Deleting a Google review means permanently removing a review from a Google Business Profile. There are two paths: if you wrote the review, you can delete it yourself in 4 steps from Google Maps. If someone else wrote a review on your business, you cannot delete it directly. You can only flag it for a Google policy violation and request that Google removes it.
"How to delete a Google review" means different things depending on which side of the review you're on. This guide covers both: deleting a review you wrote (4 steps, takes 30 seconds) and getting a review deleted from your business profile (a multi-step process that requires Google's cooperation).
Delete a Google review you wrote
If you wrote a review and want to take it down (maybe the business resolved the issue, maybe you posted in frustration, maybe it was the wrong business), you can delete it permanently. No reason needed, no approval required.
On mobile (Google Maps app)
- Open the Google Maps app.
- Tap your profile picture (top right).
- Tap "Your contributions" then "Reviews."
- Find the review, tap the three-dot menu (⋯), and select "Delete review."
On desktop (maps.google.com)
- Go to maps.google.com and sign in.
- Click the hamburger menu (≡) in the top left.
- Select "Your contributions" then "Reviews."
- Find the review, click the three-dot menu (⋯), and select "Delete review."
On Google Search
- Search for "my Google reviews" or "Google Maps contributions" while signed in.
- Google shows your reviews directly in the search results.
- Click "See all reviews" and use the three-dot menu to delete.
What happens after you delete
| What changes | Detail |
|---|---|
| Review disappears | Instantly removed from the business's profile and your contributions |
| Rating recalculates | The business's average star rating updates automatically |
| No undo | Deletion is permanent. No trash folder, no recovery. |
| Photos removed | Any photos attached to the review are deleted too |
| Can review again | You can write a new review for the same business anytime |
Edit instead of delete
If the business resolved your issue and you'd rather update the review than remove it entirely, choose "Edit review" from the same three-dot menu. You can change both the text and the star rating. The review keeps its original date but shows as updated. Business owners appreciate updated reviews: it shows their response worked.
Get someone else's review deleted from your business
If you're a business owner trying to remove a review from your Google Business Profile: you cannot delete it directly. No matter how fake, unfair, or harmful the review is, only the original author or Google can remove it.
What you can do is flag the review for a policy violation and request that Google takes it down. Here's the short version:
3-step summary
- Flag the review: click the three-dot menu next to the review on Google Maps and select "Report review." Choose the policy violation category that fits.
- Report through Google Business Profile: reports from a verified business owner carry more weight. Sign in at business.google.com and report from there.
- Escalate if rejected: appeal with new evidence, contact GBP support, or post on the GBP Community Forum where Product Experts can escalate to Google's internal team.
Google removes reviews that violate its content policies: spam, fake reviews, conflict of interest, harassment, off-topic content, hate speech, and personal information. It does not remove reviews for being negative, inaccurate, or harsh.
For the full 7-step escalation path with evidence templates and timelines, see our complete guide: How to remove a Google review (2026).
"Can you delete a Google review?" Every scenario
| Scenario | Can you delete it? | How |
|---|---|---|
| Delete your own review | Yes | Google Maps → Your contributions → Reviews → Delete |
| Delete someone else's review on your business | No (only flag for removal) | Flag via Google Maps or GBP → Google decides |
| Delete a review from a deactivated Google account | No | The review persists even if the account is deactivated. It may disappear if the account is permanently deleted. |
| Delete a rating-only review (stars, no text) | If it's yours, yes | Same process as any review you wrote |
| Delete an anonymous review | No (only flag) | Anonymous reviews can still be flagged for policy violations |
| Delete a review from Google Maps but keep it on Search | No | Reviews exist in one place: Google Maps. Deletion removes it everywhere. |
What you can't delete (and what to do instead)
These are the reviews that survive every deletion attempt, because they don't break any rules:
- Legitimate negative reviews from real customers. Even if their experience was an anomaly, their review is protected.
- Reviews you disagree with. "The food was mediocre" is an opinion, not a policy violation.
- Old reviews. Google reviews don't expire. A one-star from 2019 still counts toward your average in 2026.
- Reviews from people you can't prove weren't customers. If you can't demonstrate they were never there, Google sides with the reviewer.
For reviews that can't be deleted, the playbook is:
- Respond professionally. A calm, specific reply tells every future reader how you handle problems. Your response is often more persuasive than the review itself. See: How to respond to Google reviews.
- Outweigh with volume. One bad review against 200 genuine ones barely moves your average. 9 ways to get more reviews.
- Use AI-powered removal for policy violations. For reviews that do break rules, automated scanning catches violations you'd miss.