Andy Walker / Android Authority
TL;DR
- Google Maps users are reporting an error when attempting to transfer their Timeline data to their phone.
- The issue is preventing users from accessing their location history.
- A potential workaround involves using another account logged into Maps, but this solution won’t allow the user to fully restore or consolidate their Timeline.
If you’ve been having trouble transferring your Google Maps Timeline data to your phone, you’re not alone. Users are encountering an error that’s preventing access to the data. There appears to be a workaround, but it’s far from being a perfect solution.
Don’t want to miss the best from Android Authority?
If you’re unfamiliar with Timeline, it’s a feature within Google Maps that tracks where you’ve been and when. It’s something that could be helpful when you need to remember where you’ve been, like if you need to fill out an expense report. In 2023, Google announced that it would retire the feature on Maps for the web. The company later allowed users to back up their Timeline data on their phones. However, it appears some users have had trouble with the migration.
In a tip sent to Android Headlines, one user sums up the issues people have been running into:
For over a year, the Google Maps Timeline backup has not been functioning properly for numerous users. While the backup feature can be toggled on, it remains inactive or results in error messages. A particularly problematic aspect is that after changing the Google account password, neither a new backup can be created, nor can an existing backup be imported or restored. Switching devices or resetting the smartphone does not resolve the issue.
It appears there are several reports just on Google’s support forums that back up these claims. There’s even a report that was submitted as recently as three days ago. Fortunately, it’s not an issue that’s affecting everyone, as our own Rita El Khoury confirmed she was able to back up her data.
It appears Google has yet to comment on any of these reports. As such, there is no official solution to fix the problem. There is a workaround that you can try, but it’s not perfect. This workaround involves using another account logged into Google Maps. The problem is, if you use this method, you won’t be able to fully restore or consolidate your Timelines.
Thank you for being part of our community. Read our Comment Policy before posting.
