You can delete a review you posted yourself, but Google won't remove reviews others wrote about you
If you left a review on Google — whether it's a star rating, text, photos, or all three — you can delete it yourself from your Google account. The process takes less than a minute. If someone else wrote a negative review about your business or left a review you believe is false, deletion is harder: Google removes reviews only if they violate specific policies, like spam or hate speech. A bad review from a real customer, even if you disagree with it, usually stays.
This matters because reviews affect how businesses appear in Google Search and Google Maps, and they shape what potential customers see before they decide to visit or call. Understanding what you can and cannot remove helps you decide whether to delete your own review, respond to someone else's, or report a review that breaks Google's rules.
Key Takeaways
- You can delete any review you wrote yourself by opening it in Google Maps or Search, clicking the three-dot menu, and selecting delete — no explanation needed.
- Google will only remove reviews written by others if they violate its policies: spam, hate speech, off-topic content, or claims you can prove are factually false with documentation.
- Responding publicly to a negative review is often more effective than trying to remove it, because it shows potential customers you take feedback seriously.
- If you own the business, you can claim your Google Business Profile to monitor reviews, respond to them, and report violations more easily.
- Google's review removal process takes days to weeks; there is no faster route, and no one at Google will expedite a removal request.
How to delete a review you wrote
Open Google Maps or do a Google Search for the business, then find your review. On Google Maps, tap or click your profile picture in the top right, select "Your reviews," find the review you want to remove, tap or click the three dots next to it, and select "Delete review." On Google Search, search for the business name, scroll to the reviews section, find your review, click the three dots, and select "Delete."
You do not need to give a reason. The review disappears when ready from your profile and from the business's review list. If you change your mind, you can write a new review of the same business later.
When Google will remove a review someone else wrote
Google has a list of reasons it removes reviews. A review must violate at least one of these policies: it is spam or a fake review posted by a competitor or bot; it contains hate speech or slurs; it is off-topic (for example, a review of a restaurant that talks only about the owner's politics); it includes personal information like a home address or phone number; it is a threat or harassment; or it makes a factual claim you can prove false with documentation.
A review that is straightforward negative, unfair, or based on a bad experience does not violate these policies. If a customer had a poor experience and left a one-star review, Google will not remove it even if you believe the complaint is wrong. The review stays because it reflects that person's genuine experience.
How to report a review that violates Google's policies
Find the review on Google Maps or in the search results. Click or tap the three dots next to the review, then select "Report review." Choose the reason it violates Google's policies from the dropdown menu — spam, hate speech, off-topic, personal information, threats, or false information. If you choose false information, Google asks you to describe what is false and may ask for documentation.
Google reviews reports but does not tell you the outcome. The company says it can take days or weeks to investigate. If the review is removed, you will see it disappear from the listing. If it stays, Google determined it did not violate the policy you reported.
Do not report a review straightforward because it is negative or because you disagree with it. Google's team can tell the difference between a complaint about service and a policy violation, and reporting reviews that do not actually break the rules wastes time and can make your business look defensive.
Responding to a negative review instead of removing it
If you own the business, you can write a public response to any review, positive or negative. This response appears directly under the review and shows potential customers that you read feedback and take it seriously. A thoughtful response to a one-star review — one that acknowledges the problem, apologizes if appropriate, and offers to make it right — often does more to build trust than trying to delete the review.
To respond, claim your Google Business Profile if you have not already. Search for your business on Google, click "Manage this business," and follow the steps to verify you own it. Once verified, go to the Reviews section, find the review, and click "Respond." Keep your response professional, brief, and focused on solving the problem rather than defending yourself.
Claiming your Google Business Profile to manage reviews
If you own a business, claiming your Google Business Profile gives you tools to monitor reviews, respond to them, and report violations more easily. Search for your business on Google, click the "Manage this business" button, and follow the verification steps — usually a postcard with a code sent to your business address, though some businesses can verify by phone or email.
Once verified, you can see all reviews in one dashboard, track how many reviews you get each week, and respond to reviews without logging in and out of different accounts. You can also see which reviews are flagged as potentially violating policies and report new ones directly from the dashboard.
What happens after you report a review
Google's automated systems and human reviewers look at reported reviews to see if they break the policies. This process is not fast. Google does not publish timelines, but most decisions take between three and fourteen days. During that time, the review stays visible to customers.
If Google removes the review, it disappears from the listing and you receive a notification. If Google keeps it, you receive a notification that it did not violate policies. You can report the same review again if new information comes to light — for example, if you get documentation that a factual claim in the review is false — but reporting the same review multiple times without new evidence will not change the outcome.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I delete a review if I am the business owner but did not write the review?
No. You can only delete reviews you wrote yourself. If someone else wrote it, you can report it to Google if it violates policies, or respond to it publicly if you own the business. Claiming your Google Business Profile makes reporting easier.
What if a review has my personal information like my phone number or address?
Report it when ready. Personal information is a policy violation. Click the three dots next to the review, select "Report review," choose "Personal information," and describe what information is exposed. Google usually removes these reviews faster than others because they pose a safety risk.
Can I pay Google to remove a bad review?
No. Google does not accept payment to remove reviews, and no legitimate service can remove a review for you. If someone offers to remove reviews for a fee, they are either scamming you or planning to hack the account that posted the review, which is illegal.
If I delete my review, can the business owner see that I deleted it?
No. Once you delete a review, it is gone from the public listing and from your profile. The business owner cannot see that you deleted it or access the text you wrote. They only see that one fewer review appears on their listing.
How long does it take for a deleted review to disappear from Google?
It disappears when ready from the business's listing and from your profile. However, Google's search index may take a few days to update, so the review might still appear in a Google Search result for a short time before the cached version refreshes.