Google updates Location History privacy tools in Maps

Google Maps
Google Maps (Image credit: Joe Maring / Android Central)

What you need to know

  • Google has improved privacy tools to handle Location History on Maps.
  • Android users will get the ability to pick and choose locations to delete.
  • iOS users now have the Incognito Mode already available on Android.

Google is respecting privacy a bit more with updates to Google Maps. Previously, users could delete all of their location history, or save a specific time range. Next month, Google will allow Android users to pick and choose specific locations to delete from the Location History and Timeline. Users will still be able to delete the entire history at once or decide to keep a stretch of either the last three or the last 18 months of location data.

Android users have enjoyed trying Incognito Mode on Maps, and now the feature is rolling out to iPhone users as well. Incognito Mode will let you hide your activity from your Location History. Users can turn the feature on and off to track activity or avoid being tracked.

To enable Incognito Mode, you will have to open the Google Maps app and then tap on your profile picture. Next, tap on "Turn on incognito mode." Google has noted that even in Incognito Mode, internet providers and other apps on the phone may still have access to location data, even if searches and activity are not being actively stored in your Google Location History.

Philip Berne