How to export Google Maps Timeline data

Before you export your Timeline

Use the phone or tablet that currently shows the Timeline you want. Google’s current Timeline system stores the working history on each device instead of providing the old desktop Timeline experience. A backup can help you move Timeline data between devices, but a backup is not the same thing as the readable JSON export used by Timeline Visualizer. If the places and trips do not appear in Google Maps on the device, exporting again will not recreate missing history.

Update Google Maps and confirm that you are signed in to the intended Google Account. Then open Your Timeline and check a few dates before exporting. This simple check prevents a common mistake: saving a valid JSON file from the wrong account or from a device whose Timeline is empty. You should also have enough local storage for the export and a folder you can find again from the browser file picker.

Timeline data can reveal homes, workplaces, routines, medical visits, and trips. Save the JSON in private device storage, not a shared folder, public link, support ticket, or chat attachment. You can delete the saved copy after you finish your video. Timeline Visualizer reads the file in the browser and does not upload the JSON, but the source file remains sensitive wherever you store it.

Export Google Maps Timeline on iPhone or iPad

Google currently places the export action inside the Google Maps app on iOS and iPadOS. Menu wording can move as the app changes, so keep the official Google help page available if your screen differs.

1. 01

   Open Google Maps settings

   Open Google Maps, tap your profile picture or account initial, and choose Settings. Make sure the account shown is the one whose Timeline you checked.

2. 02

   Open the location and privacy area

   Google’s current US help page directs users to Location & Privacy. Some app versions or regions may still show Personal content under Account settings. Look for the section that contains Timeline controls rather than the general iOS Settings app.

3. 03

   Choose Export Timeline data

   Tap Export Timeline data. iOS opens the system share sheet. Choose Save to Files instead of sending the file through email, messaging, or another sharing service.

4. 04

   Save and remember the folder

   Choose On My iPhone, iCloud Drive, or another private Files location you can reach from Safari. Google says the iOS export is saved as location-history.json. Wait for the save operation to finish before returning to the browser.

When the menu looks different: If the export option is missing, update Google Maps, confirm that Timeline is available on this device, and check both Location & Privacy and Personal content. Google rolls out interface changes gradually, so the visible labels may not match every screenshot or older tutorial.

Export Google Maps Timeline on Android

On Android, Google’s current export route starts in the phone’s Settings app rather than inside the normal Google Maps menu. This is the most important difference from iPhone instructions.

1. 01

   Open the Android Settings app

   Leave Google Maps and open the system Settings app. This means the phone settings screen, not the Settings page inside Google Maps.

2. 02

   Open Location services

   Go to Location, then Location services, and choose Timeline. Android manufacturers can rename or regroup settings, so using the Settings search box for Timeline can be faster when the menu is not visible.

3. 03

   Choose Export Timeline data

   Under Timeline, tap Export Timeline data and then Continue. If several Google Accounts are available, verify the account or device context before saving.

4. 04

   Select a private destination

   Choose a local or cloud folder you can find from your browser and tap Save. Keep the screen open until Android reports that the export is complete. Depending on the device and export generation, the file may be named Timeline.json or use another JSON filename.

When the menu looks different: If Timeline is absent from Location services, first confirm that the current Google Maps app can display your Timeline. Update the app and Android system components, restart the phone if the setting was just enabled, and then search Settings again. Do not substitute an encrypted Timeline backup: Timeline Visualizer needs the exported JSON file.

How to identify the correct Timeline JSON file

The correct export is a JSON file, not a ZIP archive, KML file, account settings file, or browser history download. On iPhone and iPad, Google currently documents the filename location-history.json. Android exports are often called Timeline.json, although names can vary. The filename alone is not proof; the contents must include usable Timeline visits, movements, semantic segments, or location signals.

A current phone export can look different from the historical Location History files once offered through Google Takeout. Timeline Visualizer supports current direct-array exports, files that contain semanticSegments, and rawSignals as a warned fallback. Some older Takeout structures do not contain a usable journey for this tool. If an old archive fails, return to the device where Timeline is stored and create a fresh phone export instead of repeatedly renaming or converting unrelated files.

Keep the original extension as .json. Do not open and resave the file in a spreadsheet or word processor, because those apps can alter quotes, timestamps, or large numeric values. If you need to move it from phone to computer, use a private cable transfer, AirDrop, a private cloud folder, or another method you trust. Delete extra shared copies when the transfer is complete.

• The file ends in .json and is not still inside a ZIP archive.
• Google Maps shows visits or trips for the account and device you exported.
• The file came from Export Timeline data, not Download your data for an unrelated Google service.
• You know where the private source copy is stored and can remove it later.

Open the export in Timeline Visualizer

Return to Timeline Visualizer and choose Timeline.json in the first tool card. The browser reads the selected file locally and checks its structure before showing date and video settings. Loading a JSON file does not contact the map provider. You can also run the fictional sample first if you want to see the complete workflow without using personal location data.

After the file passes validation, choose the narrowest useful month or date range. Review the point count and approximate distance, then accept the separate map notice only when you are ready to preview the route. Map tiles come from CARTO after consent, so tile requests can reveal the geographic areas required for the selected journey. The source JSON, chosen dates, custom title, preview frames, and final MP4 are not uploaded to a Timeline Visualizer account or storage service.

Inspect the preview for private stops before you create or share a video. A finished MP4 is easier to control than the raw export, but it can still expose the path you selected. If the route begins or ends at home, choose a narrower date range where possible. Never send the JSON to support just because the visualizer reports an error; use the error wording, browser version, and device model without including private coordinates or screenshots.

Common export problems and what to do next