You can edit a review you wrote, but you cannot change someone else's review of you
If you left a review on Google and want to change what you said, you can edit it yourself through your Google account. If someone else left a review about your business or left feedback you believe is false, you have different options — you can flag it for Google to review, but you cannot delete it directly. Google keeps reviews to build trust in their system, so the bar for removal is high.
The process depends on whether you wrote the review or someone else did, and whether you are trying to fix your own words or challenge someone else's.
Key Takeaways
- You can edit or delete any review you wrote yourself by opening it in Google Maps or Search and selecting the edit option from your account.
- Google will not remove a negative review just because you disagree with it — the review has to violate their policies, such as containing hate speech, spam, or off-topic content.
- If you own a business, you can respond publicly to any review, which appears next to the review itself and is often more effective than requesting removal.
- Flagging a review for policy violations sends it to Google's team, but removal can take weeks and is not may provide even if the review seems unfair.
- Reviews are tied to Google accounts, so if someone posted anonymously or under a fake name, tracing them requires legal action, not Google's help.
How to edit or delete your own review
Open Google Maps or Google Search on your phone or computer. Search for the business or place you reviewed. Scroll down to the reviews section and find your review — it will have your name and profile picture next to it.
On a phone, tap your review and look for the three-dot menu icon in the top right corner. Select "Edit review" to change your text or rating, or "Delete review" to remove it entirely. On a computer, hover over your review and the same menu will appear. Make your changes and save. The updated review will show when ready, though it may take a few hours for the change to appear everywhere Google displays reviews.
If you cannot find your review, make sure you are signed into the Google account you used to write it. Reviews are private to the account that created them, so you can only edit reviews from your own account.
When you can request removal of someone else's review
Google removes reviews only when they break specific rules. A review that is straightforward negative or unfair does not may have access to. The review must contain one of these violations: hate speech or slurs, spam or fake content, off-topic material (like a political rant on a pizza restaurant), sexual content, personal information about you that you did not consent to share, or a link to a malicious website.
A review saying "the food was cold and the service was slow" is protected speech, even if you disagree. A review saying "I will not eat here because of the owner's race" or a review that is clearly written by a competitor and not a real customer may be removed.
To flag a review, open it and tap or click the three-dot menu. Select "Flag as inappropriate" and choose the reason that best matches the violation. Google's team will review your report, but this can take one to three weeks. There is no may provide of removal even if you believe the review is unfair.
How to respond to a review if you own the business
If you own or manage the business being reviewed, you have a public response option that often works better than requesting removal. Open the business profile in Google Maps or Search, find the review, and select "Respond" (or the reply icon). Your response appears directly below the review where customers can see it.
A thoughtful response — acknowledging the customer's concern, offering to fix the problem, or politely correcting misinformation — shows other customers that you take feedback seriously. This is more effective than fighting to remove the review, because removal rarely succeeds and a visible response builds trust.
You can respond to any review, positive or negative. Keep your response professional and factual. Responses that attack the reviewer or make excuses often backfire.
What to do if a review contains false information about you personally
If a review includes your home address, phone number, or other personal information you did not share, that is a policy violation. Flag it when ready using the "Flag as inappropriate" option and select the reason related to personal information.
If the review contains defamatory statements — false claims that damage your reputation — you may have legal options beyond Google's removal process. This requires consulting a lawyer, as the standards for defamation vary by location and the burden of proof is high. Google will not remove a review based on a legal threat alone; they need a court order or a formal legal notice from an attorney.
If you believe a review was posted by a specific person and you want to identify them, you will need legal help. Google does not release account information to the public, even to business owners. A lawyer can file a subpoena to compel Google to provide account details, but this is expensive and only worth pursuing in serious cases.
Why Google keeps negative reviews even when they seem unfair
Google's business model depends on reviews feeling trustworthy. If Google removed every review a business owner disliked, the entire system would collapse — customers would know that negative reviews disappear and positive ones stay, making the ratings meaningless.
This means Google errs on the side of keeping reviews up, even ones that are harsh or one-sided. A customer who had a bad experience has the right to say so publicly, and Google protects that right. The trade-off is that you, as a business owner or the subject of a review, have to live with unflattering feedback unless it actually violates policy.
The best defense against a bad review is usually a good response, better service going forward, or a pattern of positive reviews that outweighs the negative one.
How reviews connect to your search history and privacy
When you write a review on Google, it is tied to your Google account and your profile. If you are signed into Google when you search, Google knows you wrote that review. This information is stored in your account activity and can be used to personalize what you see in search results and ads.
If you want to keep a review private, you have limited options. You can delete the review entirely, or you can write reviews while signed out of your Google account — though Google may still connect the review to you based on your device or location. For more control over what Google knows about your activity, review your Google Account settings and adjust your Web & App Activity settings to limit what is stored.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I edit a review I wrote years ago?
Yes. As long as the review is still live on Google and you are signed into the account that wrote it, you can edit or delete it at any time. There is no time limit on editing your own reviews.
What happens if I delete my Google account — do my reviews disappear?
When you delete your Google account, your reviews are usually deleted as well, though it can take a few days for them to disappear from Google's systems. If you only want to remove specific reviews without deleting your entire account, edit each review individually and select delete.
Can I report a review as fake if I think a competitor wrote it?
You can flag it if it violates policy — for example, if it is clearly spam or off-topic. But "I think a competitor wrote this" alone is not a policy violation. If the review contains false claims about your business, you can respond publicly to correct the record, which is often more persuasive than requesting removal.
How long does it take Google to remove a review after I report it?
Google typically reviews flagged content within one to three weeks, though it can take longer during high-volume periods. There is no may provide timeline, and many flagged reviews are not removed even after review. If the review does not clearly violate policy, Google will likely leave it up.
Can I see who wrote a negative review about my business?
Not through Google directly. Reviews are tied to Google accounts, but Google does not share account information with business owners. If you need to identify the reviewer, you would need to work with a lawyer to file a legal request with Google, which is expensive and only pursued in serious cases.