
Rita El Khoury / Android Authority
TL;DR
- Google admitted it had a Maps timeline-erasing bug, however there’s a option to get it again.
- These are the steps you need to comply with to revive your deleted timeline (with one main caveat).
- And there are measures you’ll be able to take to at all times make certain your timeline is backed up.
I used to be affected. Years and years of nations, cities, and locations simply gone from my telephone, with seemingly no option to get them again. I had signed as much as maintain all of it backed up, however I didn’t wish to danger making use of it whereas the bug was lively and doubtlessly lose all my information altogether. This accommodates all over the place I’ve been and every little thing I’ve carried out within the final decade or so, and I usually discuss with it to do not forget that one restaurant I went to on trip or the place that €70 cost on my bank card final week got here from. So I waited. On Friday, Google despatched me and different affected customers an e-mail admitting the bug and telling us it’s protected to revive now.

Rita El Khoury / Android Authority
Screenshot
So I did that, and it labored! The foremost caveat is that I had already enabled timeline backups in Google Maps. In the event you didn’t, I’m sorry to say that there’s little or no you are able to do to get your timeline again. Perhaps reverting to an older model of Maps, pre-timeline fiasco, would work, however I haven’t examined that. To revive your backed-up information, listed here are the steps to comply with:
- Ensure you replace Google Maps to the most recent model. I’m working model 25.12.01.737373685.
- Open Google Maps, faucet in your profile image on the highest proper, and go to Your Timeline.
- Faucet the cloud and arrow icon on the highest proper (as proven within the screenshots under).
- On the backup web page that reveals up, search for your account and telephone, and faucet the overflow ⋮ button subsequent to it on the proper.
- Word: Backup ought to have been turned on already, as I discussed earlier. If it isn’t, you’ll be able to’t restore your present timeline. The one factor you are able to do is allow backups now in your Google account so that you just by no means lose your timeline shifting ahead.
- Select Import and make sure it as soon as once more by tapping Import.
The pop-up explains that your system will override the import in the event that they each have information from the identical day. I can even affirm that my outdated timeline information was merged with my new on-device information for the reason that bug occurred, so I didn’t lose something due to the bug. You possibly can clearly see within the screenshot under on the left that I’d utterly misplaced all of my visits, after which the 2 screenshots subsequent to it present that I gained again all my present information.
This bug does depart a bitter style in my mouth, although, concerning Google’s skill to deal with Maps’ new timeline scenario. I’d love to only belief that my information will likely be protected from bugs and misguided deletes, nevertheless it’s robust to say for positive. Worse but, those that didn’t know they may again up their information most likely misplaced their whole timeline for good. No bueno, Google, no bueno.