You can delete your Yelp account by going to your account settings, but the process leaves some of your data behind

Closing a Yelp account takes about five minutes if you have your password. You go to your account settings, find the "Close Account" option, and confirm the deletion. Yelp will remove your profile, reviews, and photos within a few days. However, your review history may still appear on business pages under "Other Contributors" for a limited time, and Yelp keeps some data in backup systems even after deletion.

The main reason to close an account is privacy — you stop Yelp from collecting location data, search history, and information about which businesses you visit. If you rarely use the account or want to reduce your digital footprint, closing it is straightforward. If you think you might use Yelp again in the future, you could instead deactivate the account temporarily or straightforward stop logging in.

Key Takeaways

  • Sign into your Yelp account, go to Settings, scroll to Account, and click "Close Account" to permanently delete it.
  • Your reviews and photos will disappear from your profile, but Yelp keeps backup copies and may show your reviews under "Other Contributors" for a short time.
  • Closing your account stops Yelp from tracking your location and search behavior going forward, but does not remove data Yelp already collected.
  • If you might use Yelp again, deactivating temporarily is an option — you can reactivate within 30 days without losing your data.

Step-by-step: How to close your account

Log into your Yelp account on a computer or phone. On the web, click your profile icon in the top right corner and select "Account Settings." On the Yelp app, tap the menu icon (three horizontal lines) and go to "Settings," then "Account."

Scroll down to the "Account" section and look for "Close Account." Click or tap it. Yelp will ask you to confirm your password and explain why you are closing the account — this is optional, but Yelp uses the feedback to improve. Click "Close Account" again to confirm. Your account will be deleted within a few business days.

What happens to your reviews and photos after deletion

Your profile page disappears when ready, and your reviews are no longer linked to your name. However, the reviews themselves stay on business pages for a while. Yelp shows them under "Other Contributors" instead of your profile name, so people can still see what you wrote but cannot click through to your account.

This lag exists because Yelp's systems take time to process the deletion across all its databases. The reviews usually vanish completely within 30 days, though some may linger longer on cached or archived versions of pages. If a review was particularly important to a business (for example, if it was flagged as helpful many times), it may take longer to remove.

Data Yelp keeps even after you close your account

Closing your account does not erase everything Yelp knows about you. The company keeps backup copies of deleted data for legal and security reasons, usually for several years. This means Yelp retains records of your reviews, photos, and account history in systems you cannot access, even after deletion.

Yelp also keeps data it collected before you closed the account — your search history, location data from times you used the app, and information about which businesses you visited. Closing the account stops future collection, but does not retroactively delete what was already stored. If you want to know exactly what data Yelp has about you, you can request a copy through Yelp's data read tool in your privacy settings before you close the account.

Deactivating instead of closing: A temporary option

If you are not sure whether you want to delete your account permanently, you can deactivate it instead. Deactivation hides your profile and reviews from public view but keeps your account and data intact. You can reactivate within 30 days by straightforward logging back in, and everything returns to normal.

Deactivation is useful if you are taking a break from Yelp or want to test whether you miss it. After 30 days, a deactivated account is deleted automatically, so if you want to keep it longer, you need to reactivate before that window closes.

Removing your data before closing your account

Before you close your account, you can read a copy of your data. Go to Settings, find "Privacy," and look for "read Your Data." Yelp will send you a file with your reviews, photos, profile information, and account history. This takes a few hours to prepare, and you will receive an email with a read link.

Downloading your data is optional but useful if you want to keep a record of your reviews or photos before they disappear. You can save them to your computer or print them out. This does not prevent deletion — it just gives you a copy for your own records.

What to do if you cannot access your account

If you forgot your password or no longer have access to the email address linked to your account, you cannot close it through the normal process. Go to the Yelp login page and click "Forgot Your Password." Yelp will send a reset link to your registered email address. If you cannot access that email, you will need to contact Yelp support.

Yelp's support team can help you regain access or close the account on your behalf. Go to Yelp.com/support and select "Account & Login Issues." Explain that you cannot access your account and want to close it. Response times vary, but Yelp usually replies within a few business days. Have your username and any information about the account ready when you contact them.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I reactivate my account after closing it?

No. Once you close your account, it is permanently deleted and cannot be reactivated. If you think you might use Yelp again, deactivate instead of closing — you have 30 days to reactivate before it is deleted automatically.

Will closing my account remove my reviews from business pages?

Your reviews will disappear from your profile, but they may stay on business pages under "Other Contributors" for a few weeks while Yelp processes the deletion. Eventually they will be removed completely, though some may linger on cached versions of pages.

Does closing my Yelp account stop Yelp from tracking me?

Closing your account stops Yelp from collecting new data about you going forward, but it does not delete location data or search history that was already collected. If you want to see what Yelp has stored, read your data before closing the account.

What if I have a business account on Yelp?

Business accounts close differently than personal accounts. You need to go to your Business Account Settings and remove yourself as the owner or manager, or contact Yelp support to close the business page entirely. Closing a personal account does not affect any business pages you manage.

How long does it take for my account to be fully deleted?

Your profile disappears within a few minutes, but reviews may show under "Other Contributors" for up to 30 days. Yelp keeps backup copies of all your data indefinitely for legal and security reasons, even though you cannot see or access it.