Back up Google Maps Timeline before replacing a phone

Google Maps Timeline now stores visit and route data on the device, not in the old desktop Timeline view. Google offers an opt-in encrypted backup that can be imported on a replacement device, but the backup is per device and changes can take days to appear. Google also says auto-delete must be off to turn Timeline backup on in the documented Android flow. A new phone arriving tomorrow is a bad moment to discover that the old phone held the only copy of years of visits.

Before you start​

Keep the old device powered and signed into the correct Google Account until you verify the import. Update Google Maps. Decide whether you truly want a long-lived Timeline backup; if you prefer automatic deletion, do not silently disable it just to preserve old history. If travel or legal records matter, export a separate copy to a secure location and understand its sensitivity.

Do it step by step​

1. On the old Android device, open Maps, profile picture, Your Timeline. Check that expected recent days appear. If the Timeline option is missing, update the app and check device support.
2. Tap the cloud or Backup control and inspect whether backup is enabled for this device. Google requires separate opt-in for each device; a backup on a tablet is not proof the phone is covered.
3. If you choose backup, review Auto-delete Timeline first. Google's current Android instructions require turning auto-delete off before enabling backup. Decide explicitly whether that retention change is acceptable.
4. Enable Backup and allow time for a current encrypted copy. Check the device entry in Your backups. For an especially important record, use the device's Export Timeline data option and store the export securely.
5. On the new device, sign into the same account, open Maps, Your Timeline, cloud, select the old device backup and Import. Compare several old dates and routes with the old phone.
6. Only after the data is verified on the new phone should you factory-reset, sell or retire the old one. Recheck backup and auto-delete preferences on the new device, which may need its own setup.

Check the result​

Several sampled dates appear on the replacement device and the backup setting matches the intended retention policy. The old device remains available until the import is confirmed.

If something goes wrong​

If the encrypted backup is locked, Google's help may require access to the original device to unlock it. Do not delete backups or reset the old phone while troubleshooting. If an expected day is missing, remember that recent changes can take days to enter a backup; inspect the old device and any secure export.

Know the limit​

Backup is not an instant mirror and is not a substitute for checking the restored data. Timeline deletion or edits on one device may not propagate to another. A location history is sensitive personal information, so an exported file needs the same protection as other private records. Google Maps Timeline backup and import