How to delete a Google review (complete guide 2026)

A negative review just appeared on your Google listing and you're desperately searching for how to delete it? You're not alone. Every day, thousands of businesses face unfair, fake, or defamatory reviews they'd like to see disappear.

The bad news: deleting a Google review isn't as simple as you'd hope. The good news: there are legal methods that work, and more importantly, strategies to limit the impact of negative reviews on your reputation.

In this guide, discover exactly what you can do about a problematic review, the reporting procedures that work, and how to protect your business long-term.

Can you actually delete a Google review?

Let's start with the basics: you cannot directly delete a review left by a customer on your Google listing. Only two people can do that: the review author themselves, or Google following a report.

What Google says

Google has a clear policy: reviews reflect users' opinions and should not be censored simply because they're negative. An unhappy customer has the right to express their disappointment, even if you feel their criticism is exaggerated or unfair.

However, Google recognizes that some reviews don't comply with its rules and agrees to remove them in specific cases.

Reviews that Google will remove

Google removes reviews that violate its usage policies. Here are the main cases.

Spam or fake reviews. Mass-posted reviews, reviews from people who were never customers, purchased reviews.

Off-topic reviews. Comments that don't relate to an experience with your business (political opinions, personal criticisms unrelated to your service).

Offensive content. Hateful, discriminatory, obscene, or threatening language.

Conflicts of interest. Reviews left by a competitor, a disgruntled former employee, or someone with an interest in harming your business.

Personal information. Reviews containing private data such as phone numbers, personal addresses, or financial information.

Reviews that CANNOT be deleted

Here's what Google generally refuses to remove, even if you request it.

A negative but honest review. If a customer had a bad experience and expresses it factually, Google won't remove their review, even if you dispute their version of events.

A review you disagree with. Disagreement is not grounds for removal. The customer is entitled to their opinion.

A review that seems exaggerated. Even if the customer dramatizes the situation, as long as they're describing a real experience, the review stays online.

A review without text. A 1-star rating without a comment is frustrating, but it complies with Google's rules.

Valid reasons to report a review

Before reporting a review, make sure it falls into one of these categories. Reporting a review for the wrong reason decreases your chances of success for future reports.

Off-topic review

The review doesn't concern an experience with your business. For example, someone criticizing your parking policy when you don't manage the parking lot, or using your listing to express a political opinion.

Example of off-topic review: "I've never been a customer but I saw the owner being rude to someone on the street."

Spam or fake reviews

You have reason to believe the review is fake: the person doesn't appear in your customer files, the account that left the review was recently created and has only left one review (yours), or the review appears to come from a competitor.

Signs of a fake review: account without a photo, only one review on record, generic name, details that don't match your business.

Offensive or hateful content

The review contains insults, racist, sexist, homophobic, or other discriminatory language. Threats, even veiled ones, also fall into this category.

Example: A review that personally insults an employee or contains discriminatory remarks.

Conflict of interest

The review comes from someone who has an interest in harming your business: direct competitor, fired former employee, ex-partner in conflict. If you can prove the connection, Google may remove the review.

Personal information

The review discloses private information: personal phone number, home address, medical information (particularly important for healthcare professionals), financial data.

How to report a Google review (step by step)

Have you identified a review that violates Google's rules? Here are three methods to report it.

Method 1: From Google Search

Step 1: Search for your business name on Google.

Step 2: In the right panel (Knowledge Panel), click on "Google reviews" or your rating to access the list of reviews.

Step 3: Find the review you want to report.

Step 4: Click on the three vertical dots next to the review.

Step 5: Select "Report as inappropriate."

Step 6: Choose the reason that best matches your report.

Method 2: From Google Maps

Step 1: Open Google Maps and search for your business.

Step 2: Click on your listing to open it.

Step 3: Scroll down to the "Reviews" section.

Step 4: Find the problematic review and click on the three dots.

Step 5: Select "Report as inappropriate" and choose the reason.

Method 3: Via Google Business Profile

If you manage your listing through Google Business Profile, you have access to more detailed reporting options.

Step 1: Log in to your Google Business Profile account.

Step 2: Go to the "Reviews" section.

Step 3: Find the review and click "Report as inappropriate."

Step 4: Fill out the form explaining precisely why this review violates the rules.

This method is generally more effective because it allows you to provide more context to Google.

Method 4: Google's complaint form

For serious cases (defamation, identity theft, illegal content), Google offers a specific complaint form accessible through Google Business Profile support. This process is longer but more thorough.

How long does removal take?

Once your report is submitted, be patient.

Average observed timeframes

Clearly violating reviews (obvious spam, hateful content): 3 to 7 days.

Reviews requiring analysis (conflict of interest, fake reviews): 1 to 3 weeks.

Complex cases (defamation, legal procedure): several weeks to several months.

Google doesn't always notify you of its decision. Check regularly to see if the review is still online.

What to do if Google refuses to remove the review

Google may reject your request if it determines the review doesn't violate its rules. In that case, you have several options.

Appeal. You can contest the decision through Google Business Profile support, providing additional evidence.

