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Be sure to check out => How to REALLY Turn Off Google Location History for updated information about turning off your Google Location History.
If you use Google Maps or another Google app on your phone, Google may have kept a record of where you’ve been. You might find that information to be a fascinating resource or an unnerving record of your movements that you’d prefer to delete. Either way, you should find out more about your Google Location history.
How to View Your Google Location History
To view your Google Location history, go to your personal Google Location History page. Make sure you’re logged into the Google account that you use on your phone.
You’ll see a calendar in the upper left corner of the page. Choose a time period from the drop-down menu and then click on the date you want to see:
If you have Location History enabled, you’ll see dots with red lines connecting them, showing your recorded locations during that time period. You may need to scroll through different dates to find your Location History.
You’ll also see a graph beneath the map showing the distance traveled from your original location during the day.
You can click on the arrow button in the bottom left corner of the map to watch a moving image of your travels. Follow your journey as the image goes from point to point, reminding you of where you went and when.
Deleting Your Location History
Sometimes you may not want a record of where you’ve been. Perhaps you robbed a bank or were some place you shouldn’t have been, at least not on that date…
You can delete your entire Location History or delete a specific time period. Go to your Location History page and choose either Delete History from this time period or Delete Entire History from the links under the calendar.
Opting Out
If you don’t want your Location History to be tracked, you can turn this feature off on your smartphone. Google has pages that explain how to turn Location History on and off for:
Google’s Reason for Location History
According to Google, “Google Location History lets Google save your location to provide benefits like improved map searches and tailored commute information.”
Google Isn’t Alone
Google isn’t the only company retaining information about your location. Apple also does this with its Frequent Locations feature on the iPhone. See, The Creepiest or Coolest iPhone Feature You Didn’t Know About — And How to Opt Out. Judging from the poll results in that article, it seems that many Wonder of Tech readers aren’t very comfortable about their locations being tracked by their cell phones.
A potentially big difference between Apple’s Frequent Location and Google’s Location History is the location of your information. With Apple you access your location information on your iPhone. With Google you access your location information on the Internet.
If you’re an Android user and wished you had a record of your movements, good news. You probably do. If you’re an iPhone user and took little comfort in Apple’s assurance that the location information remains on your phone, then you might be looking to opt out of Google’s location tracking.
Data: The Price of Free
If you use Google’s search, maps or other services, you haven’t paid any money for their features. But you probably have paid with your data. Before you opt out of location tracking, consider that giving Google data such as your location can actually help you get better service such as maps, traffic, directions, etc. Whether accessing those services are worth the cost of your being tracked is a decision only you can make.
My Location History
Although I’ve been using Google Maps on a smartphone for a long time, my Location History was very sparse. For some reason, Google tracked me in May of 2013 and 2014, but I couldn’t find any other Location History. My settings are for my Location History to be turned on but perhaps my daily routine is a bit too boring to be tracked the other 11 months of the year?
Poll
Do you like Google Location History? Do you find it cool or creepy? Vote in The Wonder of Tech poll:
Your Thoughts
How do you feel about Google Location History? Do you like seeing where you’ve been or will you opt out? Were you surprised that you have a Location History from Google? Share your thoughts in the Comments Section below.
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* Google Location History Map courtesy of Steven Vance via Flickr and Creative Commons.
This is awesome Carolyn! Mine has been turned off. I don’t even using the GPS tracker on my phone. I prefer people to not be able to track my every move, thus one of the reasons I stopped using Foursquare.
Thanks again for sharing this. I’m definitely passing along.
B
Hi Bren, That’s great you know you don’t want to be tracked and have taken steps to avoid it. People need to decide what they’re comfortable with and take action accordingly, which is exactly what you’ve done.
Thanks for sharing this article, Bren!
Ok, so this feature allows Google to build traffic data real time so when we are using google maps as a GPS it can tell us where the slowdowns are and how long it will take to get to our destination.
It used to anyway, but now the paranoids are going freak out about it turn it off. This is why we cant have nice things. We are so afraid of our own shadow we cant work together.
Hello Qadir, Welcome to The Wonder of Tech! You’re exactly right, we are trading our data but getting many benefits in return, such as more accurate traffic information.
Different people have different comfort levels when it comes to privacy. Some don’t want to be tracked at all, others are willing to be tracked if they get something out of it, while some others don’t mind being tracked at all.
The important thing is that we decide what we want and we learn what steps we need to take so that the tracking matches our comfort level. We should have a choice and the ability to opt out of tracking if we don’t like it.
By sharing this information with others, I am hoping that readers can make an informed decision about what works best for them.
Thanks so very much for stopping by and sharing your thoughts with us, Qadir!
Hi Carolyn,
It is a bit creepy. I don’t have it activated on my phone. I was driving yesterday and Simon was tracing location, speed and average speed. For a while the average was only 4 miles per hour! The fastest was 10 miles an hour. That’s useful. I need a record of that to send to local planners and tell them this could be why the economy is slower than in China! That was on a good day and not in the rush hour too! I might try it on my phone just to see what my average is going to the hospital, that 3 miles is a nightmare!
Hi Mike, Lol, I think we were leaving comments on each other’s blogs at the same time!
Wow, that is slow traffic! Congestion on the M40 convinced me to get my first iPhone so I could access Google Maps Traffic.
I’m glad you’ve decided what sharing you’re comfortable with and have adjusted your settings accordingly, Mike!
I don’t like sharing my location, especially not on the Facebook apps which enable it as the default. I’m quite sure I haven’t used location tracking on google before but I didn’t know they recorded it. I’ll have to check this out for all the google accounts I’ve used. Thanks for the neat guide here.
Hi Carolyn,
I am surprised to know about Google location history. But at the same time I found it a good thing from Google. Although, one can choose if they want to get tracked or not, but still there may be people who won’t allow Google or any other app to do so.
Personally I found it great as Its just to make things better.
Hi Aditya, Yes, the reaction seems to be quite mixed. Some people aren’t comfortable with Google tracking them but they can turn this feature off. Others like you find this feature to be very cool.
There is no right or wrong answer, each person can choose for themselves, but the important thing is to be informed so you can make your choice and act on it.
Thanks for sharing your thoughts with us, Aditya!
Hey Carolyn,
I have mine turned off too, I remember you showing me that in an earlier post I think. I was concerned that they might be following me until you explained that I would have to actually enable that for it to happen.
I’ll only use Google Maps if I’m out someplace and need help finding it but I never use a GPS. I make sure I know where I’m going before I ever leave the house. I think I’ve used Google Maps once when I was traveling but you know me, I’m not that spiffy with this technology so it was more trouble to me actually. I know, I’m so sad. I need you to travel with me my dear!
Thanks for sharing this though, your poll stated that so far the majority of us don’t want them tracking us.
Have a great weekend.
~Adrienne
Hi Adrienne, Yes Frequent Locaions on the iPhone is different from your Location History with Google. Even if you use Google search on your phone you may have a Location History.
Be sure to check with the link in this article to make sure Google doesn’t have a Location History for you. If they do, then follow the steps outlined above if you want to turn this feature off.