Who google-timeline-visualizer is for#
Travelers who want a shareable year-in-review video
Select the full past year from your Timeline export, choose a duration between 10 and 300 seconds, preview the animated route, and export to MP4. The file goes into your Movies folder and can be shared directly from the app's video library.
Skip if:
You need to combine multiple people's location history into one video. Timeline Visualizer works from a single Google Timeline export and has no merge or multi-user feature.
Privacy-focused users reluctant to upload location data
All rendering stays on device. No account, no data upload, and no analytics mean your GPS history never leaves your phone. The only outbound traffic is CARTO map tile requests, which reveal the map areas being viewed but not the Timeline JSON itself.
Skip if:
You need cross-device access to your exported videos or automatic cloud backup. The app stores everything locally with no sync service.
Developers processing Timeline data in a desktop workflow
The Python script accepts Timeline.json directly and outputs MP4 with configurable camera movement, trip compression, and duration. It runs in a standard Python 3.9+ environment with FFmpeg, making it straightforward to integrate into batch scripts or automation pipelines.
Skip if:
You need live or real-time location tracking. The tool works only from pre-exported static JSON files, not live location feeds.
The problem it solves#
Google Timeline stores years of location history as a JSON file, but offers no built-in way to visualize or replay that data as video. The only way to see your travels animated is to either write your own renderer or hand your personal GPS history to a third-party service that processes it on their servers.
For anyone who wants to answer the question "where was I in 2024?" with something more evocative than a raw map, the existing options are unsatisfying. Paid visualization platforms require a cloud account and upload your movement history to their infrastructure. Building your own path requires FFmpeg, mapping libraries, and significant development time. The result is that most people never see their location history in a useful visual form, even though Google has been collecting it for years.
How it solves it#
On-device video rendering
All processing happens on your Android phone or in your iPhone's Safari browser. Your Timeline JSON is never uploaded; only CARTO map tile requests leave the device to fetch the basemap. The exported MP4 goes directly into your phone's Movies folder with no intermediate cloud step.
Animated map with camera presets
The preview and final video show your route as an animated marker moving across an OpenStreetMap-based map. Choose Steady, Fixed, or Dynamic camera movement. Long-trip compression controls animation timing without altering GPS coordinates. Video durations run from 10 to 300 seconds.
Multiple output resolutions
Export square 480p, 720p, or 1080p videos, plus portrait (1080x1920) and landscape (1920x1080) presets. A 1.5-second ending zooms out to reveal the complete route. Output lands in Movies/Timeline Visualizer on Android 10 and later, with automatic thumbnail generation for the video library.
Exact date range selection
Choose a preset month range or specify exact dates for short trips. Ranges can cross year boundaries. The title template supports {year} and {name} placeholders so every video gets a consistent name automatically. The last chosen range is saved for next time.
Wide Timeline format support
Parses the current Android and iOS direct-array export format, the older semanticSegments schema, and raw location fallback with noise reduction. Handles E7, degree, latLng, string, and geo: coordinate variants. Routes crossing the international date line are supported. Long flights are interpolated along great-circle paths.
Desktop Python alternative
A command-line Python script ships alongside the mobile apps. It requires Python 3.9+, FFmpeg, and the packages listed in requirements.txt. Useful for batch processing or desktop workflows on macOS or Linux where the mobile apps are not a fit.
Strengths and trade-offs#
Strengths
- Privacy by design: no upload, no accountNo Google Sign-In, no location permission, no analytics SDK, and no broad storage access. Your Timeline JSON stays on device; the only outbound traffic is CARTO map tile requests to render the basemap. A privacy disclosure appears before the first Timeline loads.
- MIT license with full source accessThe MIT license means you can inspect, fork, and modify the code without restriction. Unlike proprietary location-history services, you can audit exactly what happens to your data or adapt the renderer to a different basemap or output format.
- Active development with broad format coverageThe repository was created in December 2025 and last updated in August 2026. It handles both the current and legacy Google Timeline export formats, including the semanticSegments schema that older exports use, so historical trip data is not orphaned by format changes.
- Nine-language interfaceThe app ships with English, Korean, Japanese, Simplified Chinese, Traditional Chinese, Spanish, French, German, and Brazilian Portuguese. Language can be changed in Settings at any time or left on System default.
