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

177 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 10h ago

IMMERSIVE NAVIGATION September Update

3 Upvotes

I Still don't have the update for my device however I want to know how Is the performance on Android


r/GoogleMaps 15h ago

Exporting a specific GMaps saved places list to import into Google Earth Pro?

2 Upvotes

Dealing with a rather specific problem - I am a researcher that used a Google Maps saved places list to drop markers for significant locations during my summer fieldwork - key interviews, observations, sites that may have been otherwise unmarked etc. Now as I'm trying to keep my data organized, I'm looking for a way to export that list as a KML/CSV/whatever kind of file that I can then import into Google Earth Pro (or at least My Maps, where I understand exporting is a bit easier). Mostly to avoid having to manually enter each place mark in Google Earth. Open to a variety of solutions. Thank you!


r/GoogleMaps 13h ago

Help/Support How do I disable this popup in the corner about Google shutting down Earth Pro?

1 Upvotes

For the last two weeks or so, I have been greeted by this annoying little yellow box that shows up in the toolbar hinting for me to stop using google earth desktop and use googles cloud enabled garbage website replacement scam. Because its on the toolbox I can hide it by closing the toolbox but that is not a viable option.
Screenshot


r/GoogleMaps 18h ago

Help/Support How to change miles to kilometres on desktop

2 Upvotes

How do I change miles to kilometres on Google Maps' desktop website? I've already changed on the mobile phone app, but I can't figure out where to do that on the desktop version.


r/GoogleMaps 9h ago

Google maps timeline is horrendously inaccurate

0 Upvotes

As stated. They recorded me as driving for 61 hours, but hello, I don't drive. I take public transport everywhere, and if I do take a taxi, it's definitely not 61 hours worth. This car centricity is infuriating.


r/GoogleMaps 22h ago

Add stop to map that isn't an address?

1 Upvotes

TLDR: How to add a stop to map that isn't labeled address therefore not on "search for location."

So the place I want to go has an address but it does the whole random stop in the middle of a street and walk the rest of the way. It's far from the parking lot entrance.

How do I add the parking lot entrance as a stop when it's not an actual "address" recognized by Maps to add?

I've already done a suggestion edit but since the location IS correct, I doubt it will change on the map. But this park has a lot of different things surrounded by it's one parking lot with one entrance far from those things.


r/GoogleMaps 1d ago

Why can't we get an option for a beep at a direction change instead of a dissertation about the street?

31 Upvotes

Gps units had this option 20 years ago. Voice or a beep when you need to look for an upcoming turn. Why won't Google make it an option?! I would literally pay for a Google maps pro if they gave this option.

I'm tired of a 15 second robot speech about how I'm turning where I'm what lane to exit here and learn the moon phase. I want to listen to my music.


r/GoogleMaps 17h ago

Satellite View Google Maps is now calling Lake Ontario Lake America

0 Upvotes

You too Google. Have you no decency left?


r/GoogleMaps 1d ago

Other Just a little rant as that's all I'll ever be able to do.

7 Upvotes

Maps has been getting worse for me in the UK recently. Ive been routed down dirt tracks that turn out to be a dead ends. Almost through someone's back yard. Ive been routed onto public footpaths (I spotted it obviously and turned back). If I go past what I know to be a wrong turn then instead of re-routing maps spends a mile telling me to u-turn. There seems to be no way to turn this AI off. No way when I'm at an impasse to tell maps.

Now the final straw, I was heading around London from Norfolk to Southampton. I half knew my way but thought maps might help with traffic. It seemed to want to route me off the known path so I followed. We went somewhere inside the M25 instead of along it so I figured maps knew best and a faster route. 2 months later and a £270 fine for being in a ULEZ zone. 20 minutes after that an alternate map app installed and 30 minutes after that a rant here. Rant over. Ex user. Thanks.


r/GoogleMaps 1d ago

Paved Trails

2 Upvotes

Hello world, I have a burning question. What in the heck does it take to get paved trails / bike paths on the map. I've submitted countless map edits to no avail. How can i get new trails onto the map?! Thank you in advance!


r/GoogleMaps 2d ago

Discussion Google Maps isn’t evil for changing the name of Lake Ontario

11 Upvotes

Ppl are acting like Google is just sucking up to trump and changing the name to lake America because they can’t stand for shit.
No. They don’t manually update each and every name. They didn’t go “oh! Daddy trump said it’s lake America so let’s go change it!!!”
Google Maps names are just grabbed automatically from a database that the government runs.
Googles policy rule is that for bodies of water whose names vary by country, it shows the local official name to users in that country and shows both names side by side to everyone else