Respond publicly. If the review stays online, write a professional response that gives your side of the story. Future customers will read your response.

Bury the review. Collect more positive reviews to dilute the impact of the negative review on your average rating.

Legal recourse. In cases of proven defamation, you can consider legal action (see next section).

Special case: defamatory reviews

Some reviews go beyond simple criticism and enter the realm of defamation. In these cases, you have legal recourse.

Legal definition of defamation

In most jurisdictions, defamation involves a false statement of fact that harms someone's reputation. For a review to be defamatory, it must:

• Contain an assertion of fact (not just an opinion)

• Be false

• Damage your reputation

Example of opinion (not defamatory): "I find this restaurant mediocre, the service is slow."

Example of potential defamation: "This restaurant uses expired products and doesn't comply with hygiene standards." (if false)

Enhanced reporting procedure

For a defamatory review, use Google's legal complaint form. You'll need to provide:

• A precise description of the defamatory content

• The reasons why it's false

• Any evidence supporting your claim

Google takes these reports more seriously and processes them thoroughly.

Possible legal recourse

If Google refuses to remove a defamatory review, you can pursue legal action. A specialized attorney can:

• Request identification of the review author from Google

• Obtain a removal order

• Sue the author for defamation

Note: this process is expensive and lengthy. It's mainly justified for reviews causing significant commercial harm.

Special case: deleting a review as a doctor or healthcare professional

Healthcare professionals face specific challenges with Google reviews. Patient confidentiality complicates public responses, and patients can be emotionally invested.

Specific reporting grounds

Patient reviews can sometimes contain personal medical information, which constitutes valid grounds for reporting. Similarly, a review that mentions details about a treatment or diagnosis can be removed for privacy protection.

How to respond without violating patient confidentiality

You cannot confirm or deny that someone is your patient. Your response must remain general: "We take all feedback seriously and invite anyone wishing to discuss their experience to contact us directly."

Deleting a review YOU left

Did you leave a review for a business and want to delete or edit it? That's entirely possible.

How to find your own reviews

Via Google Maps:

1. Open Google Maps and sign in to your Google account

2. Click the menu (three lines) then "Your contributions"

3. Select "Reviews"

4. You'll see a list of all the reviews you've left

How to delete or edit your review

1. Find the review you want to modify

2. Click the three dots next to the review

3. Select "Edit review" or "Delete review"

Deletion is immediate. If you edit your review, the new version will replace the old one.

The real solution: preventing negative reviews from appearing

Rather than chasing after negative review deletions, the best strategy is to prevent them from appearing on Google in the first place.

The smart filtering principle

The idea is simple: before sending a customer to your Google review page, first ask them if they're satisfied. If the answer is positive, direct them to Google. If the answer is negative, redirect them to a private contact form where you can handle their issue internally.

Result: satisfied customers leave public reviews, unhappy customers contact you privately. You maintain a high rating while having the opportunity to resolve problems before they become public.

How Reputacion filtering works

Step 1: After a service, your customer receives an SMS or email with a link to your Reputacion collection page.

Step 2: They arrive at a simple page asking: "How would you rate your experience?" with a choice of stars or emojis.

Step 3a: If they select 4 or 5 stars, they're automatically redirected to your Google listing to leave their public review.

Step 3b: If they select 1, 2, or 3 stars, they access a private feedback form. You receive a notification and can contact them to resolve their issue.

This system is perfectly legal because you're not specifically asking for a "positive" review — you're simply asking for feedback and facilitating the journey based on customer satisfaction.

Alternative: bury the negative review with positive ones

If you can't delete a negative review, you can reduce its impact through a dilution strategy.

The dilution principle

The more reviews you have, the less a single negative review weighs in the balance. If you have 10 reviews and receive a 1-star, your rating drops significantly. If you have 100 reviews and receive a 1-star, the impact is minimal.

Additionally, the most recent reviews appear first. By regularly collecting new positive reviews, you "bury" old negative reviews that become less visible.

Impact calculation

Here's the impact of a 1-star review based on your existing review count:

10 reviews at 5★ + 1 review at 1★ = average of 4.6★ (0.4 point drop)

50 reviews at 5★ + 1 review at 1★ = average of 4.9★ (0.1 point drop)

100 reviews at 5★ + 1 review at 1★ = average of 4.96★ (negligible drop)

The conclusion is clear: the more positive reviews you have, the more protected you are against occasional negative reviews.

Setting up systematic collection

To effectively dilute negative reviews, you need to collect positive reviews regularly and systematically. The best way is to automate the process.

Summary

Deleting a Google review isn't easy, and in many cases, it's simply impossible. Google only removes reviews that clearly violate its rules: spam, hateful content, conflicts of interest, or personal information.

For legitimate negative reviews, your options are to respond professionally to show you take feedback seriously, and to collect more positive reviews to dilute the impact.

But the best strategy remains prevention. With a smart filtering system like the one offered by Reputacion, you intercept unhappy customers before they leave a public review. You protect your reputation while having the opportunity to resolve issues privately.

Stop being at the mercy of your Google reviews. Take control.