- Google Timeline visualizer lets you inspect exported location history in a browser.
- Export JSON files from Android, iPhone, or Google Takeout before importing them.
- Choose a year to review routes, visited places, and activity segments more easily.
- Protect your data by keeping files local and avoiding optional cloud imports.
- Use filters to separate movement, stationary time, and individual visits.
What the Google Timeline Visualizer Does
The google timeline visualizer is a browser-based tool for exploring exported Google location history without relying on the former web version of Google Maps Timeline. Drop supported JSON files into the page, select a year, and review your movement on an interactive map.
The visualizer can display individual location points, connected paths, visited places, arrival and departure details, and activity segments such as walking, driving, cycling, or transit. A calendar-style view helps you move between dates, while year filtering makes large archives easier to navigate.
The tool is especially useful if your Timeline history is now stored on a phone or if you still have an older Google Takeout archive. It does not require a Google account for basic viewing after the files have been exported.
Routes
Trace daily movement, commutes, road trips, and longer journeys on an interactive map.
Places
Review locations you visited, including arrival and departure details when the export contains them.
Activities
Separate walking, driving, cycling, transit, moving time, and stationary periods.
Begin with one year or one smaller export file. This makes loading faster and helps you confirm that the format was recognized correctly.
Main Views and Their Uses
| View | What It Shows | Best Use |
|---|---|---|
| Map | Points, paths, and place locations | Reviewing routes and geographic patterns |
| Calendar | Dates with available timeline activity | Finding a specific day or trip |
| Year filter | Activity grouped by year | Comparing movement across multiple years |
| Activity details | Moving, stationary, and transport segments | Understanding how time was spent |
| Place details | Visits and time information | Rediscovering restaurants, parks, and neighborhoods |
The visualizer can process large archives, including files with hundreds of thousands of location points. Large files may take longer to load, so narrowing the year or starting with a smaller file is a practical way to keep the browser responsive.
Supported Files and Export Formats
Google location data can appear in several JSON structures. The visualizer is designed to auto-detect common formats, and multiple files can be selected together when you need to combine exports.
The most important distinction is between raw GPS records and semantic history. Raw records contain individual coordinate readings, while semantic files organize information into place visits and activity segments. Newer phone exports may use a phone Timeline structure with fields such as semanticSegments and timeline paths.
| File Type | Typical Contents | When to Use It |
|---|---|---|
| Records.json | Raw GPS records using E7 coordinates | Detailed point-by-point route analysis |
| Semantic Location History | Monthly place visits, addresses, and activities | Reviewing trips and meaningful stops |
| Phone Timeline Export | Semantic segments and timeline paths | Newer Android or iOS Timeline backups |
| Settings | Export preferences and related metadata | Keep with the archive when available |
| TimelineEdits | Adjustments and edited Timeline details | Useful when reviewing corrected history |
You do not always need every file type for a basic visualization. If your goal is to inspect recognizable journeys and visited places, semantic history or a phone Timeline export may be easier to read. Records.json is more granular and can create a larger processing workload.
How to Prepare Your Files
Before importing, place the JSON files in a folder with a clear name such as Google-Timeline-2026. Avoid editing the contents unless you understand the schema, because changing coordinates, timestamps, or field names may prevent automatic detection.
A good archive should include:
- The original JSON files without renamed extensions.
- A note identifying the export date and device.
- Separate folders for different Google accounts if needed.
- A backup copy stored offline or in an encrypted location.
- A smaller test file for confirming the workflow.
A file can be valid JSON without being a usable Timeline export. If the map remains empty, check whether the file contains location records, semantic segments, or Timeline paths rather than unrelated account settings.
Export Paths in 2026
The export menu differs by device. Follow the path that matches your phone before opening the visualizer.
| Device or Method | Export Path | Practical Note |
|---|---|---|
| Android | Settings → Location → Location Services → Timeline → Export Timeline data | Save the JSON somewhere easy to locate |
| iPhone | Google Maps → Profile picture → Settings → Personal content → Export Timeline data | Keep Google Maps open until export finishes |
| Google Takeout | Takeout → Location History | Download the archive and locate the JSON files |
| Existing backup | Local archive or phone backup | Use any Timeline JSON you previously saved |
Export availability and menu wording can vary by app version. If one method does not expose the expected option, check the other available export route before assuming the data is gone.
Step-by-Step Import and Setup
Once the JSON files are ready, the browser workflow is straightforward. The key is to verify the first import before adding a large multi-year archive.
Open the Visualizer
Open the Google Timeline Visualizer in a modern browser. The page provides a drop area for Google Timeline JSON files and does not require a Google account for local viewing.
Select Your JSON Files
Drag the files into the drop area or use the file picker. You can add multiple compatible files when combining monthly semantic history or different export formats.
Choose a Year
Select the year you want to inspect. Starting with a single year reduces visual clutter and makes it easier to confirm that the dates were imported correctly.
Inspect the Map and Calendar
Review the map, calendar, paths, place markers, and activity details. Click individual points or visits when you need a closer look at a specific date.
Refine the Results
Use available filters to focus on moving time, stationary time, places, or activity types. Repeat the process with another year when comparing changes.