Also don’t let trump get to you. Yall are letting trump distract you and go crazy about lake America. There are so many worse things he’s doing, don’t divert your attention towards these small (but not great) issues


r/GoogleMaps 1d ago

Great Lakes, LLC

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0 Upvotes

r/GoogleMaps 2d ago

Google finally announced to bring full-functioning Google Maps in South Korea

10 Upvotes

It seems like they started to build a team or smth

They originally didn't support navigations for drive, walk, and bike

https://9to5google.com/2026/08/27/google-maps-turn-by-turn-navigation-south-korea/


r/GoogleMaps 1d ago

How to remove red icons for tourist traps when zoomed out

2 Upvotes

I'm not a tourist where I live and when I am out of town I'm usually just looking for the nearest paved road that goes northeast. When I zoom out, there are a ton of distracting red icons that worsen the experience added a few updates ago. How do I disable these?


r/GoogleMaps 1d ago

Booking Ride Share from Google Maps

0 Upvotes

As I'm sure y'all know, one can book ride shares (specifically Lyft) directly from Google Maps.

Does anyone do this? If so, how often? Or would you rather just use the Lyft app?

Thanks for your time!


r/GoogleMaps 1d ago

Help/Support Can't update pinned trips for Google Maps iOS Widget and instructions from old post don't work

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1 Upvotes

r/GoogleMaps 1d ago

Has Anyone Experienced

0 Upvotes

The route standard blue color becomes gray for no reason and returns to blue miles later (or never)? If yes, any idea what's causing it?


r/GoogleMaps 1d ago

Street View They just had to make Maps worse in this last update, didn't they?

2 Upvotes

For the record, I use Maps on my computer rather than a phone. After they removed the D3D9 flag, it became annoyingly blurry, which was bad enough but after this last update, the movement is also jerky, the icons are obnoxiously big and not static and keep following me around. And it's harder to close that "Hide Imagery" bar, I have to click it at least twice, sometimes more. Why can't they leave well-enough alone or at least test new updates before releasing them?


r/GoogleMaps 2d ago

Perché google ha cambiato una goto

0 Upvotes

Salve ho notato che google maps ho notato che ha aggiornato a Fasano altre strade la via principale a metà però ho notato che le strade principali tipo Corso Vittorio Emanuele Corso Garibaldi Via Piave Via Cenci che non hanno aggiornato nonostante sono principali perché non le ha aggiornate

Corso Garibaldi 2 anni

Corso Vittorio Emanuele 2 anni

Via Piave 3 anni

Via Cenci 3 anni


r/GoogleMaps 2d ago

Discussion Why was my review removed?

4 Upvotes

And more importantly, how do I find out?

I very rarely post reviews. I posted one 4 days ago and my score impacted their rating the review itself is missing. I don't understand.

How can I fix this?


r/GoogleMaps 3d ago

Fix your map

18 Upvotes

Lake Ontario name is missing! Please fix it!


r/GoogleMaps 2d ago

Discussion Least-effort option

6 Upvotes

When traveling on foot, it would be great for Google Maps to offer a "least-effort" option, to get the route from A to B over which the elevation changes the least. This would be amazing in places like San Francisco and Seattle.


r/GoogleMaps 2d ago

not a fan of screen wipe for streetview history

2 Upvotes

I'm now forgetting what it was before, because it was so neutral - but now that it wipes up and the image breaks up each time you click a different year, I realize whatever came before was much better. I hope they change this back.

Edit: it's almost dizzying, definitely not user friendly in that way either


r/GoogleMaps 2d ago

Tried to pull up a route to a business over 45 min away

1 Upvotes

I need to visit a business in person and planned to drive there yesterday. It's at least a 45 min drive I wanted to see how bad traffic and construction was so I could plan my route. I could pull up the business, but it refused to display the Directions button. I ended up not going and decided to visit next week.

Today, I looked up the business again on my laptop - no direction button. I googled the place and found a web page that indicated this site office is closed and they will be moving to another place (but no ETA yet.)

The page said to visit the place that is another 35+ mi beyond that place. I am glad I didn't try yesterday as it would have been a waste of time and I would not have driven another 35+ miles beyond.

I checked other sites to see if they mentioned the office being closed - some were unclear - but others gave store hours.

FYI - if google maps doesn't give you an option to get Directions - there may be a reason!