Can You Delete a Google Review? It Depends Who You Are
Yes, if you wrote it: open Google Maps, find the review in your profile, select More and choose Delete review. No, if it is about your business: owners cannot delete reviews, only report them to Google. Google removes reviews that break its content policies or the law. A genuine negative review that breaks no rule stays up.
Last updated · reviewed by the Essentras editorial team
The answer by role
Who can delete a Google review, and who cannot
Only the author can delete a review outright, and only Google can remove one. Everyone else, including the business, can report it and let Google decide.
| Who you are | Can you delete it? | What you can do | Details |
|---|---|---|---|
| You wrote the review | Yes | Delete it or edit it in Google Maps, on a computer, an iPhone or an Android device, at any time. | Reviewer steps |
| You own or manage the business | No | Report it if it breaks a Google rule, reply in public, ask the author to update it after you fix the problem, and appeal once if Google says no. | Owner options |
| Yes | Removes reviews that break its content policies or that the law requires it to remove, and filters spam automatically. | What Google removes | |
| Anyone else, including a service you hire | No | Report a review that breaks a rule through Google’s own tools. Nobody has a delete button for someone else’s review. | Owner options |
If you wrote it
Yes: how to delete or edit your own Google review
You can delete or edit your own review at any time, on any device. These are Google’s own steps for each one, read on October 16, 2026.
On a computer
- 1Open Google Maps and sign in.
- 2At the top left, click Menu.
- 3Click “Your contributions”, then “Reviews”.
- 4Next to the review, click More.
- 5Select “Delete review” or “Edit review” and follow the on-screen steps.
On an iPhone or iPad
- 1Open the Google Maps app.
- 2Tap “Contribute”, then “View your profile”.
- 3Scroll and tap “See all reviews”.
- 4Next to the review, tap More.
- 5Select “Delete review” or “Edit review” and follow the on-screen steps.
On an Android phone or tablet
- 1Open the Google Maps app.
- 2Tap “Contribute”, then “View your profile”.
- 3Scroll and tap “See all reviews”.
- 4Next to the review, tap More.
- 5Select “Delete review” or “Edit review” and follow the on-screen steps.
Google’s iPhone and Android pages give identical steps.
No “Contribute” button in your app? Google’s content policy help describes a second route: tap the profile button at the top right, choose “Your Profile”, tap the review, choose “Delete Review”, then confirm with “Yes”. Google’s Report or Fix Content steps
Edit instead of delete
If the business fixed your problem, you can edit the text, change the stars or swap the photos instead of deleting. Google then shows the date of your last edit as the review’s post date, so the update reads as recent.
What happens after you delete it
- It disappears from Google Maps. Google’s help pages describe no way to restore a review you deleted yourself, so copy the text first if you might want it later.
- Your stars stop counting. Google’s score is the average of the ratings published on Google, so a deleted rating drops out of the business’s average.
- The business has no say. A review is its author’s to delete, and Google’s pages mention no notice to the business when you delete one.
Your review vanished and you did not delete it
The business did not delete it: Google says nobody can directly delete someone else’s review. So Google removed it, or it is still waiting on a check.
Why Google removes reviews
- A policy violation. Google says that “in most cases” removed reviews broke a policy, such as spam or inappropriate content.
- A check that is still running. Google checks reviews against its policies, which “might take a few days”.
- Other reasons Google lists: the place has posting restrictions, the content has quality issues or cannot be verified, the place is not eligible for Maps, or the content breaks the law.
What you can do
- Look in your Google Maps profile. Removed content may still show there, marked “Not posted”, “Private”, “Not Accepted” or similar.
- Where the law requires it, Google tells you what it removed, why, and what you can do next.
- Edit and repost. Google says that after reviewing its policies, “you can edit and repost your content”.
- Appeal once. For most violations you can appeal from your Maps profile page. If Google finds it removed the review in error, it restores it. A removal can be appealed only once, and editing or deleting the review cancels the appeal.
Google: Removed & rejected contentGoogle: appeal a content removalGoogle Maps Help: reviews & ratings
If it is about your business
No: you cannot delete it. Here is what you can do instead
A review about your business is not yours to delete, and Google removes it only if it breaks a content policy or the law: “You can report any review, but only those that violate Google policies are eligible for removal.” These are your 6 real options.