The first successful import should show recognizable dates or map activity. If you see a loading message for an extended period, wait for the browser to finish processing before refreshing. Large files may require more time because the data is parsed locally.
| Setup Stage | Expected Result | If It Fails |
|---|---|---|
| File selection | JSON file appears in the import area | Confirm the extension is .json |
| Parsing | Timeline data begins loading | Try one smaller file |
| Year selection | Available year becomes selectable | Check whether timestamps exist |
| Map display | Points or paths appear | Confirm the export contains location data |
| Detail view | Visits or activities open on selection | Try semantic history or another export |
Before importing an entire archive, confirm three things: at least one correct year appears, the map shows a known location, and a date opens usable activity details.
How to Explore Routes, Places, and Activity
The best results come from exploring the data in layers instead of displaying every year at once. Start broad, then narrow your review to a date, place, or activity type.
Review a Trip
For a road trip or vacation, select the relevant year and locate the date range on the calendar. Follow the connected path on the map, then inspect place markers to identify overnight stops, restaurants, parks, and other destinations.
Long routes can become visually dense when many points overlap. A smaller date range makes the path easier to read and helps distinguish separate journeys.
Find Forgotten Visits
Use place details to rediscover locations you may have forgotten. Arrival and departure information is most useful when the source file contains semantic place records rather than only raw GPS points.
You can search by reviewing map clusters and calendar dates:
- Select the year that contains the suspected visit.
- Look for a day with visible activity.
- Open place markers near the expected area.
- Compare arrival, departure, and movement details.
- Record useful memories separately if you want a personal travel archive.
Compare Activity Patterns
Activity segments can show how movement changed over time. Compare commuting periods, walking routes, driving frequency, or stationary time between two different years.
| Question | Recommended View | Useful Filter |
|---|---|---|
| Where did I travel? | Map paths and place markers | Date range or year |
| Which places did I visit? | Place details | Individual locations |
| How did I move? | Activity segments | Walking, driving, cycling, transit |
| How long was I moving? | Moving and stationary summary | Activity type |
| How did my routine change? | Two separate year reviews | Year filter |
Timeline records describe detected movement and visits, not personal intent. Treat automatically classified activities as useful indicators rather than perfect explanations of every journey.
Data Review Card Set
Daily Review
Best for checking one date, confirming a route, or inspecting a specific visit.
Trip Review
Best for following connected paths across several days and identifying stops.
Year Review
Best for comparing commuting, travel, and activity patterns over time.
Archive Review
Best for examining multiple export formats after confirming a smaller test file.
Privacy, Limits, and Troubleshooting
The visualizer is designed to process files in your browser. For ordinary visualization, your selected files remain on the device and are removed from the page session when you close the tab. The optional “Save to my Dawarich account” action is different: using it uploads the file to Dawarich Cloud for import.
Because location history is highly sensitive, review the page behavior before choosing any cloud-related option. If you only want to inspect a route, local browser processing is the more privacy-focused workflow.
Privacy Checklist
Before Importing Location History:
- Confirm that you are using the intended browser tab and website
- Keep a private backup of original JSON files
- Use local visualization when cloud storage is unnecessary
- Avoid sharing exported files through public links or chat rooms
- Close the tab after reviewing sensitive location information
Common Problems
| Problem | Likely Cause | Recommended Fix |
|---|---|---|
| File is rejected | Unsupported or unrelated JSON | Try a Google Timeline export or Records.json |
| Map stays empty | No readable location records | Check the file contents and try another export |
| Only some dates appear | Partial backup or limited date range | Combine compatible files or locate an older archive |
| Browser slows down | Very large file or many years loaded | Start with one year or a smaller file |
| Activities look incomplete | Raw records lack semantic labels | Add Semantic Location History when available |
| Data disappears after closing | Local session ended | Reopen the original JSON files for another review |
The tool cannot reconstruct information that was never included in the export. If a backup contains only recent records, older activity will not appear simply by changing the year filter.
As of August 2026, the Google Timeline Visualizer page supports browser-based inspection of exported JSON files, year filtering, map exploration, and multiple common Timeline formats. Use the page’s own instructions alongside your saved archive when testing a new export.
Do not upload or share Timeline files casually. They may contain precise coordinates, home and workplace patterns, timestamps, and a detailed record of personal travel.
Q: What is the Google Timeline Visualizer?
It is a browser-based tool that displays exported Google Timeline JSON files on an interactive map. You can review routes, places, dates, and activity segments without using the Google Maps web Timeline.
Q: How do I export Google Timeline data in 2026?
On Android, use Settings → Location → Location Services → Timeline → Export Timeline data. On iPhone, open Google Maps, select your profile picture, then Settings → Personal content → Export Timeline data. Google Takeout is another possible method.
Q: Does the visualizer upload my location history?
Basic visualization runs in the browser, so the files stay on your device during ordinary use. The optional “Save to my Dawarich account” action uploads a file to Dawarich Cloud for import, so use it only when that storage option is intentional.
Q: Which Google Timeline file should I use?
Use Phone Timeline Export or Semantic Location History for readable visits and activities. Use Records.json when you need detailed raw GPS points. The visualizer can auto-detect several formats and combine compatible files.