Before you work out how to delete Google Business Profile listings, check whether deleting is what you actually need. Removing a profile doesn’t take your business off Google Maps, and it doesn’t remove reviews. In most cases there’s a better fix: mark the business closed, update the address, or remove a duplicate.
Here’s what each situation calls for, and how to remove a profile when that really is the right move.
Which fix do you need?
| Your situation | What to do |
|---|---|
| The business has closed for good | Mark it permanently closed |
| You’re closed for more than a week, a season or indefinitely | Mark it temporarily closed |
| You’ve moved to a new address | Edit the address on your existing profile. Don’t create a new one |
| There’s a duplicate profile you created by mistake | Remove the duplicate |
| You want to hand the business to someone else | Transfer primary ownership |
| You just want to stop managing it | Remove yourself as owner or manager |
| You want bad reviews gone | Deleting won’t do it. Reply to them, and report any that break the rules |
What removing a profile actually does
Google is clear about this, and it surprises a lot of owners:
- Your business might still show on Search and Maps, unless it’s considered ineligible.
- Your posts, photos, videos and review replies are permanently deleted.
- Customer reviews and other user content stay.
- Removal affects every owner and manager, and can’t be undone. To manage the business again, you’d have to verify it from scratch.
So deleting a profile mostly removes your ability to control it, while customers can still find it, along with their reviews.
If your business has closed
Mark it closed instead:
- Go to your Business Profile and select Edit profile, then Hours.
- Next to Hours, select Edit, then Permanently closed or Temporarily closed.
- Select Save.
Google says a permanently closed business may still appear when people search for it by name, but it clearly shows as closed. Use temporarily closed for closures longer than seven days; for shorter ones, set special hours instead. Google notes that temporarily closed businesses can rank after open ones on broad searches.
If you’ve moved
Don’t delete the old profile and start again. Google says that when a business relocates, you should update the existing profile with the new address rather than creating a new one. You keep your reviews, photos and history. Expect the change to go into review; my guide on how to edit your Google Business Profile explains why and what to do if it’s rejected.
If there’s a duplicate
Google allows one profile per business, and a profile considered a duplicate won’t show on Search or Maps. If you created the duplicate yourself, Google says you can remove it without affecting your verified listing. Be careful: removing it deletes all its content and linked managers, so double-check which one you’re removing.
If someone else owns the duplicate, request access through Google. Duplicates and multiple profiles can also lead to suspensions; see how to get a suspended profile reinstated.
How to remove a Google Business Profile
If removal really is right for you:
- Sign in to the Google account that manages the profile and open your Business Profile.
- Select More, then Business Profile settings.
- Select Remove Business Profile, then Remove profile content and managers.
- If the business is closed, turn on Mark your business as permanently closed. Google says it will gradually disappear from search results and then be removed completely.
- Select Continue, then Remove, then Done.
If you’ve only just become an owner or manager, Google makes you wait 7 days before you can delete a profile.
If you just want to stop managing it
You don’t need to delete anything. You can remove your own account without affecting the profile’s content or other managers. If you’re the primary owner, transfer primary ownership first. My guide on adding and managing users explains the roles.
Not sure which situation you’re in? That’s exactly the kind of thing I sort out as part of my local SEO service.