Report it under a named rule
If it breaks 1 of Google’s 22 content rules (fake engagement, a conflict of interest, harassment, personal information, off-topic, advertising and the rest), report it with evidence. Google says evaluation “typically takes several days”.
Reply in public
Your reply sits under the review in the business’s name, and the author is notified. You need a verified profile, and Google checks each reply first: usually within 10 minutes, sometimes up to 30 days.
Ask the author to update it
Fix the problem first, then ask once, with no pressure. Never offer anything in return: Google calls incentives to post, change or remove reviews “strictly prohibited”. An edited review shows its new date.
Appeal once if Google says no
If your report comes back “Report reviewed - no policy violation”, you get a one-time appeal for up to 10 reviews. Google emails the result.
Use the legal route for false facts
A review that states specific false facts about your business can go to Google’s legal removal request, decided under local law, country by country.
Report the account behind it
If 1 account posts abusive content, Google lets owners report the user profile in the Google Maps app: tap “Business”, then “Reviews”, tap the user’s name, then More and “Report”.
What owners cannot do
- Delete a review, hide it or switch reviews off. Google’s help pages describe no owner setting for any of these. Google decides where reviews appear: they are “available only in certain countries or regions and for certain business categories”, and that availability “may change over time”.
- Pay Google to take a review down. Google’s pages describe no paid route: reporting, the appeal and legal requests cost nothing.
- Pay or reward the author to change or remove it. Google prohibits it, and it can count against your profile.
- Get a review removed for being negative, unfair or old. Google says: “Do not report a review just because you disagree with it or dislike it.” It also says it “doesn’t get involved in conflict between businesses and customers.”
Not every review on your profile is a Google review
Business Profiles can show reviews from other websites. Google says you “can’t stop reviews from other websites” and should contact that website about any of them. In the European Economic Area, businesses can report them directly on Google.
Is it a genuine negative review? Reporting will not help. What works is in our guide to negative Google reviews: replies, follow-ups and a calculator for how many new reviews outweigh it.
Free tool
Is your review removable? Check it against Google’s 22 rules
Pick what the review contains and get the rule it likely breaks, where to report it, the evidence to attach, what timing to expect and what to do if Google says no. Honest answers, including “this one will probably stay up”.
Open the free policy checkerWhat Google removes
When Google removes a review on its own
Google removes reviews that break its content policies or the law, whether or not anyone reports them. It says it uses “a combination of people and machine-learning algorithms” to find policy-violating content.
| Why Google removes it | What Google says | Source |
|---|---|---|
| It breaks a content policy | Fake engagement, conflicts of interest, harassment, hate speech, personal information, profanity, off-topic content, advertising and the rest of the 22 rules. Google generally removes a full post even if only 1 part breaks a rule. | Maps user-generated content policy |
| The law requires it | Google says it removes content “to comply with legal obligations”. Owners can ask for this through Google’s legal removal request, for example when a review is defamatory. | Maps user-generated content policy |
| Its spam filter catches it | Automated spam detection removes reviews identified as spam. Google says the system “may also mistakenly remove legitimate reviews” and that you should contact support if it does. | Google Business Profile Help |
| The business faked reviews | For Fake Engagement, Google can stop a profile from receiving new reviews, unpublish its existing reviews for a set period, and show a warning that fake reviews were removed. | Business Profile restrictions |
| Reviews are switched off for the place | Google may temporarily disable reviews for some profiles or business categories “to protect business owners”. For profiles primarily categorized as schools for students aged 6 to 18, Google says reviews “will be removed and disabled”. | About missing or delayed reviews |
Google decides every removal, and says only reviews that break its policies are eligible.
Your star rating
What happens to the star rating when a review is deleted
It is recalculated without that review. Google defines the score as “the average of all ratings published on Google for that place or business”, so a review that is no longer published no longer counts. Google says a new review can take up to 2 weeks to show in the score, and gives no time for removals.
How much removing a 1-star review lifts an average of 4.2
| Reviews before | Average before | After removing a 1-star review | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| 10 | 4.20 | 4.56 | +0.36 |
| 25 | 4.20 | 4.33 | +0.13 |
| 50 | 4.20 | 4.27 | +0.07 |
| 100 | 4.20 | 4.23 | +0.03 |
| 250 | 4.20 | 4.21 | +0.01 |
Arithmetic on Google’s published definition, not Google data. The fewer reviews you have, the more each one moves the average.
Who deleted it?
