Free timeline maker

Effortlessly create stunning timelines for educational, personal, and business purposes. Save time with ready-made templates or create a timeline with just a single click. Start now with our intuitive timeline creation tool.

Create effortlessly, share seamlessly

Create a timeline with a click
Describe the timeline you desire and ask AI to generate one according to your prompt. Seamlessly envision key milestones and events, fueling inspiration and driving meaningful discussions. Experience the limitless possibilities of the future.
Get inspired by tons of templates
Unleash your creativity with over 16,000 templates in our thriving community. Explore captivating historical, project, research, and movie timelines. Find everything you need to bring your vision to life. Get inspired and create something extraordinary today!
Customize your timeline at will
Easily get started with our intuitive interface. Drag and drop symbols from our libraries with over 26,000 symbols. Explore clipats, icons, pictures, from our own collection or third parties like Pixaby or iconfont or use the One-click Beautify function to change the whole outlook with a click.
Access from anywhere, at any time
Edit and view your timelines from any device or operating system. EdrawMax is available on all major operating systems including Windows, MacOS, Linux, mobile devices, and on the Web. You can also save your files on the cloud.
Export timelines in formats you like
Export your timelines in PDF, JPG, Word, PowerPoint, or other formats. Choose from a dozen of common formats to ensure your timeline looks its best and meets your specific requirements.

Timeline maker for everyone

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Teachers
Help students understand historical events or the order of important concepts.
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Researchers
Depict the sequence and duration of events in their studies or experiments.
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Project Managers
Share project plans with team members, ensuring everyone is on the same page.
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Event Planners
Create detailed event timelines, including activities, deadlines, and milestones.
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Journalists
Create engaging visual aids that display news events in chronological order.
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Writers/Authors
Plan and organize the sequence of events in a story or plotline.

Why teams choose EdrawMax?

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Seamless teamwork
EdrawMax facilitates real-time collaboration, allowing team members to work together on diagrams and share feedback instantly, fostering teamwork, and accelerating project progress.
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Enhanced efficiency
With its intuitive interface, pre-made templates, and extensive symbol libraries, EdrawMax enables teams to create professional-quality diagrams quickly, saving time, reducing effort, and increasing productivity.
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All in one
EdrawMax allows for making 280+ types of diagrams including flowcharts, mind mapps, Gantt charts, timelines and more, streamlining workflows and eliminating the need for multiple software, enhancing convenience.
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Improved communication
Use visually compelling diagrams to convey complex ideas, facilitating clear and concise communication within teams and with stakeholders, boosting understanding and decision-making processes.
What is
a timeline

A timeline is a visual representation of events or actions arranged in chronological order. It provides a linear and sequential overview of historical, project-related, or other types of events. Timelines typically consist of a horizontal axis representing time, with significant events or milestones marked along it. They can span various durations, from short-term plans to long-term historical periods.

Timelines serve as a powerful tool for organizing information and understanding the sequence of events. They provide a clear visual structure that helps individuals grasp the relationships, durations, and interdependencies between different events. By presenting information in a chronological format, timelines enable users to see the progression of events and identify patterns or trends over time. They aid in contextualizing historical events, tracking project progress, or even planning future activities.

Timelines can be created using various formats, from simple paper-based charts to digital tools and software. The flexibility and accessibility of timelines make them valuable resources for a wide range of fields, including history, project management, education, and research.

Benefits of
the timeline

Timelines offer several benefits across different domains, including historical research, project management, and educational contexts. Firstly, timelines provide a clear visualization of the chronology and sequence of events, making it easier to understand complex historical narratives or project timelines. They help researchers, students, and professionals grasp the context, relationships, and impact of various events or milestones.

Secondly, timelines enhance organization and planning. By visually mapping out events along a timeline, individuals can identify dependencies, allocate resources, and set realistic deadlines. Project managers can track progress, anticipate potential bottlenecks, and ensure timely completion of tasks. Timelines also facilitate effective communication and collaboration among team members, as they provide a shared reference point for discussing project timelines and goals.

Lastly, timelines promote comprehension and retention of information. Visual representations, such as timelines, have been shown to enhance memory recall and understanding. In educational settings, timelines assist students in grasping historical sequences, thematic connections, and cause-and-effect relationships. They encourage active engagement with the material and aid in organizing information in a meaningful way.

History of
the timeline

The concept of timelines dates back to ancient civilizations, where various methods were used to record and organize historical events. One of the earliest known examples is the Sumerian King List, a clay tablet from around 2100 BCE that lists the kings of Sumer in chronological order. Ancient Egyptians also depicted historical events in a linear fashion on temple walls and papyrus scrolls.

In the Western world, the development of modern timelines can be traced back to the Renaissance period. Renaissance scholars, such as Leonardo da Vinci and Ramon Llull, began to use linear diagrams to represent historical and philosophical concepts. These early timelines laid the foundation for the visualization of chronology and historical events.

The 19th century saw significant advancements in the use of timelines. Historical figures like Joseph Priestley and H.G. Wells popularized the use of timelines in their works, emphasizing their importance for understanding and presenting history. With the advent of printing and graphic design technologies, timelines became more widely accessible and used in educational materials.

In the digital age, timelines have become even more prevalent and accessible. The development of computer software and online tools has made it easier to create interactive and dynamic timelines. Today, timelines continue to be valuable tools in various fields, including history, education, project management, and research, helping individuals visualize and comprehend the sequence of events throughout time.

Timeline templates from EdrawMax

Project Timeline
Movie Timeline
History Timeline
Life timeline
Event Timeline
Business Timeline

What our users say

Ethan Jordan, project manager
I rely on timelines to showcase the different phases of a construction project. EdrawMax has proven to be an invaluable tool in creating detailed and accurate timelines. Its extensive collection of architectural symbols and the ability to customize styles and colors make it an ideal platform for my profession.
Daniel Patel, teacher
Timelines are valuable tools to help my students understand historical events and the progression of ideas. EdrawMax has been an excellent platform for creating interactive and visually appealing timelines. Its user-friendly interface and extensive library of educational graphics make it a go-to resource in my classroom.
Olivia Pearson, medical researcher
As a medical researcher, I often need to create timelines to illustrate the progression of diseases or medical breakthroughs. EdrawMax has been my go-to platform for its intuitive interface and extensive library of healthcare-related icons and templates. It saves me time and helps me present complex information in a visually engaging way.

FAQs about timeline makers

  • Yes, Google does not have a dedicated timeline maker. However, Google Sheets can be used to create simple timelines by utilizing its features such as inserting shapes, lines, and text boxes. However, it will be much easier to use a dedicated timeline maker like EdrawMax if you are trying to create a professional timeline.
  • Google Docs does not have a built-in timeline template. However, you can find various timeline templates created by other users in the Google Docstemplate gallery. These templates can be customized to create a timeline in Google Docs.
  • There are plenty of free timeline makers available or tools that have a free version. Some popular options include EdrwaMax, Office Timeline, and Timeline JS. These platforms offer user-friendly interfaces and a range of customizable features to help you create a timeline that suits your needs without any cost.
  • To create a project timeline online for free, you can use platforms like EdrawMax, Trello, Asana, or TeamGantt. Sign up for an account, create a project, and use their intuitive interfaces to set tasks, deadlines, and dependencies, ultimately creating your project timeline.
  • EdrawMax is considered one of the best platforms to create a timeline. It offers a user-friendly interface, a wide range of customizable templates, and various features for creating visually appealing and professional timelines. You can try it online for free before buying it.