Trade-offs
- -Android APK distributed outside Google PlayThe app is not yet on Google Play. Installing requires downloading the APK from GitHub and enabling 'Install unknown apps' temporarily. Android displays a warning for sideloaded apps. Users who are not comfortable with that process have no standard app-store path available yet.
- -iPhone MP4 export requires Safari 16.4 or newerThe iPhone web app creates MP4 files using the MediaRecorder API with H.264 encoding, which requires Safari 16.4 or later. The tab must stay open during rendering. Other iOS browsers (Chrome, Firefox on iOS) lack the required API and cannot export video.
- -No cloud sync or cross-device backupVideos and the library index are stored locally on the device. There is no sync between devices and no automatic backup. If you switch phones or clear app data, the library index is lost, though the MP4 files remain if you backed up the Movies folder separately.
google-timeline-visualizer vs alternatives#
Timeline Visualizer vs Location History Visualizer Pro
Location History Visualizer Pro is a commercial paid service for converting Google location exports into visual outputs. Timeline Visualizer is MIT licensed, processes everything on-device, and ships as a mobile app rather than a web service.
| Feature | Timeline Visualizer | Location History Visualizer Pro |
|---|---|---|
| License | MIT | Proprietary (paid) |
| Data processing | On-device only | Cloud service |
| Primary output | Animated MP4 video | Web-based visualization |
| Android | APK via GitHub | Via web browser |
| iPhone | Web app in Safari | Via web browser |
Timeline Visualizer is the stronger choice when you want an MP4 file you can keep and share without uploading your GPS history to a commercial server. Location History Visualizer Pro may suit users who prefer a fully managed web interface and do not want to handle APK installation or run a local tool.
Timeline Visualizer vs Dawarich Cloud
Dawarich is a self-hostable location history tracker focused on long-term storage, continuous import, and map-based browsing of your location data. Timeline Visualizer focuses on producing an animated video from a one-time export rather than maintaining an ongoing location database.
| Feature | Timeline Visualizer | Dawarich Cloud |
|---|---|---|
| License | MIT | MIT |
| Deployment | Mobile app or Python script | Self-hosted server (Docker) |
| Primary output | Animated MP4 video | Interactive map dashboard |
| Ongoing data ingestion | No | Yes |
| Server required | No | Yes |
Dawarich is the better fit if you want a persistent, self-hosted dashboard for all your location history with continuous import and search. Timeline Visualizer is the right pick when you want a polished shareable video for a specific trip or year, without running a server.
Install and self-host#
The desktop Python version requires Python 3.9+ and FFmpeg; install the project dependencies before running the visualizer.
```bash
pip install -r requirements.txt
python visualizer.py --input Timeline.json --year 2025 --camera-movement steady --long-trip-compression balanced --output my_trip_2025.mp4
```What it's built on#
- Languages
- KotlinPythonTypeScript
FAQ#
Does Timeline Visualizer upload my location data to any server?
No. All rendering happens on your device. Your Timeline JSON is loaded and processed locally and is never sent to any server. The only outbound traffic is map tile requests to CARTO to render the basemap, which reveals the map areas viewed but not the Timeline file contents.
Is Timeline Visualizer available on the Google Play Store?
Not yet. The Android app is distributed as an APK through the GitHub releases page. You download the APK directly to your phone, enable 'Install unknown apps' temporarily, and install it. Android shows a warning for apps installed outside the Play Store, which is expected behavior for a directly distributed APK.
How do I use Timeline Visualizer on iPhone?
Open the web app at ahn-lab.org/google-timeline-visualizer in Safari. There is nothing to download or install. MP4 export requires Safari 16.4 or newer with H.264 support, and the tab must stay open while the video is created. Add the web app to your Home Screen via Safari's Share menu for quicker access.
Which Google Timeline export formats does Timeline Visualizer support?
The app handles the current Android and iOS direct-array export format, the older semanticSegments JSON schema, and raw location fallback with noise reduction. It parses E7, degree, latLng, string, and geo: coordinate variants, and routes crossing the international date line are supported.
Is Timeline Visualizer free to use?
Yes. The app is MIT licensed and costs nothing. The Android APK is free to download from GitHub. The iPhone web app has no paywall or account requirement. A desktop Python version is also included at no cost. There is no managed cloud tier or subscription.
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