Can you see who deleted a Google review?
Not directly. Google’s help pages describe no notice that tells an owner whether the author deleted a review or Google removed it. You can see the outcome of every review you reported, and you can always see who wrote a review: Google does not allow anonymous reviews.
| What you notice | What it usually means, according to Google | What to do |
|---|---|---|
| A review you reported is gone | Google removed it. The Reviews Management Tool and the Reports section of the Google Maps app track your reports, for example “Content removed”. | Watch for a repost, and report it under the same rule. |
| A review changed its words, stars or date | The author edited it. Google shows the date of the last edit as the post date. | Reply again if your old reply no longer fits. |
| A new review is not showing yet | Google checks reviews against its policies first, which “might take a few days”. | Wait a few days before you assume it was removed. |
| Reviews went missing after you merged profiles | Google says reviews from both profiles can take a few days to show on Search and Maps. | Wait, then contact support if they do not return. |
| Real customers’ reviews vanished | Automated spam detection can remove legitimate reviews by mistake, and reviews can go missing after a profile is reinstated. | Contact Business Profile support with the reviewer names and dates. |
| Reviews hidden, or a warning banner on your profile | A restriction, typically after fake reviews: Google can unpublish reviews for a set period and show a banner saying suspicious reviews were removed. | Google emails owners before a restriction, and you can appeal it. |
| A review vanished and you did nothing | The author deleted it, or Google removed it. Google’s pages describe no way for an owner to tell which. | Nothing. Your score is recalculated without it. |
Can it come back?
Deleted Google reviews that come back
Usually not, but it happens. Google says “We don’t reinstate reviews that were removed for policy violations.” It does restore reviews it removed by mistake, and reviews held for checks can appear days later.
Removed for a policy violation: stays down
Google’s Maps and Business Profile help say the same thing: “Reviews removed for policy violations won’t be restored.”
Removed by mistake: can return
If the author appeals and Google finds the review was removed in error, Google says: “we restore the content.” The Google Maps app even has a status for it: “Content restored”, used when Google finds new information.
Delayed, not deleted: appears later
New reviews can take a few days to clear Google’s checks, and reviews can take a few days to show after 2 profiles merge.
Rewritten: a new version
An author whose review was removed can edit and repost it. If the new version still breaks a rule, report it under the same rule, with the same evidence.
Deleted by its author: gone
Google’s help pages describe no way to restore a review its author deleted.
Google keeps the last word either way: “We reserve the right to either reinstate or take down content, irrespective of whether your report was accepted or not accepted.”
Is the review about your business? Check it first. It is free.
The checker matches it to Google’s 22 rules, tells you where to report it, or says honestly that it will probably stay up. If it qualifies and you would rather not file it yourself, Essentras starts at $499 for 1 review, with a pro-rata refund, per review, if Google does not remove it.
FAQ
Can you delete a Google review? FAQ
Can you delete a Google review?▾
Only if you wrote it. Authors can delete or edit their own review in Google Maps at any time. Business owners cannot delete reviews about their business: they can report them, and Google removes a review only if it breaks a content policy or the law. Google decides every removal.
Can a business owner delete a Google review?▾
No. Google says nobody can “directly delete someone else’s review”, and that includes the business it is about. An owner can report the review, reply to it, ask the author to update it after fixing the problem, appeal once if Google finds no violation, or file a legal request if it states false facts.
How do I delete my Google review on an iPhone or Android phone?▾
Open the Google Maps app, tap Contribute, then View your profile. Scroll and tap See all reviews, tap More next to the review and select Delete review. To change it instead, choose Edit review. Google’s help pages give the same steps for iPhone, iPad and Android.
How do I delete a Google review on a computer?▾
Open Google Maps, click Menu at the top left, then Your contributions and Reviews. Click More next to the review, select Delete review and follow the on-screen steps. To change it instead, choose Edit review. There is no deadline: Google says a review shows until you take it down.
Can I edit a Google review instead of deleting it?▾
Yes. Use the same steps and choose Edit review. Google lets you change the text, the star rating and the pictures you included. The review then shows the date of your last edit as its post date, so readers see it as recent.
Why was my Google review deleted?▾
Google says that in most cases removed reviews broke a policy, such as spam or inappropriate content. Other reasons it lists include posting restrictions on the place, quality issues and content that breaks the law. A business cannot delete your review. Check your Maps profile, then edit and repost it, or appeal once.
