- google timeline visualizer reads exported Google Timeline JSON directly on your device.
- Export first from Google Maps, Google Takeout, Android settings, or the iOS Files app.
- Protect privacy by keeping files local and avoiding optional cloud import features.
- Validate data with a short preview before processing years of location history.
- Choose filters by year, date range, activity type, places, distance, and route segments.
What Google Timeline Visualizer Does
google timeline visualizer is a browser-based tool for exploring Google location history after the web version of Google Maps Timeline was discontinued. Instead of requiring a Google account, it works with JSON files that you export from your phone or an existing Google Takeout archive.
The visualizer can display individual location points, connected paths, visited places, movement durations, and activity segments. It also provides calendar and year filters, allowing you to examine a single trip without loading every recorded journey into view at once.
The main benefit is local processing. Your selected files are interpreted by JavaScript in the browser, so the data can remain on your device while you review it. The tool can also accept several files together, which is useful when your history is split across monthly exports or different backup formats.
Video Highlights:
- Export location history before attempting to visualize it.
- Keep sensitive timeline files on your device whenever possible.
- Test a short date range before processing a large archive.
- Create an animated MP4 route from compatible timeline data.
| Capability | What It Shows | Best Use |
|---|---|---|
| Calendar view | Daily movement and selected dates | Reviewing a specific day or trip |
| Interactive map | Points, routes, and visited places | Exploring travel history geographically |
| Year filter | Movement patterns across a selected year | Comparing changes over time |
| Activity details | Walking, driving, cycling, and transit segments | Understanding how a route was traveled |
| Route video | Animated map playback exported as MP4 | Creating a private travel recap |
Location history can reveal your home, workplace, routines, and frequent destinations. Work from a private device, keep exported JSON files in a protected folder, and close the browser tab when you finish reviewing the data.
Prepare and Export Your Timeline Data
The visualizer cannot reconstruct history that was never exported or backed up. Start by locating the newest copy of your Google Timeline data, then preserve the original files before making edits or moving them between devices.
Several file structures may be accepted. Records.json generally contains raw GPS records in E7 coordinate format, while Semantic Location History files include place visits, addresses, and activity segments. Newer phone exports may use structures containing semanticSegments and timeline paths. Settings and TimelineEdits files can provide additional metadata.
| File Type | Typical Content | Processing Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Records.json | Raw GPS points and location pings | Often the largest file |
| Semantic Location History | Monthly visits and activity segments | Useful for places and movement types |
| Phone Timeline Export | Newer timeline paths and semantic segments | Exported from Android or iOS |
| Settings and TimelineEdits | Supporting preferences and edits | Helpful when included with a full archive |
Android Export Route
On Android, open Google Maps or the system location settings and locate the Timeline controls. Depending on the device and application version, the path may appear under Location, Location Services, and Timeline. Choose Export Timeline data, then save the JSON files to a persistent local folder such as Downloads.
If the export contains no records, do not continue to the rendering stage. Check whether the device has restored or imported your backed-up timeline data, then repeat the export.
iPhone Export Route
On iOS, open Google Maps, tap your profile avatar, enter Settings, open Personal content, and choose Export Timeline data. Save the result inside the Apple Files app, preferably in a clearly named folder that is easy to locate during upload.
Google Takeout may also provide an older archive. Try the phone export and any existing Takeout archive separately first, then combine compatible files only after confirming that each file opens correctly.
Locate the Timeline Controls
Open Google Maps or the relevant device settings and find the Timeline export option. On Android, check the location and location-services menus. On iOS, use Google Maps settings and Personal content.
Export the JSON Files
Choose Export Timeline data and save the result to a stable local folder. Avoid renaming internal JSON structures unless the tool documentation specifically requires it.
Preserve an Original Copy
Duplicate the exported folder before testing. Keep one untouched copy as a backup and use the second copy for visualization.
Confirm the File Is Not Empty
Check the file size and open the folder contents. An empty or unexpectedly tiny export usually indicates that local Timeline data has not been restored.
If the visualizer reports zero locations, stop and check the Google Maps backup or import status. Repeatedly exporting an empty local database will not restore older history.
Load Files Safely in the Browser
Open the Google Timeline Visualizer in a modern browser and use its file drop area to select one or more JSON files. The tool automatically detects supported formats and combines files when the structures are compatible.
The browser view is designed for privacy-first exploration. Visualization takes place locally, and the files are removed from the active session when the tab is closed. However, an optional feature such as Save to my Dawarich account changes the privacy model because it uploads the file to a cloud account for import. Use that option only when you intentionally want cloud storage.
| Workflow | Data Location | Privacy Profile | Recommended Use |
|---|---|---|---|
| Local browser visualization | Your current device | Highest local control | Exploring personal history |
| Multiple-file local load | Your current device | Local, if no save feature is used | Combining monthly exports |
| Optional cloud save | Dawarich Cloud account | Requires upload | Maintaining an account-based import |
| Route video generation | Your device during rendering | Local output workflow | Creating a shareable MP4 |
Best File-Loading Practices
- Use a private browser window if the device is shared.
