How to See Your Google Maps Timeline

Publish date: 2024-05-05

Nearly every major app tracks your location in some way. And while most try to keep this a secret (and won't even tell you why they need it), Google Maps is pretty public when it comes to using your location.

But Google Maps doesn't just use it to give you directions and show your current location. If you have it enabled, you can also create a Google Maps timeline, which lets you see where you traveled on a specific day, any attractions or restaurants you've visited, towns you've been to, and countries that you've traveled in.

Here's how to check your Google Maps timeline — and how to enable Location History so you can make a timeline in the first place.

How to enable Location History in Google Maps

Google Maps creates your timeline by tracking where you've been over a long period of time. To do this, it needs your location history.

Location History is enabled on all basic Google accounts by default (although it might be disabled if you have an education or enterprise account). To make sure it's on:

  • Head to your Google account page and log in if you haven't already. 
  • Tap Data & privacy at the top of the screen (on mobile), or click it in the left sidebar (on a computer).
  • Scroll down to Things you've done and places you've been and make sure that Location History is turned on. If it's not, tap it and toggle it on.
  • Make sure Location History is set to "On." Google; William Antonelli/Insider

    You might also want to change your Auto-delete settings if you want to track your history over a longer time.

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    How to see your Google Maps timeline in the mobile app

    1. Open Google Maps on your iPhone or Android, and tap your profile picture in the top-right corner.

    2. Tap Your timeline.

    You can find your timeline in this menu. Google; William Antonelli/Insider

    The screen will change, and a large menu will appear with a variety of options at the top. They'll be a bit different depending on whether you're using an iPhone or Android.

    On both devices, you'll see:

    You'll see a full map of everywhere you went on that specific day. Google
    You'll also see how many places you've visited in that town or city. Google

    If you're using an Android, you'll also see Trips and Insights. Trips shows (as the name suggests) the vacations and getaways you've taken. Insights tracks how much time you've spent walking, driving, and taking public transit every month, along with how far you've traveled and what you spent your time doing.

    You can look at your stats for any month. Google

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    How to see your Google Maps timeline on the website

    You can find the timeline on the Google Maps website too, but it looks a bit different.

    1. Open Google Maps on your computer and click the three stacked lines in the top-left corner.

    2. Select Your timeline.

    The menu on the Google Maps website that lets you find your timeline. Google; William Antonelli/Insider

    You'll be brought to the Timeline page. Here, you can:

    You can also double-click a red dot on the map to check out the exact day you traveled to that spot.

    Your timeline will look different on a computer compared to your phone. Google

    If you clicked something and want to reset the map, click Timeline in the top-left to return to your main Timeline page.

    William Antonelli

    Tech Reporter for Insider Reviews

    William Antonelli (he/she/they) is a writer, editor, and organizer based in New York City. As a founding member of the Reference team, he helped grow Tech Reference (now part of Insider Reviews) from humble beginnings into a juggernaut that attracts over 20 million visits a month. Outside of Insider, his writing has appeared in publications like Polygon, The Outline, Kotaku, and more. He's also a go-to source for tech analysis on channels like Newsy, Cheddar, and NewsNation. You can find him on Twitter @DubsRewatcher, or reach him by email at wantonelli@insider.com. Read more Read less

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