San Francisco, California – Google Maps users recently took to various online platforms to express their frustration over the disappearance of their Timeline data, which is the app’s record of their past locations. The tech giant Google has now acknowledged that this data was accidentally deleted, leaving those without cloud backups unable to retrieve it.
Google spokesperson Genevieve Park explained in an email that a technical issue led to the deletion of Timeline data for certain users. While those with encrypted Timeline backups should be able to restore their data, those without backups enabled are unfortunately out of luck.
Reddit users shared their experiences of receiving similar emails from Google, providing instructions on how to recover the lost data for those who had activated the app’s cloud backup feature. To check if this feature is enabled, users can tap their user icon in the Google Maps app, navigate to “Your timeline,” and look for a cloud icon with either an arrow (on) or a line through it (off). Adjusting backup settings is as simple as tapping the icon.
Last summer, Google had informed users of its transition to on-device storage for location data on Google Maps, allowing users to keep track of their location history without it being tracked on Google’s servers. While this change was made in the interest of privacy, it also introduced the risk of data loss, as evidenced by the recent “technical issue” that resulted in the deletion of Timeline data. Unfortunately, Google’s instructions for data recovery lack a clear method for reimporting data without involving cloud backup servers.
As users grapple with the loss of their Timeline data, Google has confirmed the incident and continues to work on resolving the issue. Those affected are urged to check their backup settings and explore options for recovering their lost data. The situation serves as a reminder of the importance of backing up important information to prevent such incidents in the future.