Google Maps Timeline Export to Mileage Log – Only at MileageWise
Last updated: March 19, 2025
“Can I use Google Maps to make mileage logs for taxes?”
If the Location history option is activated in your Google account on your phone, Google Maps’ Timeline function displays the places you have visited and the routes you have taken based on your location history, you can also record the places you visit manually on the timeline.
This seems like a good solution if you have to keep a mileage log since you don’t have to worry about recalling (and forgetting) what places you visited or calculating the distances.
That is why we strongly suggest that you turn on Location History in your Google account, which automatically tracks every one of your trips.
If anything happens in the future, you’ll have your trips in Google Timeline. Then, it’ll only take a few simple steps to export Google Timeline from your account and feed it to MileageWise.
Notice
Google has recently relocated Timeline Location History data to local storage on mobile devices. The previous method of downloading through Google Takeout has been inconsistent, with some users able to export their data while others cannot.
Our developer team's top priority is to facilitate the new mobile file format import by 15/02/2025 Our solutions for this transitional period allow you to save your tax deductions.
The good news is that if you have trips in Google Timeline, you can turn them into a completely IRS-compliant mileage log using MileageWise – the only company in the world that offers this solution! 🙂
You can find Google Timeline on the Google Maps app. When Location History is turned on, Timeline shows where you went and how you got there, like on foot, by bike, car, or public transportation.
NEW: Manual action required to save your Timeline
In order to enhance privacy, Google is gradually rolling out major changes regarding the storage of Location History & Maps Timeline – namely it will store your location history (your trips) directly on your phone instead of Google cloud.
By default, Google will auto-delete your trips just after 3 months instead of 18 months, which means that you’ll have to decide how long you’ll want to keep your trips.
If you’re driving for business purposes, those trips are extremely valuable due to mileage tax deduction, so I strongly suggest that you turn Auto-delete off in the Google Maps app as the IRS might check your mileage logs retrospectively for up to 3 years.
In order to save your trips from Google deleting it, turn Location History ON & Auto-delete OFF:
How to find your trips
Open the Google Maps app on your Android phone or tablet.
Tap your profile picture or the first circle that says “Account“, then tap “Your Timeline“
Tap Today at the top to find another day or month. Swipe the calendar left or right and tap a day.
Why isn’t Google Timeline itself enough for tracking mileage for taxes?
There’s no such thing as a dedicated Google Maps mileage tracker: in most cases, Google won’t make a difference between trips taken by car, bus, bike, or on foot.
If Google’s Location History function wasn’t turned on in previous periods, you will not be able to retrospectively backtrack and recreate your mileage log.
The places you visit might not be shown under the correct address = You’ll probably need to merge or separate trips, which again, means extra work.
Google cannot differentiate federal standard mileage rates from reimbursement rates, which means you have to calculate them separately.
Drivers soon realize that Google Maps by itself is not enough. – One must have a mile counter app to track miles.
More and more people contact us with the fact that their Google Timeline and Excel mileage logs involve too much extra touch-up work and a lot of hassle, so they are looking for a simpler solution.
Google Maps Timeline Export to Mileage Log (via Google Takeout)
If you’ve used Google Timeline to track mileage, there is an excellent solution with which Google Maps exports saved places – it is via Google’s own data exporting product, Google Takeout.
3. Choose a file type to compress (we recommend a ZIP file), export frequency, and destination on your computer
4/A. Import the ZIP or JSON file via MileageWise’s Fixed Trip Import
Choose the vehicle and month you would like to create a log for and import the ZIP/JSON file to MileageWise via its Fixed Trip Import section and your IRS-compliant mileage log is just a few clicks away. 🙂
4/B. MileageWise’s Mileage Log Tax Preparation Service will help you create an IRS-Proof Mileage Log from your exported Google file
If you don’t have enough time for the manual import, you can also entrust MileageWise’s mileage log experts to fix your mileage log – it may include the complete preparation of your mileage log, from start to finish. 🙂
Either way, you can be sure that your Mileage Log is 100% IRS-compliant.
As mentioned above, Google has made updates to the Location History feature that could disable your yearly Retrospective Trip Recovery from Google Timeline!
Steps you should take to save your Google Timeline data:
Turn auto delete OFF: Google will change the automatic deletion of the Timeline from 18 months to 3 months by default
Turn location history ON: Location History is turned off by default
Back up your Timeline in the Cloud: Instead of the Google Cloud, the Timeline will be stored on your device by default
Google will introduce these changes gradually on iOS and Android devices and will notify you when your account receives the update.
With our AI-powered feature, you can recreate your past miles and fill in the gaps with ease while ensuring IRS compliance. Embrace the simplicity and accuracy of our solution and maximize your tax savings.
For the future: Why use MileageWise’s Mileage Tracker App instead of Google Timeline?
With the convenience of automatic mileage logging, you can create accurate and IRS-proof mileage logs with the MileageWise Web Dashboard and Mileage Tracker App, even if you log 1000+ trips/month!
It’s far more advanced than GPS tracking
The automatic recording of the MileageWise Mileage Tracker does not continuously use the GPS of your device, it only records the arrivals that are needed for your mileage log.
It doesn’t drain your phone’s battery and data, and you’re not constantly monitored. You can also record your refueling and end-of-month mileage in the mobile app.
Having a mileage tracker app saves you time, energy & money!
At the end of the month, all you have to do is enter the names of the recently visited and recorded clients, and the automatic categorization and assignment of trip purposes will be done for you.
You can add or modify your recorded trips on your computer as needed, and then print your IRS-Proof mileage log.
Our AI-powered trip recommendation gives you extra miles
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The technical storage or access is strictly necessary for the legitimate purpose of enabling the use of a specific service explicitly requested by the subscriber or user, or for the sole purpose of carrying out the transmission of a communication over an electronic communications network.
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