TL;DR
- How to leave a Google review: sign in to a free Google account (any email works, not only Gmail), open the business in Google Maps or Google Search, pick your stars, write, and post.
- On iPhone or Android: open the Google Maps app, open the business, tap Reviews, tap the 5 empty stars, write, and tap Post.
- On a computer: find the business in Google Maps or Google Search, click Write a review, pick your stars, write, and click Post.
- Every review is public and shows your Google profile name. You can shorten that name, but you can't post anonymously.
- Business owners: share your review link or QR code so customers land straight on the review form.
Here's how to leave a Google review: sign in to your Google account, find the business in Google Maps or Google Search, open its reviews, tap the stars, write a few sentences about your visit, and post. The steps are identical in the Google Maps app on iPhone and Android, and on a computer the button is called Write a review.
The steps below follow Google Maps Help for Android, iPhone and computer, checked on September 28, 2026. If you run the business and want more customers to review you, skip to the section on sharing your review link or QR code.
| Where you are | Where to start | What to press |
|---|---|---|
| iPhone or Android | The Google Maps app | Reviews, then the 5 empty stars |
| Computer | Google Maps or Google Search | Write a review |
| A link or QR code from the business | It opens the review form directly | The stars, then Post |
How to Leave a Google Review on iPhone or Android
Google Maps uses the same steps on iPhone and Android: open the place, tap Reviews, then tap the 5 empty stars. Google Maps Help lists identical steps for both phones.
- Open the Google Maps app and sign in. Tap your profile picture in the top right to check which Google account is active. Your review shows that account's name and photo.
- Find the business. Search for its name or tap it on the map. Add the town when two places share a name.
- Open the place. At the bottom of the screen, tap the place's name or address to open its profile.
- Tap Reviews, then the stars. The Reviews tab is at the top of the profile. Tap the 5 empty stars and choose your rating, from 1 to 5.
- Write and post. Type your review under "Share more about your experience," answer any detail questions Google shows if they fit, add photos if you have them, and tap Post.
Tip: Writing a long review? Draft it in your notes app first, then paste it into the review box. That way nothing depends on the app staying open while you type.
How to Leave a Google Review on a Computer
On a computer, you can start from Google Maps or from Google Search. Both open the same review form, and you need to be signed in to your Google account for either.
From Google Maps
- Sign in to Google Maps in your browser at
maps.google.com. - Search for the business. Its profile opens in the panel on the left.
- Click Write a review. Scroll down the left panel until you see the button.
- Rate, write and post. Click the stars to score the place, write about your visit, add photos if you want, and click Post.
From Google Search
Search for the business name, adding the city if the name is common. Its Business Profile appears in a panel on the right of the results. Scroll to the reviews in that panel and click Write a review. The same form opens: pick your stars, write, and click Post. If you aren't signed in, Google asks you to sign in first.
What to Write in a Google Review
Here's how to write a Google review that helps the next customer: say what you came for, when, and how it went, in a few specific sentences. Google's rules require that it's based on your own experience at that place.
- Start with the facts. Say what you bought or booked (a haircut, a boiler service, dinner for four) and roughly when.
- Say what stood out. Wait time, the final price against the quote, how a problem was handled. Details help the next customer more than "great service".
- Match the stars to the text. A 3-star review that explains why is more useful than an unexplained 1 or 5.
- Answer the detail questions if they fit. Google may show short questions under the text box about your visit. They're optional.
- Add a photo if you took one. The food, the room or the finished job shows what you're describing.
Here's an example of a review that helps: "Booked a boiler service for a Tuesday morning. The engineer arrived on time, found a leaking valve and fixed it, and the bill matched the quote. About an hour in total. I'd book them again."
Keep a few things out of it, or Google may remove the review under its Maps content policy:
- Anything you were paid or rewarded for. Discounts, freebies or payment in exchange for a review are prohibited.
- A business you own, work for, or compete with. Google treats that as a conflict of interest.
- Personal details about other people. No phone numbers, addresses or private information.
- Off-topic content. Keep it about your experience at this place, not general complaints.
Why You Can't Leave a Google Review
If the stars or the Write a review button don't appear, or your review won't post, one of these five causes is usually behind it.
- You aren't signed in, or you're using a work or school account. Sign in with a personal Google account. Some accounts managed by an organization can't post reviews.
- You don't have a Google account yet. Create one at
accounts.google.com: click Create account, and if you don't want a Gmail address, choose Use your existing email or phone number. - The place has a temporary review restriction. When Google detects suspicious review activity on a profile, it can stop new reviews for a period of time.
- Reviews are turned off for that kind of place. Google says it disables reviews for profiles categorized mainly as schools for students aged 6 to 18.
- The business isn't on Google Maps. A place needs a profile before anyone can review it. You can suggest a missing place in Google Maps, and it has to be approved first.
If your review did post but other people can't see it, that's a different problem, covered in the section on what happens after you post.
Leave a Google Review Without Your Full Name
You can't post an anonymous Google review, but you can post one without your full name showing. Google Maps Help states that reviews are public and anonymous reviews aren't allowed; what appears is the name and photo of your Google profile.
WHAT YOU CAN HIDE
4 things you control
✓ Your full legal name: switch to a first name, initials, or a nickname.
✓ Your profile photo: remove it, and Google shows your initial instead.
✓ Your main identity: use a second Google account for public contributions.
✓ Your contribution history: make your Google Maps profile restricted.
WHAT YOU CANNOT HIDE
No workaround exists
✗ That the review exists: it sits on the business's profile publicly.
✗ The display name you picked: whatever you chose is visible to everyone.
✗ The date and star rating: both show on every review.
