Google Takeout Retro
This task requires you to request your Google Chrome, MyActivity, and YouTube data through Google Takeout.
How to enable Google History Settings
1. Visit the Data & Privacy page (link here). You may be asked to sign in to your Google Account.
2. Scroll down to History settings
3. Make sure Web & App Activity and YouTube History is turned on.
Instructions
1. Tap here to open your Google Takeout. You may be asking to sign in to your Google Account.
2. Tap on Deselect all
3. Scroll down to Chrome and tap the checkbox.
4. Under this, tap on All Chrome data included
5. Tap on Deselect all and only select on History and tap OK.
6. Scroll down to Google Play Store and select it.
If you are on iOS you may not see this option, if this is the case please ignore this step.
7. Scroll down further to Maps and tap the checkbox.
8. Under this, tap on "All Maps data included.”, deselect Photos contribution and tap Ok.
9. Scroll down to My Activity and tap the checkbox.
10. Tap on Multiple formats and change the file format for Activity records to JSON. Once done tap OK.
11. Scroll down again until you see YouTube and YouTube music and tap on All YouTube data included.
12. Deselect videos and music-uploads. Once done tap OK.
13. Tap on Multiple formats, scroll down and change the file format for history to JSON. Once done tap OK.
14. Tap on Next step and on the next page, tap on Create export.
15. Once your export has been created, you will receive an email. This can take up to 20 minutes.
16. The email should be called “Your Google data is ready to be downloaded”
17. On the email, tap on the Download your files button. You may be asking to sign in to your Google Account.
18. Your export should download automatically, if not, tap on the Download button.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is Google Takeout?
Google Takeout is a service provided by Google that allows users to export data from various Google products.
What if I don’t see the Google Play Store option on iOS?
If you're on iOS and do not see the Google Play Store option, you can ignore this step as the option may not be available.
Why do I need to deselect all services initially?
Deselecting all services helps you to focus on selecting only the specific data types required for this task.
How long does it take for the export to be created?
The export creation process can take anywhere from a few minutes up to a few hours, but we usually find that it's ready within 20 minutes. You will receive an email once it is ready.
What should I do if I don’t receive the export email?
Ensure you check your spam or junk folders and verify that you are checking the correct email account associated with your Google Takeout request.
What can I do if I encounter issues with the download?
Ensure you are connected to the internet, try using a different browser, or contact Google support for further assistance.
I'm scared about sharing my Google data with you. How is my data protected?
We understand your concerns and take data protection seriously. Your data is anonymized to ensure it can't be traced back to you personally. We use encryption and strict access controls to handle your information securely, and only authorised personnel have access to it.
We are transparent about how we use and protect your data, and we comply with all relevant data protection laws and regulations. Your trust is important to us, and we are committed to keeping your data safe.