What do I need to get started?

Getting started is straightforward. All you need is a Map and Track account and your location data in a supported format. There are two ways to bring data in:

1. Import data you have already exported. Most forensic tools — such as Cellebrite Reader / Cellebrite Guardian, MSAB XAMN, Magnet AXIOM / Magnet Review, and Oxygen Forensic Detective — let you export parsed location data as CSV or KML. Export it, then import it straight into Map and Track.
   
2. Alternatively, Use the free Map and Track parser. This can be downloaded from the Microsoft Store. If you have the raw extraction from the mobile device (the “zip” or image), our free parser tool will read it and pull out the location data for you, ready to load into the platform.

Supported uploads are KML, CSV, and spreadsheet data (for example Excel files containing coordinates and timestamps). Support for CCR / Cell Tower data is also being introduced and is currently in BETA testing.

Why use Map and Track when I can already plot location points in my forensic software?

Most forensic extraction tools can drop location points onto a map, and they do that job well. Map and Track is built for the step that comes next — turning those raw points into something you can interpret, question, and present.

It works with the location data you have already extracted and adds a layer of analysis and presentation designed specifically for movement data:

• Retrace the journey — thousands of coordinates and timestamps become a clear, visual timeline rather than a cloud of dots.
• Filter by time — isolate a specific day, hour, or window to focus on what matters.
• Intel Zones — draw an area on the map and automatically see when the device entered, when it left, how long it stayed, and how often it returned.
• Movement Analysis — summarise a journey’s route, key stops, and arrival times at a glance.
• Real-world context — view Street View imagery for any point to understand what is actually at a location.
• Court-ready reports — produce clear, consistent visual reports for case preparation and presentation.

In short, your forensic software answers “what points were extracted?”. Map and Track helps you answer “what do they mean, and how do I explain them?” — without replacing your existing tools or the underlying forensic extraction.

Is it safe and secure to load my data into Map and Track?

Yes. Map and Track has been designed to keep your sensitive location data private and under your control.

When you load location data into Map and Track, the analysis is performed locally within your own web browser. This means the browser handles the core processing, including plotting routes, building timelines, running Intel Zone and Movement Analysis calculations, and generating reports and visuals.

Your location data is not uploaded to Map and Track servers for processing.

To support the functionality of the platform during your session, the data is temporarily stored within your browser’s local storage. This allows the platform to work efficiently while you are using it, without transferring your location data to our servers.

Map and Track does not store copies of your uploaded location data, projects, routes, reports, or investigation material on its servers.

What information does Map and Track store?

While Map and Track does not store the location data you analyse, we do store limited account, licensing, and security-related information required to operate the platform.

This may include:

• Account registration details, such as your full name, email address, and organisation.
• Subscription and licensing status.
• Login and session activity.
• IP addresses associated with logged-in sessions.
• Audit logs and security logs.
• Usage and Telemetry Analytics.

This information is used to manage user accounts, control access to the platform, maintain licensing, support account security, detect unauthorised access, and meet relevant security and audit requirements.

Payment and subscription information

Map and Track uses Stripe to manage payments, subscriptions, and licensing.

Payment card details are handled securely by Stripe. Map and Track does not store or have access to your full credit card information. Stripe manages the payment process and subscription billing on our behalf.

Security approach

Map and Track’s security approach is guided by the Australian Cyber Security Centre (ACSC) — the Australian Government’s lead cyber security authority, part of the Australian Signals Directorate (ASD). This includes the ACSC’s Essential Eight mitigation strategies and the Australian Government Information Security Manual (ISM).

You remain responsible for ensuring that you have lawful authority to process any data you load into Map and Track, and that your use of the platform complies with your organisation’s privacy, security, evidence handling, and information management obligations.

Further details are set out in our Terms of Service.

Will I get detailed (per-minute) location history from every mobile device?

No. The amount of detailed location history available varies from device to device, and it depends on three things in particular:

• the operating system — iOS and Android store location data very differently;
• whether location services were switched on at the relevant time; and
• whether the device is extracted before the data is overwritten — the most detailed records are short-lived.

As a general guide, this is the kind of detailed history you can typically expect:

iPhone (iOS 13 and later). The device keeps a rolling window of high-frequency GPS fixes (often around once a minute) in its background location cache — the Apple “Routined” cache (com.apple.routined/Cache.sqlite). This typically covers roughly the last 7 days, and sometimes up to around 30 days on lighter-used devices, before older entries are summarised or overwritten. It is the single best on-device source for reconstructing recent movement, but because it is constantly overwritten, a timely extraction matters. Switching the device off between seizure and extarction may preserve this data.

Android with Google services (most Pixel and Samsung handsets). Google’s On-Device Location History (Google Maps Timeline) builds a history of places visited and routes travelled. By default this is retained for about 3 months, and can be set to 18 or 36 months. It is a processed “semantic” timeline of places and trips rather than a raw per-minute fix log.

At this stage, iPhones produce the most detailed location history for investigators to utalise.

How can I verify that the data Map and Track is showing me is correct?

Map and Track helps you see and present location data clearly, but it does not prove it. Every location you intend to rely on should be checked back against its original source. This is good practice in any investigation, and it keeps your findings defensible.

A simple way to approach it:

1. Go back to the source. Open the same record in the original extraction or forensic tool the data came from. Map and Track works from data you exported, so the source material is always the authority.
2. Confirm the location. Check that the coordinates or place shown match the source record, not just what looks about right on the map.
3. Confirm the time. Check the date and time, and especially the time zone. Times are often stored in UTC and may need converting to local time before they make sense.
4. Confirm the source and type. Understand where the point came from — for example a photo’s GPS tag, a learned “significant location”, or a Wi-Fi/cell reference. Different sources mean different things and carry different reliability.
5. Mind the accuracy. Many points include an accuracy figure (an error radius in metres). A single point is an estimate of where the device was, not a precise pinpoint.
6. Corroborate where it matters. Line key locations up with other evidence such as CCTV, witness accounts, or business records before relying on them.

Treat Map and Track outputs as a clear starting point for review and presentation — always verified against the original material.

Does Map and Track replace my forensic tools or expert analysis?

No. Map and Track is an investigative and analytical aid. It works alongside the tools you already use and does not replace forensic extraction, expert review, or independent verification of the source data. It helps you interpret and present location data — the investigative judgement always remains yours.

Do I need to be technical to use Map and Track?

No. Map and Track is designed for investigators and analysts, not engineers. You bring your exported location data (or use the free parser), and the platform handles the mapping, timelines, and analysis for you. If you can read a map and a timeline, you can use Map and Track.

What happens to my data when I close my browser or log out?

Because your data is processed inside your browser and is never stored on our servers, closing the browser or logging out clears the working data, and nothing is left behind on Map and Track’s side. Always save and export any project files, reports, or visuals you want to keep before you finish.

Can I use Map and Track reports in court?

Map and Track is designed to produce clear, professional visuals and reports suitable for case preparation and courtroom presentation. As with any analytical output, these should be independently verified against the source data, and they are an aid to presentation — not a substitute for expert evidence or a forensic conclusion.