Review posting can fail due to policy flags, account or device issues, business-level blocks, or network glitches—use the checks below.
Nothing’s more annoying than typing a thoughtful note, hitting “Post,” and seeing… nothing. If your rating or comment won’t publish in Google Search or Maps, the cause is usually one of four buckets: content policy triggers, account or identity problems, temporary restrictions on the business page, or a local tech snag. This guide walks through clear reasons and fixes, so you can share your experience without spinning your wheels.
Reasons Google Won’t Let You Post A Review Today
Google screens ratings and comments with automated systems and human review. If anything smells like spam, conflict of interest, or safety risk, the post may be blocked or later removed. At the same time, basic account or device issues can mimic a “policy” problem. Start by matching your symptom to the likely cause below, then jump to the fix.
Fast Map Of Causes And Fixes
| What You See | Likely Cause | What To Do |
|---|---|---|
| No “Write A Review” button appears | Business page temporarily locked for new ratings; region-specific limits; you’re not signed in | Sign in, refresh, try desktop and mobile; if still missing, post later or pick a different network |
| Button shows, but “Post” does nothing | Content hit a policy filter (links, insults, off-topic), or a network/device glitch | Remove links, emojis, phone numbers; shorten text; re-post on a different device or browser |
| You can see your review; others can’t | Automated spam filter quarantined it; new account trust still low | Edit to be specific and original; avoid repeats; wait a day; try from a stable IP |
| Error about “something went wrong” | Cookie, cache, or extension conflict | Clear cache/cookies; use incognito; disable extensions; update app |
| Review vanished hours or days later | Post-publication moderation removed it for policy reasons | Rewrite without restricted elements; keep it factual and about your direct experience |
| Cannot rate a place that’s not a consumer venue | Place type may not accept public ratings | Check the place category; share feedback to the business via its site if ratings aren’t enabled |
Content Rules That Commonly Block Posts
Most failed posts trace back to content. Google rejects promotional copy, copy-and-paste templates, reviews that didn’t come from a genuine visit, and anything risky or personal. Avoid links, phone numbers, coupon codes, order IDs, and staff names. Keep your note about a firsthand experience at the place and avoid profanity or insults. Breaching these rules can hide the post from everyone but you, or remove it later even if it first appears.
To keep your message safe, write in your own words, mention what you bought or used, describe one or two details like timing or product variation, and stop there. If you must add a photo, use one you captured yourself at the venue.
If you want the exact rulebook, see Google’s prohibited & restricted content and the step-by-step page on writing a review. Those two pages explain why certain posts never go live and how to submit the right way.
Account, Identity, And Trust Triggers
Reviews come from your Google account identity. If trust is low or signals look odd, your post may be screened. Brand-new profiles, frequent edits in a short window, VPN-style IP changes, or activity that looks automated can hold things back. Quick fixes include signing out and in, completing basic profile details, using one steady device, and posting from a normal home or carrier connection instead of a corporate VPN.
Two more tips: avoid posting the same text at multiple places, and don’t paste content generated elsewhere. Duplicates raise flags. Keep each message unique to the venue you visited.
Business-Level Blocks And Regional Limits
Sometimes the issue isn’t you. Google can temporarily pause new ratings on a specific place when it detects coordinated spam, review swaps, or incentive campaigns. During a pause, the “Write a review” entry point may disappear or the post button won’t stick. In some regions, regulators have pushed for tougher anti-fraud steps, which can include longer delays or visible warnings on affected pages. If you bump into this, save your text, try again the next day, and avoid repeating submission attempts in rapid bursts.
Device And App Snags
Old app versions, clogged cache, and aggressive browser extensions cause lots of silent failures. If you can’t get past “Post,” switch channels. Use desktop Chrome or Safari without extensions, or the current Google Maps app on Android or iOS. Reboot the app, update it, and retry on a stable connection. Many users report success after a simple cache clear and sign-out/sign-in cycle.
How To Write A Post That Sticks
Keep it short, specific, and about your direct visit. Mention a product, a staff interaction by role (not full names), or a time window like lunch on a weekday. Skip anything that looks like promo, a request for service, or a complaint about corporate policy unrelated to the location. No URLs, emails, phone numbers, or order references. Avoid emojis and special characters. One photo you captured at the venue can help; screenshots or branded images can trigger filters.
Step-By-Step Fixes Based On Your Symptom
When The Button Is Missing
Open the place in desktop Google Maps. Check if the star rating section shows a “Write a review” link. If it’s gone, you’re either signed out, the page is paused for new ratings, or reviews aren’t enabled for that category. Sign in, reload, and try the mobile app as a cross-check. If it’s still missing everywhere, wait and retry later.
