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

133 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 5m ago

Restore Maps Timeline after resetting device to factory settings

Upvotes

[RESOLVED]

Hello.

I think title says it all. I still have the old version of my android phone active in activity control so currently, i have there two identical active devices. The question is, if google has backup of timeline somewhere of that phone and if i can take / export that timeline from the old device's section?


r/GoogleMaps 39m ago

Please please improve Google My Map

Upvotes

I created some maps for travel itineraries on My Maps. I find My Maps very useful and easy to use, but sharing them or opening them on the Google Maps app is quite difficult. Sometimes they don’t show up when I try to open them, or the app crashes. Does anyone know how to improve this? Why does this issue occur? I hope Google Maps will improve this feature in the future.


r/GoogleMaps 4h ago

Timeline Mail

2 Upvotes

Did anyone received timeline email from August?? Or Year overview mail??? Anyway to get those ??


r/GoogleMaps 5h ago

Help/Support Google maps timeline deleted

2 Upvotes

Hi! Just found out my whole Google maps timeline was completely deleted and i was actually warned about it several times, but i didnt see the emails. I dont know why but im truly sad about it! I travelled a lot this year and i used to check my routes often to remember where ive been. Is there any way to recover or access the data again? I really want to get that info back, it made me pretty sad, i had a lot of memories over there. Thank u!


r/GoogleMaps 14h ago

Random Addresses From Across The Country Grouped In Rural Nebraska

5 Upvotes

Zooming into this area in South central Nebraska a bunch of random address from all over the country show up. I'm not sure if this is related to the area not having a zip code or what is going on.

https://maps.app.goo.gl/Rp2dwx89PVkrhohE8


r/GoogleMaps 11h ago

Thumbs up rating or 5 star rating

3 Upvotes

I'm creating a website to compile a directory of all user submitted Google Maps bookmarked lists, and I want users to rate how good these submitted lists are. Would you prefer a nero rating (thumbs up or thumbs down) or a 5 star rating?


r/GoogleMaps 10h ago

Discussion Google Map Android frustrating incorrect autocorrect.

2 Upvotes

Is there a way to turn off the auto correct in the google maps app on android? Auto correct is disabled on my input keyboard.

For example, if I search "Life Time" Maps always corrects to "Lifetime" with no space. I'm looking for a chain of gyms with that exact spelling with the a space. Without the space I get results for a lot of random shit with lifetime in the name.


r/GoogleMaps 12h ago

Discussion Which place has the most reviews?

2 Upvotes

I saw online that it was the "Al-Masjid al-Haram", but I figured there must be another place that has way more reviews. Doesn't matter if they are all good, I am just curious haha...


r/GoogleMaps 10h ago

Creare file csv da importare in my maps

1 Upvotes

Avrei bisogno di importare una lista di luoghi da gmaps a mymaps.

ho provato a estrarre i dati usando google takeout, ma i file csv creati non risultano di aiuto in mymaps. ho poi provato a usare export GM, ma nonostante il fatto che io abbia seguito tutte le indicazioni, non mi carica il file.

Soluzioni'


r/GoogleMaps 13h ago

Google Maps Place has been deleted form google maps

1 Upvotes

Hello everyone, Just asking for some help, my friend has a shop and it recently has been deleted form google maps, he bought the shop ( the business) from someone couple years ago so the place was on Google already and it did not come to his mind to claim it over the maps. My question here is there anyway to recover it. Thanks.


r/GoogleMaps 13h ago

Helps needed

1 Upvotes

When I'm trying to create a bridge on Google Maps it just connects a point to the current road and doesn't let me make it so it will be over the current road.


r/GoogleMaps 17h ago

Google Maps Why are my Google review thumbs up not showing publicly?

1 Upvotes

I don't think I violated their policies. Is this a censorship kinda thing because it is plainly just WRONG.


r/GoogleMaps 1d ago

Help/Support Can I set my morning alarm based on traffic conditions using Google Maps?

5 Upvotes

Hi folks,

I'm trying to figure out if there's a way to set my morning alarm to adjust automatically based on current traffic conditions. Ideally, I’d like an alarm that factors in how long my commute will take, so I can wake up earlier if traffic is heavy or sleep in a little if it’s light.

