How to Remove a Google Review (Step-by-Step Guide)

This guide covers every scenario for removing a Google review: deleting a review you wrote yourself, flagging fake or inappropriate reviews on your business profile, and appealing when Google does not act on your initial report.

How to delete a Google review you wrote

If you left a review and want to remove it, you can do it from Google Maps or Google Search.

From Google Maps (desktop)

1. Open Google Maps and sign in to the Google account you used to write the review.

2. Click the hamburger menu (three lines) in the top left, then click Your contributions.

   

3. Click the Reviews tab to see all reviews you have written.

4. Find the review you want to delete and click the three-dot menu next to it.

5. Click Delete review.

   

6. Confirm the deletion when prompted.

The review is removed immediately and permanently. There is no way to undo this.

From Google Maps (mobile)

1. Open the Google Maps app on your phone.
2. Tap your profile picture in the top right, then tap Your profile.
3. Scroll down to your reviews and find the one you want to delete.
4. Tap the three-dot menu next to the review.
5. Tap Delete review and confirm.

From Google Search

1. Search for the business name on Google.
2. Find your review in the reviews section of the business listing.
3. Click the three-dot menu next to your review.
4. Click Delete review and confirm.

How to flag a review on your Google Business Profile

If someone left a fake, spam, or inappropriate review on your business profile, you can flag it for removal. Business owners cannot delete customer reviews directly. You can only report them to Google.

Step 1: Find the review

Sign in to your Google Business Profile. Click Read reviews to access your reviews list.

Find the review you want to report.

Step 2: Flag the review

1. Click the flag icon next to the review you want to report.

   

2. Select the reason that best describes why the review violates Google’s policies. Off-topic if the review is not about an experience at your business. Spam if the review is fake, posted by a bot, or part of a coordinated campaign. Conflict of interest if the reviewer is a competitor, former employee, or has a personal connection. Profanity or bullying if the review contains offensive language or personal attacks. Discrimination or hate speech if the review targets a protected group. Personal information if the review contains phone numbers, addresses, or other private data.

   

3. Submit the report.

Step 3: Wait for Google’s decision

After submitting, you will see a confirmation that the review has been reported to Google.

Google will review your report within 5 to 20 business days. You will receive an email notification with the outcome. Google does not remove reviews simply because they are negative. The review must violate a specific content policy.

How to appeal a rejected review removal

If Google declines to remove a review after your initial flag, you can appeal.

1. Go to the Google Business Profile support page.
2. Navigate to Manage reviews and select Appeal a review removal.
3. Provide the specific policy violation and any supporting evidence. Be factual and specific. For example: “This reviewer has never been a customer. They are a competitor operating at [address]. Their review was posted on the same day they left negative reviews on three other businesses in our category.”
4. Submit the appeal and wait for Google’s response.

Appeals are reviewed by a different team than the initial flag. If you have clear evidence of a policy violation, appeals have a higher success rate than the initial report.

Types of reviews Google will remove

Google removes reviews that violate their content policies. Here are the most common violations:

• Fake reviews: Reviews from people who were never customers, or reviews purchased from review farms
• Spam: Duplicate reviews, reviews containing promotional links, or bot-generated content
• Conflict of interest: Reviews from competitors, current or former employees, or business owners reviewing their own business
• Offensive content: Reviews containing hate speech, threats, sexually explicit content, or personal attacks
• Personal information: Reviews that share phone numbers, email addresses, physical addresses, or other private data
• Off-topic: Reviews about a different business, political commentary, or personal rants unrelated to the business experience

Types of reviews Google will NOT remove

Google will not remove a review just because it is negative, inaccurate, or unfair. These types of reviews typically stay up:

• Negative but honest experiences: A customer who had a bad experience is allowed to share it, even if you disagree
• Low star ratings without text: A 1-star review with no written content does not violate any policy
• Opinions you disagree with: Subjective opinions (“the food was bland”, “the staff seemed rude”) are protected
• Old reviews: Reviews do not expire. A review from three years ago will stay up indefinitely

The best response to a negative but legitimate review is a professional, empathetic reply. Responding well shows future customers that you care about feedback and take steps to improve.

How to manage reviews at scale

If you manage multiple business locations, flagging and responding to reviews one by one across separate Google accounts gets unmanageable fast.

Localith brings all reviews from every location into a single inbox. The AI Review Reply Agent generates brand-aligned responses in seconds, auto-replies to routine positive reviews, and flags negative reviews for your team to handle. You can respond to hundreds of reviews across dozens of locations without logging into each Google account separately.

Start a free trial to see how it works with your locations.