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Guide · Managing your own reviews
How to delete a Google review you wrote
Written by Evelon Digital ·
Short answer
You can delete or edit any Google review you personally wrote at any time, through the Google account you used to post it. This applies to reviews left on Google Maps, in Google Search, and through the Google app, and is entirely separate from the process businesses use to report other people's reviews. The main things to get right are being signed into the correct account and knowing where 'Your contributions' sits in each interface.
On this page
- This is a different process to reporting someone else's review
- Deleting a review via Google Maps
- Deleting a review via Google Search (desktop)
- Editing vs deleting: which one to use
- Why a deletion might not show up straight away
- Common situations people run into
- A few things worth knowing before you decide
This is a different process to reporting someone else's review
A lot of the confusion around Google reviews comes from mixing up two entirely separate processes. A business asking Google to remove a review someone else wrote has to go through a policy-based report, and Google decides the outcome. Deleting or editing a review you personally wrote is nothing like that — it's a setting under your own account, and you're in full control of it.
If you've left a review on a business's Google Business Profile and want to change your mind, correct a detail, or take it down entirely, you don't need anyone's permission and there's no assessment process involved. The only requirement is that you're signed in to the same Google account you used when you originally posted it.
This guide covers Google Maps, the desktop version of Google Search, and the mobile app, since the exact menu location varies slightly between them.
Deleting a review via Google Maps
Works whether you're on the Maps website or the Maps app.
1
Open Google Maps and sign in
Make sure you're signed in to the Google account you used when you originally posted the review.
2
Open the menu
Tap or click your profile photo, or the menu icon, and select 'Your contributions' or 'Contribute'.
3
Go to Reviews
Select the 'Reviews' tab to see every review you've posted across all businesses and locations.
4
Find the review
Locate the specific review for the business in question.
5
Open the options menu
Tap the three-dot menu next to that review.
6
Choose Edit or Delete review
Select 'Edit review' to change the wording or star rating, or 'Delete review' to remove it entirely, then confirm.
Deleting a review via Google Search (desktop)
Useful if you left the review directly from a Search result rather than Maps.
1
Search the business name on Google
Search for the exact business you reviewed while signed in to the account you used to post it.
2
Open the Business Profile panel
Click into the knowledge panel that appears on the right of the search results.
3
Click into the reviews section
Find the reviews area, then locate your own review — it's usually marked as posted by you.
4
Use the three-dot menu
Click the options icon on your review and choose to edit or delete it, then confirm.
Editing vs deleting: which one to use
Editing keeps your review live but lets you change the star rating, rewrite the text, add photos, or remove details you no longer want public — useful if a business resolved your issue and you want the review to reflect that, or if you simply worded something poorly the first time.
Deleting removes the review entirely from public view. There's no undo once it's gone; if you want to leave feedback again later, you'd need to post a fresh review, which starts with no edit history.
If your goal is to be fair to a business that fixed a problem, editing is often the better option, since it shows the outcome rather than erasing the record of what happened.
Why a deletion might not show up straight away
It can take a little time to fully disappear, for a few reasons.
- Google's systems can take a short while to propagate the change across Search, Maps and the app
- Cached versions of a page (yours or someone else's browser) may still show the old review briefly
- If you're signed into the wrong Google account, the review won't appear under 'Your contributions' at all, even though it's still visible publicly
- A star rating recalculation for the business can lag slightly behind the review itself disappearing
If a review you're sure you deleted is still visible after some time, double-check you deleted it from the account that actually posted it — it's the most common reason for this.
Common situations people run into
"I deleted it but it's still showing for others"
This is usually a short propagation delay, or a cached page. It should clear on its own without any action needed.
"I want to update it, not remove it completely"
Use 'Edit review' rather than delete — you can change the rating and wording as many times as you like.
"The business is asking me to delete my review"
Whether to change or remove your own honest review is entirely your decision. Nobody, including a business, can force it.
A few things worth knowing before you decide
- Deleting your own review doesn't notify the business, but the change in their star rating may be noticeable to them
- You can post a new review for the same business later if your experience or opinion changes again
- If you're deleting a review because you were pressured, threatened, or paid to do so by a business, that request itself may breach Google's policies
- There's no limit on how many times you can edit a review you've written, provided it still reflects a genuine experience
Guide FAQ
Frequently asked questions
How can I remove my Google review that I wrote myself?
Sign in to the Google account you used to post it, open 'Your contributions' in Google Maps (or the reviews section in Search), find the review, tap the three-dot menu, and choose 'Delete review'.
Can I edit my Google review instead of deleting it?
Yes. The same menu that lets you delete a review also lets you edit the star rating, text and photos at any time, as many times as you like.
Why can't I find my own review to delete it?
The most common reason is being signed into the wrong Google account. Reviews are tied to the specific account used to post them, so check you're signed into that one.
How long does it take for a deleted review to disappear for everyone?
Usually it updates quickly, but there can be a short delay while Google's systems and any cached pages catch up. There's no fixed published timeframe for this.
Can a business delete my review for me if I ask them to?
No. Only the person who wrote a review can delete or edit it themselves. A business can only report a review to Google for policy assessment — it cannot delete someone else's review directly.
Will my star rating history be lost if I delete a review?
Deleting a review removes it and its rating from the business's average permanently. If you post a new review later, it's treated as a fresh entry with no link to the one you deleted.
Is deleting my own review the same process as reporting a fake review?
No, they're completely different. Deleting your own review is an account setting you control directly. Reporting someone else's review is a request that Google assesses against its content policies and decides on independently.
References
- Google Maps Help — Edit or delete your Google Maps reviews and ratings
- Google Business Profile Help — Manage reviews
Platform policies change. Always check the current policy text before lodging a report.
About this guide
Written by Evelon Digital, a Sydney-based Australian digital reputation agency working with businesses across Australia. We are an independent service and are not affiliated with, endorsed by or acting for Google. Google decides whether content is removed, and no provider can guarantee a removal or a decision date. This guide is general information, not legal advice.
Questions about your own case? Call 1300 182 204, email info@evelondigital.com.au or request a free assessment.
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