How do I remove a fake Google review?

Report it from your Business Profile: choose Read reviews, select Report next to it and pick a reason. Google evaluates it and removes it if it breaks policy. You can track the case and appeal once.

How long does Google take to remove a review?

Google says review evaluation typically takes several days. You can see the status in the Reviews Management Tool.

Can I delete a bad review of my business?

No. Only the reviewer or Google can remove it. If it is honest but negative, reply politely and keep collecting new reviews.

Can I pay to remove a Google review?

No. Google prohibits offering payment, discounts or free goods or services for removing a negative review. Be careful of anyone who promises guaranteed removals for a fee.

Guides · Checked November 12, 2026

How to remove a Google review: can Google reviews be removed?

Q: Can Google reviews be removed?

Yes, in two ways. The reviewer can delete their own review, or Google can remove it if it violates its content policy. A business owner can report a review but can't delete it directly.

The short answer

You can't delete a Google review yourself, but you can report it. Open your Business Profile, choose Read reviews, tap Report next to the review, and pick a reason. Google removes it only if it breaks its content policy, such as spam, fake engagement or conflict of interest. Disliking it isn't enough.

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Can Google reviews be removed?

Yes, but only in two ways. The person who wrote the review can delete it, or Google can remove it for breaking a policy. As a business owner you can't remove a review just because it is negative or unfair.

Google says plainly that it doesn't get involved in disagreements between businesses and customers. Reporting is for reviews that violate its rules.

What counts as a fake or removable review

Google's policy says reviews must reflect a genuine experience. These are examples of content it says it does not allow:

Reviews or ratings that were paid for, directly or in kind.
Posts from several accounts by or at the request of one person.
Reviews from competitors posted to undermine a business.
Reviews based on a conflict of interest, such as a current or former employee.
Spam, profanity and other content that breaks the rules.

How to report a review

Google says review evaluation typically takes several days. You can check the status in its Reviews Management Tool. Don't report a review just because you disagree with it.

Go to your Google Business Profile and select Read reviews.
Next to the review, select Report.
Choose the reason, such as Spam or Profanity.
Select Send report.

If Google says no

If the status says the report was reviewed and no violation was found, Google lets you submit a one-time appeal. Open the Reviews Management Tool, choose the option to check the status of a report and appeal eligible reviews, and select the review. You can pick up to 10 at a time.

Google also has a reporting route if your profile is being targeted by an extortion scam involving negative reviews. Keep screenshots and dates of any threats, because Google's form asks you to describe what happened. Don't pay anyone who demands money to stop the reviews.

What to do with a bad review that stays

Reply to it. Keep it short, polite and honest, and write it for the next customer, not the angry one. Use the person's name, say what you can and cannot do, and offer to talk by phone. Future customers read the reply as much as the review. Google also says you can't offer a reward for a changed or removed review.

A flow of new genuine reviews pushes older ones down. See how to get more Google reviews, and make a direct link with the free review link generator.

Check what the reviews are doing to your ranking

A drop in stars can change how customers choose you. Run the free local rank checker now and again in a few weeks to see whether your map position moved. Pin & Stars is building low-star email alerts for its Solo plan; this is coming soon and isn't live.