Google Maps adds new features to blue dot, history and timeline will be saved offline

December 14, 2023

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Google Maps will soon start saving your Location History and Timeline on the device itself rather than the cloud, and you will be able to delete all activity related to a location with a few taps.

Google Maps is getting a slew of new features, including on-device location history, timeline creation, and a couple of enhancements to the blue dot that indicates the user’s current location.

The tech giant announced in a recent blog post that users will soon be able to see their recent activity at specific locations and delete their location history, directions, searches, and visits with a few clicks.

For example, if you visit a location in Google Maps, the app will display all activity related to that location and give you the option to delete all data associated with that location. These options will be available within the next few weeks.

Location History and Offline Timeline

Google says the ‘Timeline’ will now be stored on the phone itself for those who have enabled the Location History feature on their devices, with users having the option to back it up to the cloud with encryption enabled.

The tech titan also altered the length of time the Location History is saved. When you first enable the feature on your device, it will only save your history for the previous 90 days. This option was previously set to 18 months, or approximately 548 days. Users will, however, have the option to extend it if they so desire.

The little blue dot on the map that shows a person’s location is also getting some new features. By clicking on it, you can now see if you have Location History or Timeline enabled, as well as whether Google Maps can access your location.

According to Google, users will be notified when these updates are available, and they will be gradually rolled out to everyone on Android and iOS throughout 2024. If you want to keep your Google Maps Location History, don’t ignore the notification when it comes in and extend the time before Google deletes all of your data.