I played with a few apps, including Google Maps, but didn't find a good way of doing this. With Google Maps, I can set up a one-time notification for when I should leave, but it appears to be not working too well for daily alarm use cases. :(

Has anyone done something like this before, or have suggestions for apps that can do this? I’d really appreciate your help. Thanks!


r/GoogleMaps 20h ago

Help/Support Procedure to mark an establishment as new even if it still has the name of the previous one

0 Upvotes

Around me are some restaurants that have closed but new ones have opened in their places and taken the old one's names. They had quite good rating on Google Maps.

The new restaurants are way worse than the old ones but they still get quite a lot of visitors because of the good ratings. The new ratings are way down but not enough to change the overall rating by a lot.

My edits (marking the old restaurants as closed) get rejected because there are (new) restaurants with the same name at these locations.

Is there a way to submit an edit of closening/opening or owner change? It should also reset the old ratings of which the new owners profit quite a lot (incorrectly).


r/GoogleMaps 1d ago

Music Control in Maps

2 Upvotes

I set the music control up a while ago.

Ive tried to use it for the first time yesterday. It did not work. Nothing happend when I clicked the button in Maps. Ive reinstalled both maps and spotify. (IOS 18.2 and Iphone 16 Pro)

Since I cant send pictures here. Its the button, with the spotify logo, that appears when you start a route in maps.


r/GoogleMaps 16h ago

Google Maps Google maps needs to fix there bicycle directions

0 Upvotes

the route that google maps wants me to take from my home in North Little rock via bike to J & P Bike shop is ok until ou get to John F Kennedy BLVD, North Little Rock/Sherwood AR. There is no shoulder along John F Kennedt Blvd once you turn right oast the Circle K Fuel Station. The Best way to get there is via N Hills Blvd to Country Club Rd, to N Fairway Ave to N Devon ave to Greenview circle to Club rd back to John F Kennedy blvd aka highway 107. look at the route i included, you all need to re think the directions better for cyclist in Arkansas and Other cities, and how it navigates folks on any type of bicycle. https://maps.app.goo.gl/7cSjQ7QPSPniyGpn7


r/GoogleMaps 1d ago

Help/Support Glitch makes Maps unusable

3 Upvotes

For a couple of weeks I've had this happen on the website.
I've tried turning off my adblocker, and so far there's no indication of any setting that's messing it up. It only appears when the screen is still. If I'm moving around, zooming in and out, etc. it looks normal.
Does anyone know how to fix it???


r/GoogleMaps 1d ago

Screenshot Different Map Car Icons

2 Upvotes

Red for sure!! These are all of the new map car icons.


r/GoogleMaps 1d ago

Satellite View Random Chunk of Clouds on I-10 in Texas

0 Upvotes

https://maps.app.goo.gl/wxveXW6wFC3Dwdi97?g_st=ic

(31.0503333, -104.6810000)

Is this supposed to here? Accident? Or covering something that they don’t want random people to be able to see on satellite view?


r/GoogleMaps 1d ago

All my favourites gone??

4 Upvotes

Hi, hope everyone is doing well! I woke up this morning to see all of my “favorites” and “want to go” places gone. Both lists have 0 places. I’ve also lost a lot of named lists. For some reason the starred places are still there.

1.tried uninstalling, reinstalling and updating 2.ensured i’m on the right account.

Device: iPhone 14

Please help:/ this is very weird.


r/GoogleMaps 1d ago

Satellite View Risk markers

1 Upvotes

Greetings.

I want to satisfy my world domination urges and place markers on Google Earth. Do you have any suggestions on how to do so? It doesn't necessarily have to be on Google Earth it could be on any interactive globe.


r/GoogleMaps 1d ago

Help/Support How Does One Map a Cemetery or Park?

0 Upvotes

I am trying to place a pet cemetery on Google Maps (as I noticed it wasn't there) and I am having issues because there is no address. The land is considered a parcel, has never been residential, there's no mail box there, and if I place the city building address, that would obviously be very wrong. How does one go about marking the cemetery? I have also noticed some smaller parks aren't on the map and I am running into the same issue. Thanks in advance!


r/GoogleMaps 1d ago

Street View Didnt expect to see this

5 Upvotes

r/GoogleMaps 1d ago

Help/Support Bracebridge addresses show up as "Town of, *address*, Bracebridge, Ontario, *postal code*

0 Upvotes

r/GoogleMaps 1d ago

is there a way to turn off the Waze updates?

2 Upvotes

We use google maps for a reason and the waze pop ups are extremely annoying while i’m trying to pay attention to my nav. i’m sure people love it but it’s not for me. I cannot for the life of me figure out how to turn it off! help please!!