline feature in Windows works.

If Timeline is set to syncronise then the data is saved on Microsofts' cloud servers, and no third party cleaner will be able to touch or clean it there.
(You wouldn't want someone to be able to get into Microsofts servers and delete everything, by intent or by mistake).

You can clear it locally, but sync will just put it back again.

They are Microsoft's servers so you can only clear the stored data there from within Timeline itself.
Go to Settings>Privacy>Activity history and click on the 'Clear' button.

Or if you don't use Timeline then turn it off altogether.

(It's a problem you also see with browsers that are synced to the cloud, you can clear the local data off your computer but then it just gets synced back again).

*** Out of Beer Error ->->-> Recovering Memory ***

Worried about 'Tracking Files'? Worried about why some files come back after cleaning? See this link:
https://community.ccleaner.com/topic/52668-tracking-files/?tab=comments#comment-300043

 

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As far as I am aware CC does not at this time clean the local Timeline - unless you add its files as an 'Include' to the cleaning.
Even if you did then it would just get synced back again if you have sync turned on.

(There may be an addition in 'winapp2', but I don't think so for that syncing reason).

The last 'official' statement I saw on this was from @Stephen Piriform in June 2018 -

 

If you clear anything that is synced (Timeline info, browser info, etc.) from your machine then it will just get synced back again from the cloud server.

That's simply how syncronisation works - info about your activity, settings, etc. is saved in the cloud and then downloaded to your device(s) when you visit (log into) that synced service again.
The software (Timeline, browser, etc.) looks at the device you are using and if the info saved in the cloud isn't on there it downloads it automatically to the device.
That's how history from you PC browsing gets transfered (syncronised) to your tablet or phone and vice-versa.

Unless you clear the info from the cloud server it will keep being synced back to your machine(s).
And of course the cloud servers are owned by the software company(s) and they won't let 3rd party cleaners delete files from them.

The only effective way to clear synced information is from within each synced application itself which can delete things from it's own cloud server.

*** Out of Beer Error ->->-> Recovering Memory ***

Worried about 'Tracking Files'? Worried about why some files come back after cleaning? See this link:
https://community.ccleaner.com/topic/52668-tracking-files/?tab=comments#comment-300043

 

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  • 11 months later...

Tried today.

Winapp2.ini detects and deletes whole windows 10 timeline activity, also graied activities (because it stops relative services). Obviously only local entries if syinc is off. 

Please: add feature in Cleaner without Winapp2.ini

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