Data preparation

The first thing you should do is acquire your data, even before you install Timelinize. It's helpful to gather it all on your computer or NAS before you begin.

  • Start this process as soon as possible. Aside from having a copy of your data as a backup, some sites/services take up to a week to procure your download files.

  • The more data sources you add to Timelinize, the better it gets. Ideally, add all the data you have from as many data sources that Timelinize supports.

  • Keep your original data even after importing into Timelinize. While Timelinize is in development, it is unstable and you may have to start over. Please be sure to keep your original data backed up.

Data sources

There are many places you can source your data from. The list below has them roughly categorized. Look through it, and for every one that may be relevant to you, follow its instructions for procuring your dataset:

Social

Productivity

Locations

Photo libraries

Messaging

Devices

Cloud Ecosystems

(See their individual services since they include multiple.)

  • Google Takeout
  • iCloud export