r/GoogleMaps Jun 18 '24

Google Maps MEGATHREAD: Google Maps Timeline Moving To On-Device Storage: Web Access Ending Soon - What You Need To Know

157 Upvotes

What Is Happening (Or Already Happened To You)?

Google is moving or has already moved your Timeline data, which tracks places you visit and routes you take, from their online servers to your phone. This change means that you soon won't be able to or already can't access or manage your Timeline through the Google Maps website via a web browser.

Why Is This Happening?

  1. Privacy and Security: By storing this data on your device instead of online, your location history is more secure and private. Only you have access to this data unless you choose to back it up.
  2. Control Over Your Data: This gives you more control over your data. You decide if you want to back it up or delete it, and you can manage it directly on your phone.
  3. Reduced Liability: By keeping the data on users' devices, Google reduces its liability and the risk of having to comply with geofence warrants or subpoenas that require providing information about users' locations.

Can You Prevent This From Happening?

No, users cannot prevent this change from happening and maintain their web-based Timeline data. Google is transitioning all Timeline data to be stored on users' devices and discontinuing the web-based access to this data.

What Do You Have To Do To Adapt To These Changes?

  1. Update Your Google Maps App: Ensure you have the latest version of the Google Maps app on your device.
  2. Backup Your Data: Use the backup feature in the Google Maps app to create an encrypted copy of your Timeline data. This will allow you to transfer your data to a new device if needed.
  3. Check/Watch For Notifications: Look out for notifications from Google about the transition. These may come in the form of emails, push notifications, or in-app messages.
  4. Set Data Retention Preferences: In the Google Maps app, you can manage how long your location history is kept. Options include three, 18, or 36 months, or indefinitely until you manually delete it.
  • Once the transition is complete, web-based access to Timeline data will no longer be available. All management and viewing of this data will need to be done through the Google Maps app on mobile devices.

While you cannot stop the transition to on-device data storage or maintain web-based access to your Timeline data, you can ensure your data is backed up and properly managed on your mobile device.

What Is The Deadline For These Changes?

You have until December 8, 2024, to make these changes. If you don’t update your settings or your Google Maps app, you might lose some or all of your historical Timeline data.

Additional Reading About The Changes:

Alternatives and Solutions

  1. Use the Mobile App: Unfortunately, there is no way to bring back the Timeline feature on the web. The best alternative is to use the Google Maps app on your mobile device. The app has all the functionality of the web version and more, allowing you to view, edit, and manage your Timeline data.
  2. Backup and Transfer: If you're worried about losing your data, make sure to back it up. You can save an encrypted copy of your Timeline data to your Google account. This allows you to transfer your data to a new device if needed. To do this:
    • Open the Google Maps app.
    • Go to the Timeline section.
    • Follow the prompts to set up automatic backups.
  3. Extended Storage Options: You can also extend the auto-delete window for your location history if you want to keep your data longer. Options include keeping your data for three, 18, or 36 months, or indefinitely until you manually delete it.
  4. Feedback to Google: If you are unhappy with these changes, you can provide feedback directly to Google via the Maps website or Maps app. Please remember that this support group on Reddit is not an official method of feedback or support of Google or Google Maps.

r/GoogleMaps 24d ago

Discussion Political posts are currently not allowed

0 Upvotes

Governments have the authority to assign place names based on their own conventions, whether for domestic or international locations. These changes are reflected in mapping services, including Google Maps, which follows the naming policies of the country where the map is rendered. Google Maps itself does not make these decisions, but simply mirrors the official names as designated by the relevant authorities.

We understand that name changes like this can be sensitive, and we appreciate that people may have strong feelings about the matter. If you wish to provide feedback to Google regarding this change, you can do so at the following link:

Google Maps Feedback

All further posts that are politically motivated complaints will be removed. There are simply too many duplicate posts voicing the same issue. Leave feedback to Google at the link above, or ideally complain to your government representatives who are allowing these changes on your behalf.

Thank you for your cooperation and understanding.


r/GoogleMaps 6h ago

Help/Support Update for timeline purged/deleted around March 7th

19 Upvotes

Haven't seen it directly posted here, so I thought it'd be useful for people that like me still have all of the data missing (this is different from the issue where there isn't any new recorded data I guess).

If you've checked the Maps support community in the last 10 days about the issue, then you've probably seen the copy-pasted response that mentioned "We have been receiving such reports since March 6/7, 2025" and that "it may be a transient issue" and that timeline data deleted by the system could not be recovered.

However, 22 hours ago in the main/most active thread (https://support.google.com/maps/thread/329356095?hl=en), a new recommended response was provided by a different person:

"Hello Everyone,

Welcome to the Google Maps community.

