Google Maps users have recently shared complaints on Reddit about their Timeline data — the app’s history of where they’ve been — disappearing. Google has now confirmed that it accidentally deleted this data and stated that those who weren’t using cloud backups will not be able to recover it.
A Google spokesperson, explained in an email that
We encountered a technical issue that resulted in the deletion of Timeline data for some users. Your account may have been affected.
If you have encrypted backups enabled, you may be able to restore your data. To do this, ensure you have the latest version of Google Maps, then go to your Timeline. Tap the cloud icon ( ) at the top of your screen and select a backup to restore your data. If backups were not turned on, unfortunately, the data cannot be recovered.
We understand how frustrating this can be if you rely on Timeline to track places you’ve visited, and we’re working to improve our systems moving forward.
In a Reddit post spotted by Android Authority, users shared they received a similar message from Google, along with instructions on how to recover the data for those who had the app’s cloud backup feature turned on. To check if cloud backup is active for you, tap your user icon in the Google Maps app (on iOS or Android), then go to “Your Timeline.” Look for a cloud icon—either with an arrow inside (on) or a line through it (off). You can tap this icon to adjust your backup settings.
Last summer, Google warned users about switching to on-device storage for Google Maps location data. This change allowed users to track their location history without storing it on Google’s servers, which is better for privacy but comes with the risk of losing data, as shown by this technical issue. Unfortunately, while Google Maps lets you export your location history data, the instructions for recovering lost Timeline data don’t seem to offer a way to re-import it without relying on the cloud backup system.