Google Maps and other Google-operated services will now automatically delete location history after 18 months, the company announced Wednesday in a privacy-themed blog post.

The 18-month deadline already existed as an option for stored personal information, but Google said it would no longer store user information indefinitely by default.

Instead, location history will be cleared after 18 months, and web and app activity will be automatically cleared in new accounts.

Google's location history can be set to be deleted every three months or not at all. However, the default deletion setting is 18 months.

In other words, even if you know how to enable or disable Google's location history, Google's new privacy move removes some of the responsibility from the user. It also boosts Google's efforts to regain trust after facing backlash last year when everyone realized that Google's service was automatically storing location data.

There are pros and cons to keeping Google's location history. On the plus side, if Google knows your home address and the places you visit most often, it can easily set up navigation between those locations.

However, some people prefer that Google not remember where they are going, especially in case their account is hacked. Others want to avoid targeted advertising.

"We continue to challenge ourselves to do more with less, and today we are changing our data retention practices to make auto-deletion the default for our core activity settings," Alphabet CEO Sundar Pichai wrote in a blog post.

Google will also make it easier to activate incognito mode in Google Maps, Google Search, and Google Maps. iPhone users will be able to activate incognito mode today, and Android users later when they long press their profile picture to activated.

"Privacy is personal. That's why we always strive to put users in control on their own terms, whether it's by allowing them to manage their settings with Google Account proactive tools or by making settings easier to find in Google products," Pichai wrote.