- google timeline visualizer turns exported location files into an interactive browser map.
- Android export is found in Settings, Location, Location Services, and Timeline.
- iPhone export remains available inside the Google Maps app settings.
- Privacy model keeps visualization in your browser unless you choose an optional cloud import.
- Large files may take additional processing time, especially across multiple years.
google timeline visualizer Overview
A google timeline visualizer lets you inspect exported Google location history without relying on the discontinued Google Maps web Timeline. Instead of opening a Google account dashboard, you provide a supported JSON export and explore routes, places, movement types, and year-based activity in your browser.
The most useful workflow is simple: export your Timeline data from a phone, open the visualizer, drop in the JSON file, choose a year, and review the map. The tool can recognize several Google location-history formats, including newer phone exports and older Google Takeout structures.
| Capability | What It Shows | Best Use |
|---|---|---|
| Interactive map | Points, routes, and paths | Reviewing individual journeys |
| Year filter | Movement from a selected year | Comparing travel patterns |
| Place visits | Locations with visit details | Recovering forgotten memories |
| Activity segments | Walking, driving, cycling, or transit | Studying how you traveled |
| File detection | Multiple Google JSON formats | Combining older and newer exports |
Route Review
Trace daily commutes, road trips, and international travel on an interactive map. Select a year to reduce visual clutter.
Place Discovery
Find restaurants, parks, neighborhoods, and other places that appear in your exported history.
Format Support
Work with Phone Timeline Export files, Semantic Location History, Records.json, and related metadata files.
Use a single year first. A smaller file is easier to verify and helps confirm that your export contains the information you expect before loading multiple years.
Export Your Google Timeline Data
The export path depends on your phone. Android and iPhone users should look in different areas of the Google ecosystem, so choosing the wrong instructions can make the Timeline export difficult to locate.
On Android, the current path is located in the phone’s settings rather than directly inside Google Maps. Open Settings, select Location, open Location Services, choose Timeline, and then select Export Timeline data. Save the resulting file in a location such as Downloads.
On iPhone, open Google Maps, tap your profile picture, select Settings, open Personal Content, and choose Export Timeline data. Save the JSON file somewhere accessible from Safari or the Files app.
Google Takeout can also be useful when an older archive is available. Open the official Google Takeout page, select the relevant location-history data, and create an export when the option is offered for your account.
| Device or Method | Export Location | Typical Result |
|---|---|---|
| Android | Settings → Location → Location Services → Timeline | Phone Timeline JSON export |
| iPhone | Google Maps → Profile → Settings → Personal Content | Timeline data export |
| Google Takeout | takeout.google.com | Location-history archive, when available |
| Existing backup | Files, Downloads, or cloud storage | Previously exported JSON data |
Locate Timeline Settings
On Android, open the system Settings app and follow Location → Location Services → Timeline. On iPhone, open Google Maps and navigate through Profile → Settings → Personal Content.
Start the Export
Choose Export Timeline data and wait for the phone to prepare the file. Avoid closing the settings screen until the export is finished.
Save the JSON File
Store the export in Downloads, Files, or another folder you can access from the browser. Use a clear filename that includes the device and date.
Keep a Backup Copy
Make a second copy before experimenting with file conversion, filtering, or cloud import. Your export may be difficult to recreate later.
Location history is sensitive personal data. Keep an untouched backup and do not upload it to an unfamiliar service unless you understand that service’s storage and privacy behavior.
Load Files and Choose a Year
After exporting your data, open the visualizer in a modern browser and drop the JSON file into the upload area. The browser processes the visualization locally, allowing you to inspect the map without signing into Google.
The tool can auto-detect several export structures. If you have files from different Google export methods, multiple files can be loaded together. This is useful when older Semantic Location History files contain place visits while a newer Phone Timeline Export contains paths and semantic segments.
| File Type | Main Content | When to Use |
|---|---|---|
| Phone Timeline Export | semanticSegments and timeline paths | Newer phone-based exports |
| Semantic Location History | Monthly place and activity files | Older Google history archives |
| Records.json | Raw GPS records in E7 coordinates | Detailed point-level analysis |
| Settings and TimelineEdits | Supporting metadata | When the visualizer requests additional context |
Once the file loads, select a year from the available filter. Start with a period that you remember well, such as a recent vacation or a normal work month. Compare the displayed route with your memory to confirm that the file has been interpreted correctly.
Check one known trip, one familiar place, and one activity segment before reviewing long-term trends. This quickly reveals whether the export is complete and readable.
What You Can Explore
- Travel patterns: Review daily commutes, long-distance trips, and changes in movement over time.
- Visited places: Identify locations with arrival and departure information when those details exist in the export.
- Activity types: Separate walking, driving, cycling, transit, and stationary periods.
- Year-by-year changes: Compare how frequently you traveled or which areas you visited.
- Forgotten memories: Use older routes and place records to rediscover past events.
