Lost Your Google Maps Timeline Data? Here’s What Happened

A section of Google Maps users recently reported that their Timeline data, which logs their location history, had disappeared. Following mounting concerns over the issue on social media platforms like Reddit, Google has now acknowledged that a technical glitch led to the accidental deletion of some users’ Timeline records.

According to a report in The Verge, Google spokesperson Genevieve Park confirmed the incident, saying, “We briefly experienced a technical issue that caused the deletion of Timeline data for some people. Nearly everyone with encrypted Timeline backups will be able to restore their data; unfortunately, those who did not have backups enabled will not be able to recover lost data.”

The issue appears to primarily affect users who had not enabled cloud backups for their Timeline history. Reports surfaced across social media and tech forums, with users expressing frustration over the unexpected loss. Some received emails from Google with instructions on how to retrieve their data, provided they had cloud backup enabled.

Users concerned about their data can check if their cloud backup is enabled by following these steps:

• Open Google Maps on iOS or Android.

• Tap on the user icon.

• Select “Your Timeline”

• Look for a cloud icon — an arrow inside the icon means backup is enabled, while a line through it indicates it is off.

• If the backup is off, users can tap the icon to adjust their settings and enable cloud storage moving forward.

Last year, Google implemented a shift toward on-device storage for location history instead of saving it on its servers. While this move was seen as a privacy-friendly change, the recent mishap highlights the risks associated with local storage—data loss with no recovery option for those without backups.

Although Google Maps allows users to export their location history, there is currently no straightforward way to reimport that data. Google’s official instructions for retrieving lost Timeline records rely solely on cloud backup availability, leaving those without it with no alternative.

For now, affected users are left without recourse, serving as a stark reminder of the importance of enabling backups for critical data.