Before you export

Open Google Maps once and check that the correct Google account and expected trips appear in Your Timeline. If history disappeared after a phone change or reset, restore any available encrypted Timeline backup in Google Maps first. A local video tool cannot access the Google account or restore the backup for you.

Choose a private folder with enough free space. Timeline JSON is usually much smaller than the finished MP4, but keeping a clearly named untouched copy makes troubleshooting safer.

Android export steps

Names vary between Android manufacturers. If you do not see the exact path, search the phone Settings app for “Timeline” rather than using a web search result that sends you to the retired desktop experience.

  1. Open Phone Settings.
  2. Select Location → Location services → Timeline. Location services may sit under a broader Security & privacy section.
  3. Select Export Timeline data. Review the account, then choose Continue.
  4. Save Timeline.json. Downloads is convenient, but any private folder that the browser file picker can reach will work.
  5. Verify the saved item. Check that it is a JSON file with a non-zero size and a current modified time; do not open and resave it in a notes app.

Open the Android export locally

Open Timeline to Video, select the file, and read the local parser summary before approving map requests. Narrow the date range and apply an endpoint privacy zone before previewing when the first or last recorded stop could reveal home or another routine location.

If the file is rejected, compare it with the empty or invalid Timeline JSON checklist. If you also use an iPhone, the export menu is different; see the iPhone location-history export guide.

Verify Android differences before moving on

Android menu placement can vary by manufacturer, work profile, and operating-system release. If Settings search finds more than one Timeline result, use the entry under Google Location Services and confirm the Google account before saving anything. A file from the wrong profile may be valid JSON yet cover none of the journeys you expected.

After saving, compare the filename, byte size, modified time, and date coverage with the Timeline visible in Maps. Keep the first export untouched and make any copies through the Files app. If the export completes but the browser reports no usable points, update Google Maps, verify that the on-device Timeline finished loading, and create a fresh export before changing parser settings.

Privacy and product relationship

The JSON is parsed in browser memory and is not uploaded to a Timeline to Video server. Map tiles are fetched from a third party after consent, so the map provider may receive the IP address and requested region. This is local file processing, not a claim of complete offline operation.

Timeline to Video is an independent tool and is not affiliated with, endorsed by, or sponsored by Google.

Verification

Sources and review notes

Export paths, platform behavior, encoding capability, and map attribution were reviewed against the relevant primary documentation below. Product behavior was also checked with the local automated suite on August 25, 2026.