- Keep the original export outside the temporary working folder.
- Load one file first when troubleshooting a large archive.
- Add additional files only after the first map renders correctly.
- Avoid sharing raw JSON files because they may contain exact coordinates and timestamps.
- Remove downloaded copies from shared folders after finishing.
The map may initially show a loading state while it processes points and requests map tiles. A large archive can take longer than a short trip file, particularly when it contains hundreds of thousands of location points.
Before You Load a File:
- Create an untouched backup of the exported JSON
- Use a private or personal device
- Confirm the file contains actual timeline records
- Disable optional cloud saving unless intentionally needed
- Close the browser tab after reviewing sensitive history
A successful local review shows a calendar, map geometry, and timeline details without requiring a Google account sign-in. Treat optional account-saving controls as a separate upload action.
Filter Routes and Create a Timeline Video
Once the map loads, start with a narrow time period. Select a year or custom date range, then review the data summary beneath the date controls. The summary can show the number of location points, places, movement time, and total distance available for the selected range.
A short validation render is useful before creating a multi-year animation. Select a minimal duration, preview the route, and confirm that the map geometry follows a sensible path. This helps identify empty files, malformed data, or implausible jumps before the device spends significant processing time.
| Setting | Practical Choice | Result |
|---|---|---|
| Date range | One day, trip, or calendar year | Limits the route to a clear story |
| Duration | Short preview first | Confirms the file and map geometry |
| Camera style | Steady, Fixed, or Dynamic | Controls how the map follows movement |
| Long-distance travel | Balanced compression | Helps represent large gaps between points |
| Output | MP4 video | Creates a local route playback file |
Camera Profiles
- Steady keeps the route centered with a controlled dead zone. It works well for ordinary driving and walking routes.
- Fixed maintains a more stable altitude and viewpoint. Use it when you want consistent framing across a selected period.
- Dynamic adjusts the scale more aggressively. It can make broad journeys easier to follow, but may feel faster during dense local movement.
- Balanced compression is useful for flights and long-distance travel where GPS points may be widely separated.
After previewing, select Create video. The renderer assembles the route and may finish with a zoom-out sequence that reveals the broader journey. The resulting MP4 is stored in the device’s standard media library or local download location, depending on the browser and operating system.
A route video can contain more personal information than a static screenshot. Review the animation before sharing it, especially if it displays your home, workplace, school, or repeated daily route.
Start with one trip or one year rather than an entire archive. A focused range is easier to preview, faster to render, and less likely to expose unrelated private locations.
Troubleshooting and File Compatibility
Most problems come from one of four causes: an empty local database, an unsupported export structure, an overly large first upload, or a route containing sparse or inaccurate GPS points.
If the map stays blank, test a smaller file or a known trip range. If the data summary remains empty, return to the export stage and confirm that the file actually contains records. If a route displays implausible jumps, use a narrower date range and review whether the source contains raw points without semantic processing.
| Symptom | Likely Cause | Recommended Fix |
|---|---|---|
| Zero locations | Empty or incomplete local export | Restore or import the backup, then export again |
| Blank map | File parsing or loading issue | Test one compatible JSON file |
| Raw locations only | Missing semantic processing | Use records for paths and semantic files for place details |
| Browser becomes slow | Very large archive | Filter by year or process files in batches |
| Route jumps across regions | Sparse or inaccurate points | Narrow the date range and inspect the source data |
| Video fails to render | Invalid structure or heavy workload | Run a short preview before a larger render |
The tool is designed to handle substantial archives, but practical performance depends on device memory, browser limits, file size, and the number of points being processed. A staged workflow is more reliable than loading every archive at once.
Recommended Recovery Order
- Close unrelated browser tabs and reopen the visualizer.
- Load a single JSON file instead of a folder containing many files.
- Select a short date range and check the data summary.
- Preview a short route video.
- Add more files or expand the date range only after the test succeeds.
For further details, consult the Google Timeline Visualizer web tool and review its file-format notes before combining exports. The page explains local browser processing, supported data structures, year filtering, place visits, activity segments, and optional cloud saving.
Do not delete unknown JSON keys simply because the file looks dense or difficult to read. The visualizer may rely on nested timeline paths, semantic segments, or metadata that is not obvious in a text editor.
Q: What is google timeline visualizer used for?
It lets you explore exported Google location history in a browser without relying on the discontinued web Timeline interface. You can inspect points, routes, visited places, activity segments, calendar dates, and year-based movement patterns.
Q: Is it safe to upload Google Timeline JSON?
Local browser visualization keeps the file on your device during the session. The optional Save to my Dawarich account feature is different because it uploads the file to Dawarich Cloud. Avoid that option when you want strictly local handling.
Q: Which Google Timeline files are supported?
The tool can detect several formats, including Records.json, Semantic Location History files, newer Phone Timeline Export files, and supporting Settings or TimelineEdits data. Loading one file first helps identify compatibility problems.
Q: Can I visualize several years of location history?
Yes, large archives can be processed, but performance depends on the device, browser, file size, and point count. Begin with a year or trip, verify the map, and then expand the range or combine additional files.