The visualizer is not a replacement for the original Google account data. It is a viewer for files you still possess. If a historical export is incomplete, the map cannot recreate records that were never included in the file.
| Review Task | Recommended Filter | Result |
|---|---|---|
| Validate the export | One recent month | Faster loading and easier comparison |
| Inspect a road trip | Trip dates or travel year | Clearer route animation and path review |
| Find old places | Older year with place data | Better memory and location discovery |
| Compare routines | Same month across years | More consistent pattern analysis |
Privacy, Map Tiles, and Performance
Local browser processing is the central privacy advantage of this workflow. The JSON file stays on your device while JavaScript reads and renders the data. Closing the tab removes the active session, unless you deliberately choose an optional account or cloud-import action.
There is an important distinction between your location file and the map background. The visualizer can process your JSON locally, but map tiles are served by an external map provider. Rendering a particular area may therefore reveal which map region your browser requested, even though the raw location file is not uploaded.
The tool’s optional “Save to my Dawarich account” action has a different privacy model. That action uploads the selected file to Dawarich Cloud for import. Do not select it if your goal is browser-only inspection.
| Data Action | File Upload | Main Consideration |
|---|---|---|
| Local visualization | No raw JSON upload | Map tiles may still be requested |
| Close the browser tab | Active session ends | Keep a backup if you need future access |
| Save to Dawarich account | Yes, to cloud storage | Review the service’s account policy |
| Load multiple files | Browser processes selected files | Larger datasets need more memory and time |
Large exports can take longer to process. A file containing hundreds of thousands of points may require patience, especially on older computers. Use the year filter and load fewer files when the browser becomes unresponsive.
“Local visualization” does not mean that every network request disappears. The location JSON can remain on-device while map tiles still disclose the areas being rendered to the tile provider.
Performance Tips
- Start with one JSON file and a single year.
- Close demanding browser tabs before loading a large archive.
- Avoid repeatedly refreshing while a large dataset is processing.
- Use a modern desktop browser for exports spanning many years.
- Keep the original files separate from any reduced or converted copies.
Troubleshooting and Best Practices
Most setup problems come from one of four causes: the export was saved somewhere unexpected, the file uses an unfamiliar structure, the browser is processing too much data at once, or the user selected an optional cloud action without intending to upload.
If the map is empty, inspect the file name and size first. A JSON file with no usable location records may load successfully but display little or no activity. Try another export method, particularly if an older Google Takeout archive is available.
If only some years appear, the files may represent different export periods. Load the relevant monthly files or combine compatible exports. Do not assume that an absent year is a filtering error; the data may not exist in the backup.
| Problem | Likely Cause | Recommended Fix |
|---|---|---|
| File will not load | Unsupported, incomplete, or damaged JSON | Re-export and preserve the original file |
| Map remains empty | No readable records in selected period | Choose another year or inspect another export |
| Browser slows down | Too many points loaded together | Use one year or fewer files |
| Places appear without routes | Export formats contain different detail | Combine compatible files |
| Privacy concern | Optional cloud action selected | Use local visualization only |
Before You Start:
- Export Timeline data from the correct Android or iPhone menu
- Save an untouched backup of every JSON file
- Test one known trip before loading multiple years
- Confirm whether you are using local viewing or optional cloud import
- Use a year filter when the browser struggles with a large archive
Recommended Workflow
- Export the data from your phone.
- Save a backup in a separate folder.
- Open the browser visualizer.
- Load one file and select a year.
- Verify a familiar route or place.
- Add more files only after the first test succeeds.
- Record which export files correspond to each year.
This workflow makes mistakes easier to isolate and reduces unnecessary processing. It also prevents a large archive from obscuring whether the original export is valid.
Treat every export as a personal archive, not a disposable upload. Label files by device, source, and export date so future troubleshooting is straightforward.
Google Timeline Visualizer FAQ
Q: What is a google timeline visualizer?
It is a browser-based viewer for exported Google location-history files. It can display routes, points, places, activity segments, and year-based movement without requiring the Google Maps web Timeline.
Q: How do I export Google Timeline data on Android in 2026?
Open Android Settings, select Location, open Location Services, choose Timeline, and select Export Timeline data. Save the resulting JSON file somewhere accessible from your computer or browser.
Q: Can I use Google Timeline data from an iPhone?
Yes. In Google Maps, open your profile, select Settings, choose Personal Content, and select Export Timeline data. Save the file through the Files app or another available storage location.
Q: Does local visualization upload my location history?
The visualization workflow processes the selected JSON in your browser. However, map tiles are requested from an external provider, and choosing an optional cloud-import action changes the privacy model by uploading the file.
The most dependable setup is to export early, preserve a backup, and begin with a small test dataset. Once one route displays correctly, expand to additional years and compatible file formats. This approach provides a practical way to revisit personal travel history after the Google Maps web Timeline transition.