Attention

On December 12, 2023 Google annouced that it will no longer store user's location/timeline data directly on its server. Here is the original blog article. Why's google making this seemingly sudden change you ask? You can read more about Google's rationale here and here.

What does that mean to you?

1. If Takeout is still working for you, only the sections under Takeout Zip File Method apply to you.
2. Once the said change is completely rolled out, you will no longer be able to retrieve your timeline location via Takeout. Follow Json file from you device's instructions.
3. Your location data will be stored directly on your device going forward.
4. By default, it will automatically delete data that's older than 3 months. Once it's delete, it's gone for good. You can change that, however.
5. You can backup your location data to Google's server. Your data will be encrypted end to end.

Table of contents

1. Takeout Zip File Method
   • Overview
   • Instructions
     • Download your location data from Takeout
     • Extension Usage
     • Timeline Tab & Mileage Tab
2. JSON file from your device method
   • Overview
   • Instructions
     • Download your location data from your device
     • Extension Usage
     • Google API Key Setup
     • Timeline Tab & Mileage Tab

Takeout Zip File Method

Overview

Assuming that you've already been letting Google tracking your movements via your smart phone, you can have assess to all your location data for free. This extension helps you siphoning through that massive amount of data and distills them to useful bits of information for you to download in CSV format. This is a great tool for generating reports for your business needs.

Other existing products rely on Google's Timeline API behind the scene. Due to Google's rate limiting on the API, it may be difficult to get data across even just several months. My chrome extension, on the other hand, processes Google's Takeout data, so that it can easily crunch through multiple months worth or even years worth of data in one go.

By the way, it also handles timezone.

Instructions

Download your location data from Takeout

• Visit https://takeout.google.com/
• Make sure you check Location History. Probably should uncheck all the others to keep the file size manageable.
• Click on Next Step.
• Leave the default option as is, ie. frequency should be on export once.
• Click on Create export. Don't unzip the zip file.

Extension Usage

• Click on the red marker near your Chrome's address bar.
• Enter your email and license. You'll only need to do this once.
• You'll be greeted with the following
• Fill in the Start Date, End Date and select a timezone.
• Click on Submit Your Google Takeout Zip File

Timeline Tab & Mileage Tab

The timeline tab pretty much gives you the raw data unadulterated, so if you need more control when it comes to slicing and dicing your data, this view is for you.\ \ The milesage tab lets you filter based on modes of transporation, start, and end locations.

JSON file from your device

Overview

Once again, it's worth noting that by default your data will only be retained for 3 months. Most likely you'd like them to stick around for longer. You change change the retention period on your device.

Instructions

Download your location data from your device

On you phone, go to Settings > Location > Location Services > Timeline > Export Timeline data. Refer here for more information.

Extension Usage

• Click on the red marker near your Chrome's address bar.
• Enter your email and license. You'll only need to do this once.
• You'll be greeted with the following
• Select From Device (new policy) option
• Click on Submit Your location-history.json File from your device
• Click on the Translate Place IDs button. One thing to note is that all the place names and address are showing up as place ids.
• Enter in your Google API Key into the modal dialog and click on Go to start the Place Id -> names and addresses translation process.\ \ Follow the instructions here to create a Google API Key.\ \ NOTE: You have a $200 dollar Google API credit every month. It costs $17 USD per 1000 API calls (place id translation). In other words, you can translate 11764 unique places for free every month.

Create a Google API Key

• Visit https://cloud.google.com/free
• Enter your billing information. You can't skip this. Google needs your bank info or your credit card on file in case you go beyond the quota.
• Once you are landed on the welcome page, visit https://console.cloud.google.com/google/maps-apis. \ Copy and paste your API key somewhere else.\ NOTE You still need to turn on the API service. \ Click on GO TO GOOGLE MAPS PLATFORM
• Protect Your API\ \ I personally choose maybe later. \ Just hit skip for now.
• Turn on Places API\ \ On the side panel, click on APIs & Services.

\ Look for Places API (New) and hit ENABLE to enable Places API.

• Where do I find my API key? On the side panel click on Keys & Credentials. \ \ Click on SHOW KEY

Timeline Tab & Mileage Tab

The timeline tab pretty much gives you the raw data unadulterated, so if you need more control when it comes to slicing and dicing your data, this view is for you.\ \ The milesage tab lets you filter based on modes of transporation, start, and end locations.