How to turn your Google Maps history into a travel video
Export your history from the Google Maps app, open the file at maptape.com/en/create, tap the trip it finds, add photos and generate the video. It takes about five minutes, installs nothing, is free, and the file never leaves your device: reading and encoding happen inside the browser.
Step by step
- 1Export your history from the Google Maps appProfile picture, Your timeline, three-dot menu, Location and privacy settings, Export timeline data. You get a Timeline.json file on the device.
- 2Open maptape.com/en/create and pick the fileReading happens inside the browser. MapTape finds your trips on its own: each one becomes a card with destination, dates and distance.
- 3Tap the trip and watch the previewThe route draws on the map within seconds, using the same renderer as the final video. You can change the title, the journey length and the camera style.
- 4Add photosUp to 20. Each one lands at the right spot on the route by its location or by the time it was taken, and stays on screen for a few seconds.
- 5Generate and shareThe MP4 is built on your device. Then share through the native sheet, save to your gallery, or copy the ready-made caption for your post.
What the video looks like
The route draws itself in coral over a light map, the camera follows the journey and flights become arcs. At each photo the video pauses and the photo fills the frame, anchored where it was taken. At the end the map pulls back to show the whole trip. The title with destination and dates sits at the top, outside the area Instagram and TikTok cover with their interface.
Frequently asked questions
Do I need to install an app?
No. Everything runs in the browser: Safari 16.4 or newer, Chrome or Edge. If you open the link from inside Instagram or TikTok and the in-app browser cannot generate the video, just open it in Safari or Chrome.
Is my history sent to a server?
No. The file is read by your browser and the video is encoded right there. The only network traffic is the map tiles for the places your route passes through.
What format is the video?
Vertical MP4, 1080 by 1920, 30 frames per second, the format of Reels, Stories and TikTok. No audio track on purpose: you pick the music inside the app when you post, which helps reach.
How long is the video?
It depends on the journey and the photos. The journey lasts 8, 11.5 or 16 seconds, your choice, and each photo adds 3 to 5 seconds. With no photos it is around 15 seconds; with 20 photos it approaches 2 minutes.
Can I pick a date range instead of a detected trip?
Trips are detected automatically from the days you spent away from your home base. For now the video starts from those trips; free date-range selection is on the roadmap.
Is it really free? Is there a watermark?
It is free, with no sign-up to create and no paid plan. The discreet MapTape watermark on the video is what keeps the product running.