Can GPS Logger record GPX tracks with the screen off?

Yes. GPS Logger runs a user-visible Android foreground service while recording, so a route can continue while the screen is off or another app is open. Long sessions may still need Android battery settings to allow background activity.

Where are recorded routes stored?

Recorded track history is stored on your device by default. Location data is sent only when you choose a feature that needs it, such as live sharing, exporting to another app, or map/elevation services described in the privacy policy.

Is GPS Logger a Google Maps Timeline alternative?

GPS Logger can replace the parts of Timeline where you want deliberate, private route recordings, daily timelines, maps and exportable files. It is not a hidden always-on recorder; normal recording starts and stops when you choose.

Can I export GPX or KML files?

Yes. You can export individual saved tracks as GPX or KML and create an all-history GPX ZIP backup.

Does live sharing store a route trail on the server?

No. App Cloud live sharing relays the current position only. The current position is overwritten as you move and removed when you stop sharing, with stale cleanup if a device disconnects unexpectedly.

Is an account required?

No account is required to record, view, import or export tracks. Optional App Cloud live sharing uses anonymous service identity behind the scenes to bind and protect share codes.

Free includes GPS recording, the atlas/calendar/places views from visible history, the latest 10 tracks in the app, full stored-resolution single-track export, all-history backup, one GPX import per week, and 15 minutes per day each way of live sharing.

Private GPS logger · Google Timeline alternative

Private route history for Android.

Record walks, hikes, rides and road trips with the screen off. Tap any tracked day to relive stops, movements and moments on a private timeline, then export GPX/KML whenever you need your files.

See the Timeline alternative

Private by default: saved routes stay on your device.
No account: install and record instantly.
No lock-in: export GPX/KML anytime.

GPS Logger daily route timeline showing walks, stops, distance and moving time

Day Story

Map plus daily timeline
Stops, moves and moments
Built from saved tracks

Record GPX tracks

Tap record before a walk, hike, ride, run, drive or field visit.

Relive each day

Tap a tracked day for a timeline of stops, movements and moments.

Export open files

GPX & KML per track, plus an all-history ZIP backup. Always portable.

Share only now

Optional live sharing relays your current position, not a cloud route trail.

Why people use GPS Logger

Replace fragile location history with daily route memory you control.

Use GPS Logger when Google Timeline is no longer enough, when another app keeps GPX behind a wall, or when you need screen-off route recording for a hike, commute, road trip or field visit without creating a social fitness profile.

Recording a misty woodland dog walk — record every trail, keep it private

A family road trip with live location sharing — follow a pet, person or vehicle

A city bike commute at dawn — your commute, mapped automatically

Friends at a ridge viewpoint — every trip joins your atlas

Travel memories and the countries you've visited

A globe dotted with the pins of a lifetime of journeys

What people install it for

Practical GPS logging jobs, not a social network.

Record a route with the screen off

Start a user-visible recording, lock your phone, and keep a clean track for walks, hikes, rides, runs, commutes and drives.

Build a daily route timeline

Turn saved tracks into a private day-by-day history: maps, stops, movements, repeated places, countries and per-track stats.

Move GPX files in and out

Import old GPX tracks, export GPX/KML whenever needed, and keep a full-history ZIP backup outside the app.

Share current location temporarily

Send a resettable code when someone needs to follow your live position. Stop sharing and the live session is removed.

Keep travel and field records

Use route logs for road trips, field visits, mapping checks, outdoor notes, or simply remembering where you have been.

Avoid route lock-in

Use open files and local-first storage so your history remains useful even if you later change tools.

See it in motion

Thirty seconds, from first tap to your atlas.

How it works

Record. Relive. Share — three taps apart.

Record

Tap once and go. It tracks in your pocket while you live your day.

Relive

Tap a day to see the route, stops, movements and notes that made it up.

Send a live dot with a resettable code and a follower limit you set.

Feature set

What the app actually does

Record privately

Start a recording for any walk, hike, ride, drive, run or trip. It keeps tracking in the background and saves your route, distance, duration and speed when you stop.

Daily route timeline

Tap a calendar day to see a map plus a chronological story of walks, rides, stops and moments. It is built live from saved tracks; it does not edit your files.