Can I get a deleted Google review back?▾
If Google removed it by mistake, yes: appeal once from your Google Maps profile, and if Google finds it was removed in error, it restores it. Reviews removed for real policy violations are not reinstated. Google’s help pages describe no way to restore a review you deleted yourself.
What happens to my star rating when a review is deleted?▾
It is recalculated without that review. Google defines the score as the average of all ratings published on Google for the business, so a removed rating stops counting. Each review weighs more on a small profile: at 10 reviews averaging 4.2, removing a 1-star review lifts the average to about 4.56.
Can you see who deleted a Google review?▾
Not directly. Google’s help pages describe no notice telling an owner whether the author deleted a review or Google removed it. You can see the outcome of reviews you reported, in the Reviews Management Tool or the Reports section of the Google Maps app, and reviews are never anonymous.
Do deleted Google reviews come back?▾
Sometimes. Reviews removed for policy violations are not reinstated, but Google restores reviews it removed in error, for example after the author appeals. Reviews held for policy checks, or after 2 profiles merge, can also appear a few days later. An author can also edit and repost a removed review.
Can you turn off Google reviews for your business?▾
Google’s help pages describe no owner setting for it. Google says reviews are available only in certain countries, regions and business categories, and that availability may change. Google itself may disable reviews for some profiles or categories, and says reviews will be removed and disabled for schools serving students aged 6 to 18.
Can I pay Google to delete a review?▾
No. Google’s help pages describe no paid route: reporting, the one-time appeal and legal requests are free. Paying the reviewer is also out, because Google strictly prohibits incentives to change or remove a review. A service can only use the same free channels for you, from $499 per review at Essentras.
Will Google remove a negative review if I ask?▾
Only if it breaks a rule. Google tells owners: “Do not report a review just because you disagree with it or dislike it,” and its policy allows content that describes negative experiences in a respectful manner. A genuine bad review stays, so your public reply is the tool that works.
Can someone leave an anonymous Google review?▾
No. Google says “You’re unable to add an anonymous review.” Every review shows the name on the author’s About me page, along with their other public contributions, and customers must be signed in to a Google Account to leave a review.
Sources, method and changelog
- Google Maps Help: Add, edit, or delete Google Maps reviews & ratings (computer, iPhone & iPad, and Android versions), read on October 16, 2026
- Google Business Profile Help: Report inappropriate reviews on your Business Profile, read on October 16, 2026
- Google Business Profile Help: Manage customer reviews, read on October 16, 2026
- Google Business Profile Help: Understand review scores for local places & businesses, read on October 16, 2026
- Google Business Profile Help: About missing or delayed reviews, read on October 16, 2026
- Google Business Profile Help: Business Profile restrictions for policy violations, read on October 16, 2026
- Google Business Profile Help: About third-party reviews, read on October 16, 2026
- Google Business Profile Help: Tips to get more reviews, read on October 16, 2026
- Maps User Generated Content Policy Help: Maps user-generated content policy, read on October 16, 2026
- Maps User Generated Content Policy Help: Prohibited & restricted content, read on October 16, 2026
- Maps User Generated Content Policy Help: Report or Fix Content, read on October 16, 2026
- Maps User Generated Content Policy Help: Removed & rejected content for policy violations, read on October 16, 2026
- Maps User Generated Content Policy Help: Appeal Maps user-generated content policy enforcement actions, read on October 16, 2026
How we verified
On October 16, 2026 we read every page listed here, including the computer, iPhone and Android versions of Google’s Maps Help page, and checked each quoted phrase, button label and status word for word against the page text. Google’s pages carry no “last updated” date, so the read date is the only honest stamp. The rating table is arithmetic on Google’s published definition of the score, not Google data.
Changelog
- October 16, 2026: Rewritten as the yes or no answer by role: reviewer steps for 3 device types, the owner’s 6 real options, what Google removes on its own, the star rating math, who deleted a review, and reviews that come back. The full reporting walkthrough now lives on our main guide. Removed an unsourced timing claim and outdated advice to escalate rejected reports to live support.
Related guides
Essentras reports reviews that break Google’s published content policies through Google’s own reporting and appeal tools, and points you to the legal route where a review is unlawful. We are not affiliated with, endorsed by or sponsored by Google. Google decides every removal: we never remove genuine reviews and cannot change Google’s decision. General information, not legal advice.
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