Export Timeline on Android

On current Android versions, the export control is normally in the phone Settings app rather than inside Google Maps. If an OEM changes the menu names, search Settings for “Timeline” and confirm that you are viewing the Google Location Services entry for the account whose history you need.

  1. Open Phone Settings. Do not begin in the Google Maps website on a computer.
  2. Open Location → Location services → Timeline. On some phones, Location services sits under Security & privacy or a similarly named section.
  3. Select Export Timeline data, then Continue. Review the account shown before creating the export.
  4. Save the file. Choose Downloads or another folder you can find. The common Android filename is Timeline.json.
  5. Keep an untouched copy. Open the saved file directly in Timeline to Video; the tool does not need you to edit or paste the JSON.

Export Timeline on iPhone

On iPhone, export from Google Maps and save the result through the Files app. The exported filename can be Timeline.json or location-history.json depending on the app and export version; the filename matters less than obtaining the current device export.

  1. Open Google Maps. Tap your profile picture and confirm the expected Google account is active.
  2. Open Settings → Personal content. Menu wording may differ slightly after a Google Maps update.
  3. Select Export Timeline data. Let Google Maps prepare the JSON file.
  4. Save to Files. Choose a local or iCloud Drive folder that you can locate again.
  5. Return to the browser tool. Select the saved JSON from Files. Safari should show the filename before any map tiles are requested.

Why Google Takeout may not be the right file

Older Google Takeout Location History archives use shapes that differ from the current device export, and an archive may not include Timeline data that has already moved to local device storage. If the tool identifies an older Takeout structure, restore any available encrypted Timeline backup in Google Maps first, then export a fresh file from the phone.

Changing phones, reinstalling Maps, or resetting a device can make older trips appear missing. Timeline to Video cannot sign in to Google, access an encrypted backup, or restore deleted history. Restoration must happen in Google Maps before a new export is created.

Check the export without exposing it

Confirm that the file is not zero bytes and that its modified time matches the export you just made. Do not upload a location-history file to a generic online JSON formatter; it can contain a detailed record of homes, workplaces, routines, and travel.

Use the local Timeline JSON viewer to inspect the supported date range, or follow the safe troubleshooting guide if parsing fails. Read Privacy for the separate map-tile network boundary.

Timeline to Video is an independent product and is not affiliated with 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.