Your personal atlas

A lifetime map of everywhere you've been, a calendar of tracked days, the places you keep returning to, and countries you have crossed.

Live share, your call

Share your current position with a resettable code and a follower limit you set (1–20). Only your current position is stored, and it's removed after you stop.

Export with no lock-in

Export individual tracks as GPX or KML, or back up your whole history as a GPX ZIP. Open formats, your data, anytime.

Adaptive & reliable

Motion-adaptive tracking reduces GPS frequency when you're still. A foreground notification shows while recording, with optional auto-start after a reboot.

Yours, end to end

No account to record. Routes live on your phone, live sharing is opt-in, and you can reset your share code or delete tracks whenever you like.

Real app screens

A closer look at GPS Logger in everyday use.

Home screen, ready to record — Home — one tap to record

Active recording with live map — Recording — live map & stats

Daily route timeline with stops and movements — Day Story — stops & movements

Lifetime journey map — Atlas — a lifetime of routes

Places atlas — Places — spots you return to

Live share controls — Live share — a code you control

GPS logging guides

Start with the job you searched for.

Timeline

Private Google Timeline alternative for Android route history

Build a day-by-day route timeline you start, stop, export and keep on your own phone.

Tutorial

How to record and export GPX tracks on Android

Step-by-step route recording, background tracking, GPX export and whole-history backup.

Screen off

How to record a GPS track with the screen off on Android

Background location, foreground notifications and battery settings for reliable route logs.

Privacy

Why offline GPS logging matters for privacy

What stays on your phone, when live sharing sends data, and how to keep a private journey map.

Offline maps

How to download offline maps on Android before a hike

Save an OpenStreetMap area to your phone before signal drops, then keep your route map visible.

Elevation

How to correct GPS elevation data on Android

Fix noisy altitude, smooth impossible spikes and recalculate elevation gain from terrain data.

Comparison

GPS Logger vs Strava and social fitness apps

Choose between a private route journal, a training network, or both.

Import & migrate

How to import GPX files on Android

Bring old routes into one atlas from loose GPX files or ZIP backups.

Workflow

Use GPX logs with OpenStreetMap and QGIS

Export portable tracks for mapping, GIS, trip archives and route analysis.

View all GPS logging guides

Built for long, background recordings

GPS Logger runs as a foreground service so recording continues when the screen is off or you switch apps, with a persistent notification while it tracks. Motion-adaptive sampling keeps battery use low, and optional auto-start can resume recording after a reboot.

Your routes, on your device

Routes stay on your phone unless you choose to live-share or export them. Live sharing stores only your current position and removes it after you stop. Map display and diagnostics use service providers described in the privacy policy.

FAQ

Questions people ask before installing

Can it record GPX tracks with the screen off?

Yes. GPS Logger runs a foreground location service while recording, so tracking can continue with the screen off or while another app is open. For very long sessions, follow the in-app battery guidance so Android does not suspend it.

Is this a Google Maps Timeline replacement?

It replaces the route-memory parts for people who want user-started recordings, daily timelines, local-first storage and exportable GPX/KML files. It is not a silent always-on copy of every movement.

Does it record without me starting it?

No. Recording starts only when you start it, and stops when you stop. The one exception is optional auto-start after a reboot, which you enable yourself.

Where are my routes stored?

On your device. Nothing is uploaded unless you choose to live-share your current position or export a file.

How does live sharing work?

You share a resettable code and pick a follower limit (1–20). Anyone with the code sees only your current position on a live map. The position is removed when you stop, and unattended positions auto-delete within 7 days.

Can I get my data out?

Yes. Export any track as GPX or KML, or back up your entire history as a GPX ZIP. There's no lock-in.

Can I import GPX files from another app?

Yes. You can import GPX files you choose, including ZIP backups. The app will show any current import limits before you start.

Can I try it before paying?

Yes. Install the app and record real routes first. If you later need more capacity, the app explains the available options in context.

Record your next route privately.

Start with one walk, ride or drive. Export it as GPX, keep it in your atlas, or simply let your private route history grow over time.