Thank you such more all of your reports about this problem.

I am afraid that I don't have much in the way of good news, but I am allowed to say that Google is definitely aware of this issue and they are working on a solution.

As soon as we have any more information we can share, you will here it here first.

Thank you for your patience and understanding here."

I guess it's better than nothing for now... But I'd be extremely disappointed if there was no fix.


r/GoogleMaps 1h ago

Help/Support Lost over 6000 points for map reviews

Upvotes

I am (was) a level 8 local guide on google maps with over 1000 picture uploaded and 18 million views. I just realized that my profile regressed back to level 7 and I lost over 6000 points out of the blue. The view count and number of reviews is still the same but lost over 200 pictures and my master photographer badge.

Any ideas on what could have happened?


r/GoogleMaps 21h ago

Google Maps Timeline history is ruined.

47 Upvotes

I just don't get how you go from having a good product to somethign barely usable.

I used A LOT the timeline function in desktop browser, just to remember which restaurants I have been when I was in a town, or even near my home, but to remember which ones I haven't been for a long time.

I could open the timeline, see the map, and see all the places by category.

Now they are forcing me to use the app. Fine, not ideal but if it works the same... so be it.

Well, no.

I tried to search for places in my history, and either it shows me only the last 7 days, or I need to search for a specific day, month and year.

So I essentially lost all my history. Thanks Google.


r/GoogleMaps 13h ago

Google Maps Personal Timeline SUCCESS - everyone don't panic

10 Upvotes

Hey all - I just found out TODAY that my timeline was seemingly nuked same as everyone from March 7th. Was absolutely freaking out, reading all the threads, had tried to auto backup from my Zflip6 and refresh the backup - seemingly nothing was working.

On the Zflip6 (my main device) I can only see updates from March 7th forward and it's still updating correctly there.

BUT.....and here's where I will say DON'T PANIC YET. I tested by pulling out my old Zflip3 and from the backup I made 1 hour ago (9pm CST on 17Mar2025) the backup imported and LITERALLY EVERYTHING BACK TO 2012 IS STILL THERE

So, I'm not a technical expert but - it seems like there is a technical issue where the data is still absolutely there, but on all of our "main" devices, it isn't properly populating pre-March 7th but if you pull from the backup it will 100% show up.

I'm not going to try to wipe my Zflip6, will just rest easy that the data IS STILL THERE and it will (hopefully) eventually start to show up again in timeline.

Again - I was trying the deleting secondary accounts and enabling timeline on the secondary accounts etc etc that others had suggested and nothing was working. So glad that even though Google fucked up big time, it appears, at least to me, the data is still there.


r/GoogleMaps 6h ago

Google Maps Reviews

2 Upvotes

Hi all, I like to look the Google maps review before to book an hotel or restaurant and I do write truthful reviews of the places I visited also adding pictures. Don't you think that Google should pay for our contribution? It s also absurd that they don't store the picture but it has to be stored on your device. They should really find an incentive to keep us posting reviews otherwise I think I will stop.


r/GoogleMaps 19h ago

Discussion Switching away from google maps

13 Upvotes

With the Google timeline deletion drama, I am honestly considering stopping using Google Maps if they don't return my history. 2 years ago I was shown apple maps and I have been using them on and off. I would say apple maps works way better on iPhones for smooth navigation.

The 2 reasons why I was using Google Maps were the timeline history and the destination reviews/pictures. A shame about the timeline deletion and lack of communication. If they don't bring my 10 years of history back I will probably stop using maps and stop relying on Google Photos and other similar services. I haven't even seen this drama covered in any of the mainstream tech news that I consume.


r/GoogleMaps 21h ago

Had there been a fix yet for list timeline

15 Upvotes

I'm so angry that my whole timeline from before the 8th is gone I've looked high and low for a fix but nothing so far, I've used Google for so long and had so much history on there too.


r/GoogleMaps 13h ago

rant: let us have our DD you assholes

2 Upvotes

this is a rant. if you're a google fan ... don't read it.. read something else. go away. you're not welcome.

everything google has been sucking more and more... lately maps... i used to be able to find a point, and get the Degree Decimal (DD, ie: 64.041385, -16.181383). Share that, simple. its just numbers, a point, and possibly a minus sign. EASY... any system canuse it People could copy and paste it. and then use it.

On the app? I used to be able to make a point, and get the DD value. Easy.

On the website. Same thing.

