You can delete reviews you posted yourself, but you cannot delete reviews left by customers
Google My Business lets you manage your business listing, but it does not give you the power to delete customer reviews. You can only remove reviews you wrote yourself, report reviews that violate Google's policies, or request that Google hide a review if it contains personal information like your home address or phone number.
If a customer left a negative review, your options are to respond publicly to their complaint, report the review if it breaks Google's rules, or request removal if it contains private information. Google rarely deletes reviews simply because a business owner dislikes them.
Key Takeaways
- You can permanently delete only reviews that you posted yourself from your own Google account.
- Customer reviews can be reported to Google if they contain false claims, spam, hate speech, or personal information like your address or phone number.
- Responding publicly to negative reviews often works better than trying to remove them, since Google shows both the review and your reply.
- If a review contains your personal information, you can request that Google remove specific details without deleting the entire review.
- Reviews you delete are gone permanently and cannot be recovered.
How to delete a review you posted yourself
Sign into Google My Business with the account that posted the review. Go to the Reviews section of your business listing. Find the review you want to delete — it will show your name or profile picture next to it. Click the three-dot menu icon next to that review and select "Delete review."
The review disappears immediately. Google does not send you a confirmation email or give you a waiting period to change your mind. If you delete a review by mistake, you will have to write a new one if you want to post again.
How to report a customer review that violates Google's policies
Open your Google My Business listing and navigate to the Reviews section. Find the review you want to report. Click the three-dot menu next to it and select "Report review."
Google will ask you why you are reporting it. The reasons that lead to removal are: the review is spam or a fake post, it contains hate speech or harassment, it is off-topic or not about your business, it includes personal information like your home address or phone number, or it contains links or contact information that should not be there. Select the reason that matches the review.
After you submit the report, Google reviews it — this usually takes a few days to a week. Google will not tell you whether the review was removed or kept. If the review stays up, you can report it again if new violations appear, but reporting the same review repeatedly will not speed up the process.
How to request removal of personal information from a review
If a review contains your home address, phone number, email, or other private information, you can ask Google to remove those details without deleting the entire review. Click the three-dot menu next to the review and select "Report review." Choose "It contains personal information" as your reason.
Describe which information needs to be removed — for example, "The review includes my home address in the second sentence." Google will examine the review and either remove the specific details or deny the request if it determines the information is not actually private. This process takes several days.
How to respond to negative reviews publicly
Responding to a negative review is often more effective than trying to remove it, because your response appears directly below the review for all customers to see. Open your Google My Business listing, go to Reviews, and click on the review you want to answer. Select "Write a response."
Keep your response professional and factual. Apologize if the customer had a bad experience, offer a specific solution if possible, and invite them to contact you directly to resolve the issue. Avoid arguing or being defensive — potential customers read both the review and your reply, and a calm, helpful response can turn a negative impression around.
You can edit or delete your response at any time by clicking the three-dot menu next to it. The original customer review will remain visible.
What Google will not remove, even if you ask
Google keeps reviews online even if they are negative, unfair, or based on a misunderstanding — as long as they do not violate its policies. A customer can post that your service was slow, your food was cold, or your staff was rude, and Google will not delete it just because you disagree.
Reviews that are opinion-based, even harsh ones, are not grounds for removal. A review saying "This place is terrible" stays up. A review saying "The owner lives at 123 Main Street" gets reported and removed because it contains personal information. The difference is whether the content breaks Google's specific rules, not whether it hurts your business.
Why reviews matter and what to do instead of deleting
Negative reviews can affect how potential customers view your business, but they also signal to Google that your listing is real and active. Businesses with no reviews sometimes rank lower in search results than businesses with mixed reviews. Trying to delete all negative feedback can backfire if customers notice and post about it.
A better approach is to encourage satisfied customers to leave reviews, respond professionally to complaints, and fix the problems customers mention. Over time, positive reviews will outnumber negative ones, and your responses will show that you take feedback seriously.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I pay Google to remove a bad review?
No. Google does not accept payment to remove reviews, and no third-party service can remove reviews on your behalf. Only Google can delete a review, and only if it violates their policies. Scams that promise to remove reviews for a fee should be avoided.
What happens if I report the same review multiple times?
Google will review your report, but submitting it repeatedly will not speed up the process or make removal more likely. If the review did not violate policies the first time, reporting it again with the same reason will produce the same result. Report only once per review unless new violations appear.
Can a customer delete their own review?
Yes. Customers can delete reviews they posted themselves using the same method you use to delete your own reviews — by signing into their Google account, finding the review, and clicking delete. You cannot force them to do this, but you can ask politely in your response to their review.
If I delete my response to a review, does the customer review disappear too?
No. Deleting your response leaves the customer's review in place. Your response and the review are separate. You can remove your reply without affecting the original review at all.
How long does it take Google to respond to a report?
Google typically reviews reported reviews within a few days to one week. You will not receive an email notification of the outcome — you have to check your listing yourself to see if the review was removed. If it is still there after a week, it likely did not violate Google's policies.