Google says it accidentally deleted Maps Timeline data

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Many Google Maps users have reported on forums like Reddit that their Timeline data, Google’s record of where they’ve traveled, has suddenly disappeared. 

Google has now admitted that this data loss was accidental. Unfortunately, if users do not have their Timeline data backed up to Google’s cloud, there is no way to recover it.

A Google spokesperson, Genevieve Park, confirmed in an email to The Verge that a “technical issue” caused the deletion of some users’ Timeline data. 

She explained that most people who had enabled encrypted backups should be able to restore their lost information. 

However, those who did not have backups turned on will not be able to get their data back. 

Some users also received an email from Google with similar information, including steps on how to check and adjust their backup settings.

If you want to see whether your Timeline data is backed up, open the Google Maps app on your iPhone or Android device. Tap your user icon in the top corner, then go to “Your timeline.” 

If you see a cloud icon with an arrow inside it, your backups are turned on. If the cloud has a line through it, backups are off. You can tap the icon to change your settings.

Last summer, Google announced that it was switching Timeline data storage from its servers to users’ devices. 

This change was meant to improve privacy, as it allowed people to keep their location history without Google storing it. 

However, it also introduced a major risk: if anything went wrong with a user’s device, their Timeline data could be lost. 

Although Google Maps does let users export their location history as a file, the company does not provide a simple way to restore this data if it gets deleted. 

The only official way to recover lost Timeline data is through Google’s cloud backup system.

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