You can remove your business from Google Search in three ways, depending on whether you own the listing, want it hidden temporarily, or need it deleted permanently
If you created a Google Business Profile for your company, you control it directly — you can hide it, close it, or delete it outright. If Google created a listing automatically (which happens when your business appears in enough online directories), you can claim it first, then make changes. If you want your business to stop showing up in Google Search results altogether, you have options, though some are slower than others.
The fastest route depends on your situation: whether you still want customers to find you through Google Maps, whether you want the listing to exist but be invisible, or whether you want it gone entirely. Each choice takes a different amount of time and affects what people see when they search for your business name.
Key Takeaways
- If you own the Google Business Profile, you can hide it when ready (it stays in your account but stops showing in search results) or delete it permanently (it disappears from your account after 30 days).
- If Google created the listing automatically and you do not own it, you must claim it first through your Google account before you can make any changes.
- Hiding a listing takes effect within a few hours; deletion takes up to 30 days to complete, and the listing may reappear if Google finds new information about your business online.
- Removing your business from Google Search does not remove it from Google Maps or from other websites — those require separate action.
- If your business information appears on data aggregator sites like Yelp or Yellow Pages, removing it from Google will not remove it from those platforms.
How to hide or delete a listing you own
Sign into your Google Business Profile account at business.google.com. Find the location you want to remove from search results. On the left menu, click "Info," then scroll down to find the option to hide or delete the listing.
Hiding the listing means it stays in your account but disappears from Google Search and Google Maps within a few hours. You can unhide it later if you change your mind. This is the fastest option if you think you might want the listing back.
Deleting the listing removes it from your account permanently after 30 days. During those 30 days, you can cancel the deletion if you change your mind. After 30 days pass, the listing is gone from your Google account. However, if your business information appears on other websites (directories, review sites, your own website), Google may recreate the listing automatically based on that information.
If you do not own the listing yet
When a business has been listed in enough online directories or has enough web presence, Google sometimes creates a listing automatically without the owner claiming it. You can tell this happened if you search your business name and see a Google Business Profile you never created.
To take control, go to business.google.com and search for your business by name. Click "Manage this business" on the listing. Google will ask you to verify that you own it — usually by sending a postcard to your business address with a verification code, though some businesses can verify by phone or email instead. Verification typically takes 1 to 7 days.
Once you have verified ownership, you can hide or delete the listing using the same steps described above. Until you verify, you cannot make any changes to how it appears in search results.
What happens when you delete a listing
After you delete a listing, it disappears from Google Search and Google Maps. However, it may reappear weeks or months later if Google finds your business information on other websites. This happens because Google crawls the internet constantly and uses information from directories, your website, social media, and other sources to create listings automatically.
If the listing reappears, you can delete it again. To prevent it from coming back, you can also remove your business information from the data aggregator sites where Google found it — sites like Yelp, Yellow Pages, Apple Maps, and local business directories. This is more work but more permanent. You can also add a note to your website or contact these sites directly to request removal, though they may not honor the request if they consider the information public record.
Removing your business from Google Search without deleting the listing
If you want to keep your Google Business Profile (so customers can still find you on Google Maps or leave reviews), but you do not want your business to appear in Google Search results, you have limited options. Google does not offer a setting that hides a listing from Search but keeps it visible on Maps.
Your best alternative is to hide the listing entirely, which removes it from both Search and Maps. If you need the Maps presence but not the Search visibility, you would need to delete the listing and accept that it may reappear if your business information is published elsewhere online.
How to prevent your business from reappearing after deletion
The most effective way to keep a listing from coming back is to remove your business information from the sites Google uses to create listings automatically. These include data aggregators like Acxiom, Experian, and Neustar, which collect business information and sell it to other platforms.
You can also contact individual directories where your business is listed — Yelp, Yellow Pages, Apple Maps, Facebook, LinkedIn, and local chamber of commerce sites — and request removal. Some will remove you; others will not. Removing yourself from your own website (if you have one) and asking anyone who publishes your business information to take it down will reduce the chances that Google recreates the listing.
This process is slower than straightforward deleting the Google listing, but it is more permanent. If you do not take these steps, expect the listing to reappear within weeks or months.
Timing and what to expect
Hiding a listing takes effect within a few hours. Deletion takes up to 30 days to complete, and you can cancel it during that window. After 30 days, the listing is removed from your Google account, but it may reappear if Google finds your business information elsewhere online.
If you are trying to remove a listing you do not own yet, verification can take 1 to 7 days depending on the method Google offers. Once verified, hiding or deletion follows the same timeline as above.
If your business information is published on many websites, expect the listing to reappear even after deletion. Removing it from those sites first will make the deletion stick longer, though Google may still recreate it if it finds your information in other places.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I delete someone else's business listing?
No. You can only delete a listing if you own the Google Business Profile or if you verify that you own the business. If a listing for your business was created by someone else, you can claim it and then delete it, but you must verify ownership first.
Will deleting my Google Business Profile remove me from Google Maps?
Yes. Deleting the listing removes your business from both Google Search and Google Maps. If you want to stay on Maps but disappear from Search, you cannot do that — hiding or deleting the listing affects both.
How long does it take for my business to disappear from Google after I delete it?
The deletion process takes up to 30 days. You can cancel it during that time. After 30 days, the listing is gone from your account, but it may reappear if Google finds your business information on other websites.
What if my business listing keeps coming back after I delete it?
This happens when Google finds your business information on directories, your website, or other online sources and recreates the listing automatically. Remove your business information from those sites, or delete the listing again when it reappears. Removing it from data aggregators and directories is the most permanent solution.
Do I need to delete my listing from other sites like Yelp or Yellow Pages too?
Not to remove it from Google — deleting your Google listing does not affect Yelp, Yellow Pages, or other platforms. Those sites maintain their own listings independently. If you want to remove your business from those sites as well, you must contact them separately.