Can You Delete a Google Review? What Business Owners Can and Cannot Do
Short answer: no, a business owner cannot delete a Google review. A review comes down in only four ways: the reviewer deletes it, the reviewer’s account is removed, Google removes it for breaking policy, or a court orders its removal.
What business owners cannot do
- Delete or hide an individual review.
- Turn reviews off for a Business Profile.
- Pay Google to remove a review. Google Ads customers get no special treatment.
- Remove a review just because it is negative or the rating has no text.
What business owners can do
1. Ask the reviewer to edit or delete it
If the review comes from a real customer, the fastest fix is often to solve their problem. Reply politely, take the conversation offline, put it right and then ask whether they would consider updating the review. Never offer money or discounts in exchange for a change. That breaks Google’s rules.
2. Report the review to Google
If the review is fake, off-topic, abusive or from someone with a conflict of interest, report it from your Business Profile. Google reviews the report against its Prohibited and Restricted Content policy. You can appeal once if the first answer is no.
3. Submit a legal removal request
If a review is unlawful in your country, for example because it is defamatory, Google has a separate legal removal form. Expect to explain which law is broken, and consider getting legal advice first.
4. Reply and outnumber it
When none of the above applies, reply professionally and focus on collecting new genuine reviews. A business with 150 reviews and a 4.7 rating is barely moved by one bad one.
What happens if I delete my Business Profile?
Removing or closing your profile does not delete the reviews. The listing and its reviews can remain visible on Google Maps, and you lose the ability to reply. It is almost never a good idea.
How do I delete a review I wrote?
If you are the reviewer, open Google Maps, go to Your contributions, select Reviews, find the review, select the three dots and choose Delete review.
Summary
| Action | Possible? |
|---|---|
| Owner deletes a review directly | No |
| Owner reports a policy-violating review | Yes |
| Owner replies publicly | Yes |
| Reviewer edits or deletes own review | Yes |
| Turn off reviews | No |
If you have reviews that break Google’s policy and would like them handled for you, see our Google review removal service.
Frequently asked questions
Can a business owner delete a Google review?
No. Owners cannot delete reviews. They can report a review to Google, reply to it, or ask the customer to edit or delete it.
Can I turn off Google reviews for my business?
No. Reviews are a standard part of a Google Business Profile and cannot be disabled.
Have a review that breaks the rules?
We dispute it for $9.99. If it is not removed, you get a full refund.
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