✗ Your identity from Google itself: Google always knows which account posted it.
Change the name on your Google Account. Sign in to your Google Account, click Personal info, then Name, then Edit, and save a first name and initial or a nickname. Google lets you change it as often as you like. Your reviews show your current profile name, so the change also applies to reviews you've already posted.
Remove your profile photo. Without a photo, Google shows the first letter of your name in a colored circle next to your reviews.
Make your Google Maps profile restricted. In the Google Maps app, tap your profile picture, then Settings, then Location & privacy, and turn on the switch for a restricted profile. It limits who can browse your contributor profile and its history; each review still shows on the place's page.
Use a second account for public contributions. Many people keep their main Google account for work and banking and review from a second one. Post from an account you actually use, though. Google's automated checks look for signs of suspicious activity, and in our experience a brand-new account with no photo and no history is the one most likely to have its review held back.
What Happens After You Post a Google Review
Google checks your review against its policies, then shows it on the business's profile in Google Search and Maps. Most reviews appear soon after posting, but Google says in its help on missing or delayed reviews that the check can take a few days in some cases.
- Automated checks come first. Google's systems scan new contributions for signs of spam and policy violations and either remove them or send them to trained reviewers.
- Your review stays up until you take it down. You can edit or delete it at any time. An edited review shows the date of the last edit as its post date.
- The business can reply publicly. Owners reply from their Business Profile, and the reply shows under your review.
To change a review on your phone, open Google Maps, tap Contribute, then View your profile, then See all reviews, tap More next to the review, and choose Edit review or Delete review. On a computer, open Google Maps, click Menu, then Your contributions and Reviews. The full walkthrough is in our guide on how to edit or delete a Google review.
If your review is still missing for other people after a few days, Google's filter probably held it back. Here's why a Google review is not showing up and what you can do about it.
For Businesses: Share Your Google Review Link or QR Code
The easiest way to get more reviews is to send customers straight to the review form with your Google review link or QR code. They skip the search, the scrolling and the hunt for the button.
Google gives you both. On a computer, open your Business Profile, select Read Reviews, then Get more reviews. Select Copy to copy the link, or right-click the QR code and choose Save image as to download it. Google Business Profile Help notes that the review QR code can only be generated in a computer browser, not on a phone. For the other ways to find the link, including building it from your Place ID, and how to shorten it, see our guide on how to get your Google review link.
QR CODE: FOR OFFLINE
Scan with the phone camera
BEST PLACEMENTS
Receipts and printed invoices
Table tents and counter cards
Business cards and thank-you notes
SHORT LINK: FOR DIGITAL
Tap in a message
BEST PLACEMENTS
Thank-you emails and text messages
Email signatures and footers
WhatsApp and chat follow-ups
Same review URL behind both formats. Pick where the customer is when you ask.
To turn the link into something you can print, Wiremo's free Google review QR code generator makes print-ready QR code templates for counters, receipts and cards.
How you ask matters as much as the link. Google's Maps policy sets four rules for businesses:
- Ask every customer, not only the happy ones. Selectively asking for positive reviews is not allowed.
- Offer nothing in return. No discounts, freebies or payment for a review, or for changing or removing a negative one.
- Don't tell customers what to write. Google says merchants shouldn't request specific content, and lists asking staff to collect reviews that name a staff member as an example of rating manipulation.
- Don't pressure people on the spot. Merchants shouldn't require or pressure customers to review while they're on the premises. A QR code on the counter is an invitation; standing over a customer's phone isn't.
Ask soon after the visit or the finished job, while the details are fresh, and keep the request short. If you're working toward a target star rating, the free reviews-to-rating calculator shows how many new 5-star reviews it takes to move your average.
GLocal: Wiremo's Google review management tool sends review request campaigns by email with up to 10 timed follow-ups that stop once the customer reviews, and drafts an AI reply to every new review in your tone.
Google Review Questions
Can I leave a Google review without a Google account?
No. Google ties every review to a Google account, so you have to sign in to post one. You don't need a Gmail address, though: when you create the account, choose Use your existing email or phone number and sign up with the email you already use. The account is free.
Can I leave a Google review anonymously?
No. Google Maps Help says all reviews are public and anonymous reviews aren't allowed. Your review shows the name and photo of your Google profile. You can change that name to a first name or initials in your Google Account, remove the photo, or post from a second account you use for public contributions.
How do I edit or delete my Google review?
In the Google Maps app, tap Contribute, then View your profile, then See all reviews. Tap More next to the review and choose Edit review or Delete review. On a computer, open Google Maps, click Menu, then Your contributions and Reviews. An edited review shows the date of the last edit as its post date.
How long does a Google review take to show up?
Most reviews appear soon after you post them, but Google checks every review against its policies and says that check can take a few days in some cases. If other people still can't see your review after that, Google's spam filter most likely held it back or removed it.
Why can't I leave a Google review?
Usually you aren't signed in, you're using a work or school account that can't post reviews, or Google has temporarily stopped new reviews on that place after suspicious activity. Google also disables reviews for some categories, such as schools for students aged 6 to 18. Sign in with a personal Google account and try again.
Can a business give me a discount for leaving a review?
No. Google's policy prohibits offering payment, discounts, free goods or services in exchange for posting a review, or for changing or removing a negative one. Reviews collected that way can be removed. A business may ask you for a review, but it can't reward you for writing one.
Can a business pause or turn off its Google reviews?
No. A business owner can't switch off reviews on a Google Business Profile. Google itself may temporarily disable reviews for certain profiles or business categories, for example after a wave of suspicious reviews. The owner can still reply to reviews and report the ones that break Google's policies.
