What Maps Data Is and Why You Might Want to Delete It

Maps data is the location history, saved places, and search records that mapping apps like Google Maps, Apple Maps, or Waze store about where you've been and where you've looked up. Every time you search for a restaurant, get directions, or let the app track your location, that information gets saved to your account. Deleting it means removing those records so the app no longer has that history.

You might want to delete maps data for privacy reasons — to keep your movements private from anyone with access to your account. You might also delete it to free up storage space on your device, or straightforward to start fresh with a clean history. The steps differ depending on which app you use and whether you want to delete everything or just specific searches and locations.

Key Takeaways

  • Google Maps stores your search history and location timeline separately, and you can delete one without deleting the other.
  • On Google Maps, go to your account settings, find "Location History" or "Search History," and choose to delete all data or a specific date range.
  • Apple Maps and Waze store less data than Google Maps by default, but both let you clear your search history through their settings.
  • Deleting maps data from your account also removes it from the cloud, not just from your phone.
  • Some maps data is tied to your Google account rather than your device, so signing out of the app alone will not erase it.

How to Delete Google Maps History on Your Phone

On an Android or iPhone, open Google Maps and tap your profile picture in the top right corner. Select "Settings," then scroll down and tap "Maps history." You will see two separate options: "Search history" and "Location history." Tap whichever one you want to clear.

For search history, tap the three-dot menu and select "Delete all Search history." You can choose to delete everything or select a specific date range. For location history, tap "Delete location history" and choose the time period. If you want to delete only one specific location or search, tap and hold it, then select delete. Keep in mind that deleting location history from Maps does not turn off location tracking for other Google services — it only removes the stored record.

How to Delete Google Maps History on Your Computer

Go to myactivity.google.com in your web browser and sign in with the same Google account you use for Maps. On the left side, click "Maps." You will see all your Maps activity listed by date.

To delete everything, click the three-dot menu at the top and select "Delete all." To delete a specific time period or individual searches, click on each item and select delete, or use the date filter on the left to narrow down what you see. Changes made here will sync across all your devices — deleting something on your computer removes it from your phone as well.

How to Delete Apple Maps History

Apple Maps stores less data than Google Maps by default. On iPhone or iPad, open Maps, tap the search bar, and scroll down to see your recent searches. Swipe left on any search result and tap the trash icon to delete it individually.

To clear all recent searches at once, there is no single button in the Maps app itself. Instead, go to Settings, scroll down to Maps, and tap "Clear History and Website Data" — though this clears data for Safari as well. If you want to delete only Maps data, delete searches one at a time through the app. Apple Maps does not store a location timeline the way Google Maps does, so you do not have a separate location history to delete.

How to Delete Waze History

Open Waze and tap the menu icon (three horizontal lines) in the bottom left. Go to "Settings," then "Privacy," then "Search history." Tap "Clear search history" to remove all your past searches at once. You can also delete individual searches by tapping and holding them.

Waze does not maintain a location timeline like Google Maps. It stores your search history and favorite places, but deleting search history does not affect your saved home or work addresses — those remain until you delete them separately through the "Favorites" section.

The Difference Between Deleting Local Data and Account Data

When you delete maps data through the app on your phone, you are deleting it from both your device and your online account — the two are connected. However, if you only clear your app's cache or storage through your phone's settings, you are only removing the local copy. The data remains in your account online.

To truly remove maps data, always delete it through the app's settings or through your account website (like myactivity.google.com for Google). Clearing cache or storage is useful if an app is running slowly, but it does not erase your history. If you sign out of a maps app without deleting your history first, that history stays in your account and will reappear if you sign back in.

What Happens to Maps Data You Have Already Shared

If you have shared your location with someone through a maps app — for example, sharing your real-time location with a friend or family member — deleting your maps history does not stop that active sharing. You have to turn off location sharing separately through the app's sharing settings. Look for "Location sharing" or "Share my location" in your settings and disable it for each person you no longer want to share with.

Similarly, if you have saved places or lists in Google Maps and shared them with others, deleting your search history does not remove those shared lists. You have to delete the lists themselves if you want them gone. Deleting your personal search history only removes the record of what you looked up — not what you saved or shared.

Frequently Asked Questions

Does deleting maps history stop the app from tracking my location?

No. Deleting your maps history removes the stored record of where you have been, but it does not turn off location tracking. If you want to stop the app from tracking your location, you need to turn off location permissions in your phone's settings. Go to Settings, find the maps app, and change location permission from "Always" or "While Using" to "Never."

Can I delete maps data from a specific date or time period?

Yes, on Google Maps you can select a date range when you delete. On your phone, tap your profile picture, go to Maps history, and choose "Delete search history" or "Delete location history." You will see options to delete all activity or select a specific date range. On the web at myactivity.google.com, use the date filter on the left side to narrow down what you see before deleting.

If I delete my Google account, does that delete my maps data?

Yes, deleting your Google account removes all associated data, including your complete Maps history. However, this also deletes your Gmail, Google Drive, and all other Google services tied to that account. If you only want to delete maps data, delete it through Maps settings or myactivity.google.com instead of deleting your entire account.

Why does Google Maps keep showing me places I searched for months ago?

Google Maps may be showing you saved places or favorites rather than search history. Saved places do not get deleted when you clear search history — you have to remove them separately. Open Maps, find the place, and tap the star icon to unsave it. You can also check if location history is still on and delete specific locations from your timeline.