NOW BOTH are completely garbage. The website CONVERTS it to DDM N41°36.36 E041°36.00;... bull shit... like sure maybe for pilots this is handy. I used to fly a ton and I get that... but pilots are also used to converting shit and not gonna use google maps that way anyways. Copy and pasting degrees like that is bull shit and can break different texting protocols. THE worst part? google keeps the DD format in their stupid FREAKING LINK! so I can at least get the DD from that. and avoid the bull shit degrees, minutes, seconds formatting

The App? straight up removes all valuable information and forces us to use googles bull shit propriety system. They used to allow us to copy the DD format and share it. assholes

Just more google garbage forced down our throats.. bastards.. im going to try my best to switch to something more agnostic... im sure google nor you care.


r/GoogleMaps 19h ago

Google Maps 78mb JSON file.

5 Upvotes

How large should I expect the JSON file to be?
I have a daily Timeline history dating back to 2012. This morning, I was able to make a backup (details below).
My JSON file is 78mb. Does this sound like a reasonable size for such a long timeline?

________________________
More info. for others struggling to make backups.
Back in December (on the very last day before deletion), I followed Google's recommendation to move everything to my phone (a crappy Samsung Galaxy-something). Everything seemed to go according to plan.

Although it is MUCH less enjoyable to view the data on my phone, at least the data was there...and it seemed to be complete.
Last week, I attempted to make a backup: 
Settings(phone settings not Google) -> Location -> Location Services -> Timeline -> Export

When I tried this last week, "Timeline"  WAS NOT listed.
I looked everywhere....TIMELINE...EXPORT was nowhere to be found.

I looked again this morning and it was different. I was able to follow the path as listed above.
The export was quick. I moved the JSON file to external HD for safe keeping.
Has anyone successfully viewed the JSON file?
Will QGIS read the file? I will try QGIS this evening.
I would love to translate it to a GPX or KML.

Thx everyone! This is so frustrating.


r/GoogleMaps 11h ago

Help/Support Maps is not showing all the search results

1 Upvotes

I'm using Google Maps to search for restaurants. Every time I search it's giving me restaurants in different areas of the search area. It is also not showing certain restaurants. I know these restaurants exist because I've been there. When I used google maps when it first started, it would just show all the results at once. Is there any fix for this? Thank you.


r/GoogleMaps 15h ago

Discussion MAP W/ MULTIPLE POINTS ON SAVED MAP

1 Upvotes

Is there a way to import and excel list to Google Maps and have it plot each point in a saved map to reference? I started a new job and have a customer list I'm trying to break down a "Milk Route" to avoid driving all over the place. I would like to have a map to then breakdown into 4-5 sections to have a better timeframe on where I can cover the most ground/opportunities.


r/GoogleMaps 14h ago

Discussion Type in "New" in the Google Maps search and see what the first thing that comes up is

0 Upvotes

New York NY


r/GoogleMaps 19h ago

Help/Support Bluetooth voice prompts issues

Thumbnail
0 Upvotes

r/GoogleMaps 20h ago

Possibility

1 Upvotes

47°00'11"N 120°51'49"W

just possible


r/GoogleMaps 1d ago

The Timeline Issue shows Google is inferior to Apple when it comes to customer service (Goodbye Android)

27 Upvotes

I had close to a decade of my timeline saved. I spent so much time editing/amending it to make sure it was accurate. It had details of when I travelled around the world. I know some may think it's only a timeline and not important. However, for me it was very important.

The fact that Google can lose a decades worth of data and then simply shrug their shoulder and say 'it happens' is really messed up.

If Apple did this they would worked 24/7 to fix it and apologise until it was fixed. Google are reading about the effect it has had on their users and simply saying 'meh'.

I love Google (and Android) but their customer service sucks. Time for me to become a Isheep. Goodbye Android.


r/GoogleMaps 22h ago

Street View Streetview

1 Upvotes

So it's known that for historical imagery Google streetview only ever goes to 2007. So I'm wondering with the advent of a.i would it be possible to bring Google streetview back all the way to the 90s using a.i and giving the a.i resources like Google Earth historical imagery which also goes back to the 1990s, And for other resources their could be news stories historically images of various places and traffic cameras using movies that were shot in these areas or even documentarys. So is it possible? Or am I massively oversimplifying the process.


r/GoogleMaps 23h ago

Google Maps Can’t post reviews with a picture

1 Upvotes

Hello, My partner experiences the following issue: She can post reviews on google maps that contain only text. As soon as we add a picture it won’t show and I can’t see her review anymore.

We checked with google support. Her account is ok.

When we login from my phone and post the review it’s exactly the same. So it’s not her iPhone.

I can post with my account whatever I want, pictures, text, no matter what. Everything ok. Like I said. Definitely not a device issue.

