Google accidentally deleted users‘ Timeline Data upsetting many who didn’t back up their data.
Earlier this month Google told iOS and Android users to update the settings for their Google Maps Timeline to move primary storage of this data to the user’s device from Google’s servers. Those who don’t follow through could find this information deleted. On Friday, Google sent out an email to some users stating that „a technical issue“ caused the deletion of Timeline data for some users. This appears to be unrelated to Google’s demand that the Timeline data be moved on-device.
In case you’re not familiar with Google Maps Timeline, it is a feature that shows users their past location history. Consider it a personal map showing the trips you made, the places you’ve been to, and the routes you took to get to each place. You’ll need to have your phone’s Location History enabled for the Timeline to capture this information about your travels.
The email sent by Google yesterday did mention that those with encryption-protected backups saved on Google’s servers might be able to restore their data. Google says that your phone needs to be running the latest version of Google Maps which you can install from the Play Store and the App Store. Go to your Timeline, tap the cloud icon near the top of the screen, and choose a backup to import. If you don’t have backups enabled, you will not be able to recover lost data.
Some Redditors said that with the backup they were only able to restore the last couple of weeks of Timeline data.
