How to View and Delete Your Google Maps Timeline History

Managing Your Location Data

If you carry a smartphone logged into a Google account, there is a very high chance that Google has been quietly logging your physical movements for years. This feature, formerly known as Location History and now called “Timeline,” plots your daily commutes, vacations, and even mundane trips to the grocery store on a private map.

While some people love Timeline because it acts as a digital travel journal—allowing them to remember the name of a great restaurant they visited three years ago—others find the constant background tracking highly invasive. Whether you want to review your past movements out of curiosity or permanently delete the data to protect your privacy, Google makes the process relatively straightforward.

Here is how to view your Google Maps Timeline and how to delete specific trips or wipe your entire location history.

How to View Your Google Maps Timeline

You can view your Timeline on both your smartphone (via the Google Maps app) and a desktop web browser. However, Google is currently transitioning Timeline data to be stored locally on your device rather than in the cloud. Depending on whether your account has received this update, the desktop version may eventually be phased out.

On an iPhone or Android Device:

1. Open the Google Maps app on your smartphone.
2. Tap your Profile Picture (or initial) in the top-right corner of the screen.
3. Select Your Timeline from the drop-down menu.
4. You will now see a map with a timeline at the top. You can swipe left and right to move between days, or tap the calendar icon at the top to jump to a specific date, month, or year.
5. You can also tap the tabs at the top—such as Trips, Places, or Cities—to see categorized lists of everywhere you have been.

On a Desktop Browser:

1. Go to timeline.google.com on your computer.
2. Ensure you are logged into the correct Google account.
3. You will see a large map covered in red dots representing places you have visited. Use the drop-down menus in the top-left corner (Year, Month, Day) to filter the data and review specific dates.

How to Delete Specific Trips or Days

If you generally like the Timeline feature but want to remove a specific trip or a sensitive location from your history, you do not have to delete everything.

1. Open your Timeline in the Google Maps app and navigate to the specific day you want to edit.
2. Scroll down to see the list of places you visited that day.
3. To delete a single location: Tap the three-dot icon next to the location name, then tap Remove.
4. To delete the entire day: Tap the three-dot icon in the top-right corner of the screen, then tap Delete day.

How to Delete Your Entire Location History

If you want a clean slate and wish to remove all location data Google has collected about you, you can permanently wipe your entire history.

1. Open the Google Maps app on your phone.
2. Tap your Profile Picture > Your Timeline.
3. Tap the three-dot menu icon in the top-right corner and select Settings and privacy.
4. Scroll down to the “Location settings” section.
5. Tap Delete all Location History.
6. A warning screen will appear explaining that this action cannot be undone. Check the box that says “I understand and want to delete,” then tap the Delete button.

How to Stop Google from Tracking You in the Future

Deleting your history does not stop Google from recording your location tomorrow. To prevent future tracking, you must turn the Timeline feature off completely.

1. In the Google Maps app, tap your Profile Picture > Your Timeline.
2. Tap the three-dot menu icon > Settings and privacy.
3. Under “Location settings,” tap Location History is on (or “Timeline is on”).
4. You will be taken to your Google Account settings. Tap the Turn off button.

Alternatively, if you want to keep the feature but do not want data stored forever, you can set an auto-delete schedule. In the same menu, tap Auto-delete and choose to have Google automatically erase data older than 3, 18, or 36 months.