When The Post Button Does Nothing
Copy your text to a note app so you don’t lose it. Trim links, coupon talk, and personal IDs. Keep the message factual and specific. Try again in an incognito browser with all extensions off. If you’re on mobile, update the app, then post on cellular data instead of Wi-Fi to rule out a firewall block.
When You See Your Review But Others Don’t
This usually means the system quarantined it. Edit the message to remove repeated phrases across places, add one concrete detail from your visit, and resubmit. New accounts sometimes need a little history. Post a rating on another place you visited, add a photo you took, and give it a day.
Editing Or Deleting A Stuck Post
If a post shows only to you or later disappears, you can open your contributions and edit or remove it. Edits can help a borderline post clear filters. Aim for plain language. Replace generic text with one or two location-specific details. Keep it clean and respectful. When in doubt, keep it shorter.
Troubleshooting Checklist By Platform
The steps below cover the most effective fixes. Work through them in order, then retry your post after each block.
| Web (Desktop) | Android | iPhone |
|---|---|---|
| Sign in at maps.google.com; reload the place page; try incognito | Update Google Maps; force stop and relaunch; clear app cache | Update Google Maps; force quit; reopen the place page |
| Disable extensions (ad blockers, privacy tools); retry | Toggle network (Wi-Fi ↔ mobile data); retry | Toggle network (Wi-Fi ↔ mobile data); retry |
| Clear cookies for google.com and maps.google.com | Remove any links or IDs in your draft; shorten text | Remove any links or IDs in your draft; shorten text |
| Post a short, original message without URLs | Sign out/in; post again from the place page | Sign out/in; post again from the place page |
| Try another browser and a different network | Reboot the phone; try again later if the button is missing | Reboot the phone; try again later if the button is missing |
What Not To Include In Your Note
Skip links, promo codes, and phone numbers. Don’t paste the same template across multiple places. Don’t attack staff by name or post personal info. Don’t review a place you didn’t visit. Keep complaints tied to a specific visit and service. This keeps your message within policy and gives it the best chance to stick.
How Long To Wait Before Trying Again
If you trimmed the text, cleared cache, and tried another device, give the system some time. Many blocks lift within 24–48 hours. During broader spam crackdowns, a place page may pause new ratings for a while. When that happens, your best move is patience; repeated attempts won’t help and can look automated.
Posting The Right Way, Step By Step
On Desktop
- Open the business in Google Maps from a normal browser session.
- Find the star rating area and click “Write a review.”
- Pick the stars, write a short, original note, and click “Post.”
On Android Or iPhone
- Open Google Maps and search the place.
- Scroll to the “Reviews” section and tap “Write a review.”
- Add your rating and a short message; submit.
If the app layout looks different on your device, the instructions are the same in spirit: open the place page, find the reviews module, and look for the write button. The official guide on adding a review shows current screenshots.
Why Posts Disappear After They Go Live
It’s common to see a note appear, then drop off hours later. That means post-publication checks flagged something. Frequent triggers include duplicate wording across different places, asking others to post on your behalf, or reviews that read like a service ticket rather than feedback from a visit. Edit the text to be original and concise, remove any link-like strings, and try again next day.
Edge Cases: When Posting Won’t Work Yet
Brand-New Accounts
Fresh profiles with zero history can sit in a tighter spam screen. Build a small footprint: add a profile photo, rate a couple of places you visited recently, and avoid pasting the same text twice.
Traveling Or Using A VPN
Large shifts in IP location can look odd next to the place you’re reviewing. If you’re on a VPN, switch it off and retry. If you’re traveling, post on a stable connection that matches the city of your visit when possible.
Business Categories With Special Handling
Certain place types draw stricter filters due to safety or abuse history. If you can’t find a write button and you’re signed in, there may be a temporary pause for that page. Try again after a day or two.
When You Shouldn’t Post
Skip posting if you’re tied to the business, received an incentive, or didn’t have a real-world interaction. Conflicts of interest and rewards for ratings are not allowed. Keep feedback honest, polite, and grounded in a direct experience at that location.
Quick Template You Can Safely Use
Short and specific works best. Here’s a safe pattern you can adapt:
“Visited on a weekday lunch. Ordered the chicken sandwich and fries. Food arrived within 10 minutes. Staff at the counter was friendly. Clean tables and plenty of seating.”
This hits the sweet spot: concrete details, no links, no personal data, and a clear experience.
Still Stuck? Your Next Moves
If nothing works, save your text and try again in 24–48 hours. If you suspect the page is paused for abuse cleanup, wait a bit longer. You can also share feedback directly with the business through its contact link while you wait for the reviews module to reopen. When the button returns, post your trimmed note.
What This Guide Is Based On
Everything here aligns with Google’s posted rules and current help content. Two pages worth bookmarking: the Maps content policy that screens reviews, and the walkthrough on how to add a review from desktop or mobile. If your post keeps failing, re-read those pages, trim your text, and try again from a clean session.