Published on: 9/12/2017IST

How to view your location history in Google Maps

User Image Anuj Tiwari Last updated on: 7/8/2020, Permalink

Google Maps has a nifty Timeline feature that lets you browse the places you've visited along with the routes traveled. The feature was overhauled in 2015, and Google has added the ability to collate images you've taken at a particular location, allowing you to get a better overview of your travels.

It certainly comes in handy if you're looking to see all the images you took at a particular location, or if you're trying to get a highlight of your weekly or monthly activity.

How to view your location history in Google Maps

  1. Launch Google Maps.
  2. Tap the more button (three horizontal lines) on the top left corner. 
  3. Tap your timeline
  4. Tap the calendar icon to view a particular day.

How to view your location history in Google Maps

  1. Launch Google Maps.
  2. Tap the more button (three horizontal lines) on the top left corner. 
  3. Tap your timeline
  4. Tap the calendar icon to view a particular day.

  1. Swipe left or right to switch months
  2. Tap a date to view your location history. You'll see the route traveled, along with the duration and length of the overall journey.

How to disable location tracking

Timeline is certainly a useful feature if you're interested in looking at your previous travel data, but it also comes off as creepy (Google tracks everything). Fortunately, you can easily turn off location tracking in Maps.

  1. Tap the more button (three horizontal lines) on the top left corner. 
  2. Tap Settings
  3. Tap Personal content.

  1. Tap the field that says Location History is on under Location Settings
  2. Tap the switch next to each device for which you'd like to disable location tracking.

There's also the option to pause tracking for your account as a whole. To do so, toggle Location History to off, and select OK in the dialog box that follows.

That's all there is to it! I like the timeline feature as it gives me a detailed look at where I've been over the course of the month (and how much time I wasted being stuck in traffic).

What are your thoughts on the location history feature? Like it? Feel like it's an intrusion of your privacy? Sound off in the comments below.

 


7/8/2020 | | Permalink