How to Change Year and View Past Locations in Google Maps

Google Maps lets you explore how places have changed over time and review locations you have previously visited. Whether you want to compare an old neighborhood, revisit a vacation destination, or check your own travel history, Google Maps provides several useful features for doing so.

Many users confuse changing the Street View imagery year with viewing their Location History. These are actually two different features. Street View lets you see older images of streets captured by Google’s camera vehicles, while Location History allows you to review places you have visited if the feature was enabled on your Google account.

In this guide, you’ll learn exactly how to change the year in Google Maps Street View and how to view your past locations.

Change Year and View Past Locations in Google Maps [Complete Steps]

Google Maps offers two different ways to explore the past. If you want to see how a street or building looked in previous years, you can use the Street View historical imagery feature. If you want to review your own travel history, you can use Google Maps Timeline, provided that Location History has been turned on for your account.

The following steps explain both methods in detail.

Step 1: Open Google Maps and Sign In to Your Google Account

The first step is to make sure you’re using the correct Google account. Open your preferred web browser and visit Google Maps. If you plan to check your personal location history, click the Sign In button in the upper right corner and log in with the account you normally use on your phone.

If you’re already signed in, verify that it is the correct account by clicking your profile picture. Many people have multiple Google accounts, and their Timeline may appear empty if they are using the wrong one.

If your goal is only to view older Street View images, signing in is not always necessary. However, signing in is recommended because it gives you access to all available Google Maps features, including your saved places, Timeline, and personalized settings.

After signing in successfully, search for the location you want to explore by typing its address, landmark, or business name into the search box.

Step 2: Enter Street View for the Selected Location

Once you’ve found the location, you need to enter Street View.

You can do this by dragging the small yellow Pegman icon from the lower right corner of the map onto a highlighted road. Another option is to click directly on a street photo if one appears in the information panel for that location.

After Street View opens, you’ll be able to look around by clicking and dragging your mouse. You can also move forward or backward along the road by clicking the white directional arrows displayed on the screen.

Street View provides a ground-level perspective that helps you examine roads, buildings, parks, and neighborhoods more closely than the standard map view.

Before moving to the next step, make sure the location has Street View coverage. Remote areas and newly developed neighborhoods may not yet have historical Street View images available.

Step 3: Change the Street View Year

Now comes the part that many users are looking for.

If Google has captured multiple Street View images for the location over several years, you’ll notice a small date displayed near the upper left corner of the Street View window. It may say something like Image Capture: May 2022.

Click the date or select See More Dates if the option appears. Google Maps will display a timeline containing all available Street View imagery for that location.

You can move the slider left or right to choose another available year. After selecting a year, the Street View image updates automatically so you can compare how the area looked during that time.

Keep in mind that you cannot choose any year you want. Google only displays years when its Street View vehicles captured images at that location. Some places have images going back more than a decade, while others may only have one or two available years.

This feature is especially useful for comparing property renovations, road construction, landscaping changes, or neighborhood development over time.

Step 4: View Your Past Locations Using Google Maps Timeline

If you want to review places that you personally visited, you’ll need to use Google Maps Timeline.

Open Google Maps while signed into your account. Click your profile picture in the upper right corner and select Your Timeline.

The Timeline page displays your travel history based on data collected when Location History was enabled on your account.

At the top of the page, you’ll find options to select a year, month, and day. Choose the desired year first, then select a month and a specific date to see where you traveled during that time.

Google Maps may display routes you drove, places you visited, restaurants you stopped at, and the amount of time spent at various locations.

If you frequently travel, Timeline can serve as a personal travel diary, making it easy to remember past trips and daily activities.

Step 5: Enable Location History if Timeline Is Empty

Some users open Timeline only to discover that no locations appear.

In most cases, this happens because Location History has never been enabled or was turned off before your trips occurred.

To check this, open your Google Account settings and navigate to Data & Privacy. Locate Location History under the activity controls section.

If it is turned off, enable it to allow Google Maps to save future visits. Keep in mind that enabling this setting does not recreate older travel history that was never recorded.

After enabling Location History, continue using Google Maps normally. Over time, your Timeline will begin recording your visited locations automatically whenever location services are available on your device.

Step 6: Review Different Dates and Explore Historical Information

Once your Timeline contains data, you can return whenever you want to review previous years.

Select different years, months, and days to browse your travel history. You can also zoom into individual routes, revisit vacation destinations, and review businesses you previously visited.

Similarly, if you’re using Street View historical imagery, you can continue switching between available years to compare changes at the selected location.

These two features work independently. Street View shows how a location has physically changed over time, while Timeline shows where you personally traveled.

Understanding this difference helps you use Google Maps more effectively and prevents confusion when searching for older information.

FAQs

Can I choose any year in Google Maps?

No. You can only select years for which Google has captured Street View imagery. Available years vary depending on the location.

Why can’t I see older Street View images?

Some areas have only one Street View image available. Historical imagery depends on how often Google has photographed that location.

Can I view my past locations without enabling Location History?

No. Timeline only records locations when Location History has been enabled for your Google account.

Is Google Maps Timeline available on mobile devices?

Yes. You can access your Timeline through the Google Maps app or the web version while signed into the same Google account.

Can I delete locations from my Timeline?

Yes. Google allows you to remove individual visits, specific days, or your entire Location History whenever you choose.

Does changing the Street View year affect my Timeline?

No. These are separate features. Changing the Street View year only changes the imagery you are viewing, while Timeline records your own travel history.