How-to
How to see a phone’s location history
Where to find location history on iPhone (Significant Locations) and Android (Google Timeline), how long it’s kept, and how families share a daily timeline.
Published by the makers of AI Family Locator. See our product facts and limitations when choosing a location-sharing tool.
Location history answers questions like “Where did I park?”, “Which café did I leave my bag in?” or “Did the kids go straight home?”. Both iPhone and Android can keep it — if it’s switched on.
The short answer: on iPhone, open Settings → Privacy & Security → Location Services → System Services → Significant Locations. On Android, open Google Maps → profile → Your Timeline. To see a family member’s daily route, they need to share it with you through a family locator app.
iPhone: Significant Locations
- Settings → Privacy & Security → Location Services.
- Scroll to System Services → Significant Locations.
- Authenticate with Face ID or passcode to see recent places.
It’s private to the device and shows places, not the full route.
Android: Google Maps Timeline
- Open Google Maps → your profile picture → Your Timeline.
- Pick a day to see places and the routes between them.
- Timeline is stored on the device; back it up in Maps settings if you want to keep it when you change phones.
Comparison
| iPhone Significant Locations | Google Timeline | AI Family Locator | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Shows routes | No | Yes | Yes |
| Shows stops with times | Partly | Yes | Yes |
| Visible to family | No | No | Yes, to your circle |
| Arrival alerts | No | No | Yes |
Location history for families
Personal history is private by design — which is right. When a family wants to share, a family locator shows each member’s day in one place: stops, times and the route between them. AI Family Locator adds arrival and departure alerts, so you don’t have to scroll back through a timeline to know the kids got home. Everyone in the circle can see who sees what, and anyone can pause sharing.
Frequently asked questions
How do I see location history on iPhone?
Settings → Privacy & Security → Location Services → System Services → Significant Locations. It shows places your iPhone visited, stored on the device. You’ll need Face ID or your passcode.
How do I see location history on Android?
Open Google Maps → profile picture → Your Timeline. Timeline is now stored on the phone, so you see it only on that device if Timeline was turned on.
Can I see someone else’s location history?
Only if they share it with you. Family locator apps like AI Family Locator show a daily timeline of stops and routes for members who accepted the family invite.
How far back does location history go?
It depends on settings. Google Timeline lets you auto-delete after 3, 18 or 36 months. AI Family Locator focuses on the recent days that matter for safety.