Google Maps keeps a detailed record of everywhere you go — here’s how to stop it

Google Maps keeps a detailed record of everywhere you go — here’s how to stop it


Google Maps keeps a log of everywhere you go in its “Timeline.”
You can see where you were on a particular day, how you got there, pictures you took at certain locations and more.
Here’s how to delete all of that data and turn off tracking entirely if you want.

Google Maps tracks everywhere you go on your iPhone or Android phone, and then keeps a log of this information in a “Timeline” that shows you everywhere you’ve been.

This includes a creepy level of detail, like exactly when you left work, when you arrived at home, the exact route you took along the way, pictures you took in specific locations and more. It’ll show you if you were driving, walking or on a train, and any pit stops you might have made during your journey.

Sometimes this information can be useful, like if you want to remember the restaurant you ate at on Nov. 7 and what you did before and after that.
There’s no reason Google needs to know this much information about you, unless you really care about things like Google’s recommendations based on where you’ve been (like restaurants you might like). There are a few ways you can reclaim your privacy.

First, here’s how to delete everything Google Maps currently knows about you.
Open Google Maps on your iPhone or Android phone.
Tap your profile picture on the top-right.
Choose “Your data in Maps.”
Choose “See & Delete activity.”
Hit the menu button on the top-right of the page and select “Settings.”
Choose “Delete all location history.”
I also recommend that you set it up so Google automatically deletes all this location data every three months. 

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