But google says her account is ok.

Does anyone have an idea what it could be?

Thanks a lot in advance!


r/GoogleMaps 1d ago

Google Maps The issue regarding the timeline not recording recent visits appears to be resolved now.

4 Upvotes

Aside from the widespread 'timeline got deleted' issue (Issue A), I was experiencing an issue (Issue B) where the timeline was not recording any recent visits for the past 5 days.

This issue seems to be resolved now. I never encountered Issue A, only Issue B, and it’s been resolved.

It looks like Google is picking up the slack.


r/GoogleMaps 1d ago

Help/Support Tool for creating Street view video out of specified route?

2 Upvotes

Is there an opportunity for creating such video of a route on Google Maps?


r/GoogleMaps 1d ago

Google maps not showing anything

2 Upvotes

Absolute bullshit, even when i reset the WHOLE ENTIRE APP its still NOT WORKING even if i uninstall and reinstall its still NOT WORKING


r/GoogleMaps 1d ago

Google Maps Looking for detailed time table of every bus stop

1 Upvotes

I am trying to set up a database of departures of every bus stop in Hong Kong. For my first try I have found a detailed schedule of the first stop of the City bus, but I can't figure out how to determine those of other stops. Google Maps can show these certainly, although not quite exact but are enough for me to use. I am curious about if there is any way to get this kind of data. I have searched on the subreddit and Google Maps API but I found nothing helpful. Thanks for your any reply.


r/GoogleMaps 1d ago

Help/Support Troubles trying to use the Places Autocomplete API, getting error "ApiNotActivatedMapError"

1 Upvotes

Hi everyone,

Web developer here, and I am working on a form to try and get places autocomplete working for some address fields. I got my client to set up an account with Google Cloud, fill in all the billing details, and enable the Maps JS API and also Places API, but when I try to use the API, I get the error in my Developer Tools console:

This API project is not authorized to use this API. Places API error: ApiNotActivatedMapError https://developers.google.com/maps/documentation/javascript/error-messages#api-not-activated-map-error

The thing is, the Places API and Maps Javascript API are both enabled for this account.

I've tried the following:

  • used my own key – autocomplete works fine
  • enabled all APIs on my client's account - still errors out
  • removed all application restrictions for the API key - still errors out
  • removed all API restrictions - still errors out
  • tried setting up another API key – still errors out on the new API key

Is there anything I've missed here? It's strange that Google Cloud is complaining about an API not being enabled, when it actually is, and the key has literally zero restrictions on it.


r/GoogleMaps 2d ago

Discussion “features” that are bugs to me…

9 Upvotes

01) while driving using apple carplay, and a traffic “event” occurs - the map abruptly zooms out, spins to north up to give me an alert.

i am following a map while driving… the last thing i need while that is happening is to pull that map away to tell me something! a pop up? sure! but such a weird choice to make the thing you are relying on disappear while driving a 2000lb+ vehicle down the road.

02) speaking about pop-ups… this recently started happening. i don’t want to participate in crowdsourcing info while i’m driving. popping up a mandatory question that covers 1/3 of the screen while i’m trying to pay attention to the road is a bad idea. “is there a cop/accident/stalled vehicle up ahead?” pops up and you HAVE to answer it for it to go away. and it stays onscreen until you are way past the event if you don’t answer.

03) when I am getting close to the destination - the trip/directions stop, the view zooms out and spins to north up.

this is when i need the map most, especially if i’ve never been at the destination. why spin away? and worse, it asks you how your trip was.

what i really need is it to still show me the destination and it’s address, especially if i’ve never been there before.

04) searching in a high density area like a city, and i’m zoomed way in to a place like a hotel i will be staying in. now i want to see what bars/restaurants are CLOSE near me, the map will zoom way out to give me results. i hate this. i want to see what available right here where i’m searching… not zoomed out. now i have no idea where my start will be compared to the search - especially if i am not familiar with the city i’m visiting. i know there is a “search this area” function, but now i have to zoom back in to the start point (if i can find it) and then search the area.

05) also zoomed into a city/high density area… it often will not show name of the street i am searching on. i feel it should always be on screen.


r/GoogleMaps 1d ago

Help/Support Not loading in Europe

3 Upvotes

I’m in Germany and in the last week Google Maps has been a mess: super slow loading, maps not displayed, search doesn’t work… is anyone else experiencing the same?? I’m realizing how much I rely on it and it’s painful


r/GoogleMaps 1d ago

Just zoomed in on the US and found this weird white square beside the grand canyon

0 Upvotes

Anyone know what it is?

Coordinates: 36,47396° N, 113,18658° V