You may be blocked from posting a Google review due to policy flags, account limits, profile setup issues, or temporary app and network glitches.
Running into a wall when you try to share feedback on a place or business can be maddening. The good news: most blocks trace back to a handful of fixable triggers. This guide shows the exact checks to run, what each error means, and the fastest path to get your words live on the page.
Common Reasons You Can’t Leave A Review On Google (With Fixes)
Start with quick wins. Many posting failures stem from small hiccups: a photo that trips a filter, a session that went stale, or a profile detail that’s missing. Work through these in order, then move to deeper checks if needed.
Run These Fast Checks First
These take minutes and solve a large share of posting issues. Try each, then attempt to post again.
| Issue | What You See | Fix |
|---|---|---|
| Signed Into The Wrong Account | Write button missing or posts under an old profile | Sign out and back in; confirm the profile photo and email match the account you want to use |
| Stale App Session Or Cache | Post spins or fails without a clear message | Force-quit Maps, clear cache, relaunch; on desktop, hard refresh or use an incognito window |
| Photo Or Link Triggering A Filter | Review won’t publish, or vanishes after posting | Try text-only, then add a single photo; avoid external links and promo wording |
| Weak Connection Or VPN | Endless loading or network error banner | Turn off VPN, switch Wi-Fi to mobile data (or vice versa), then retry |
| Profile Not Fully Set Up | Posting blocked on new accounts | Add a profile name and photo; engage with Maps a bit (stars, edits) before posting long text |
| Posting Too Fast | Multiple reviews fail in a row | Space out posts; wait a few hours before trying again |
Policy Filters That Can Quietly Block Your Post
Reviews go through automated checks. Content that looks like ads, contains personal data, uses profanity to harass, or repeats at scale can be held back or removed. Read the plain-language policy and match your text to it. If your content follows the rules, it’s far more likely to stick.
See Google’s own pages on Prohibited & restricted content and missing or delayed reviews for official wording and examples.
Step-By-Step Fixes That Work
Move through the checklist below. Each step narrows the cause and prevents repeat failures.
1) Confirm You’re Posting In The Right Place
Open the business profile, scroll to the Reviews section, and hit the write button there. Posting through side panels or old bookmarks can lead to half-loaded forms that fail at the last step. If you see multiple listings with the same name, pick the one with the correct address and category.
2) Test A Short, Plain-Text Review
Post a simple line first: star rating, one sentence, no links. If that works, edit to add detail. If the short version fails, you’re likely hitting an account or network block rather than wording alone. Keep any photos for a later edit after the text is live.
3) Trim Anything That Looks Like Promo Or Personal Data
Don’t include coupons, phone numbers, order IDs, full names, or URLs. Avoid copy-pasted scripts. Keep language clean and specific to your visit. Stick to facts you observed, with dates or items purchased when helpful.
4) Remove Links And Heavy Emojis
External links and emoji chains can set off automated screening. If you need to reference a brand, write the name without a URL. Use a normal tone—no giant emoji strings or all-caps lines.
5) Try Without Photos, Then Add One
Images carry extra checks. First publish text. If that goes through, edit your post and attach a single, original photo (taken by you, at the place, with a normal file size). Skip stock images and collages.
6) Switch Device Or Browser
Post from a different phone or desktop browser. This rules out quirky app builds, outdated extensions, and local cache issues. On desktop, try a clean profile or an incognito window with no add-ons.
7) Turn Off VPN And Location Spoofing
Posting from a faraway IP or masked location can look suspicious, especially right after a visit. Use a normal connection in the same country where you visited, then post again.
8) Pace Your Activity
Rapid-fire posts to many places in a short window resemble spam. Spread out your activity. Mix in star ratings and edits across a few days before adding longer text.
9) Check If The Business Has Posting Limits
When a place gets hit by review spam waves, new posts may be paused while checks run. In those stretches, your post can sit pending for a while and then appear later. That’s normal when systems shield a page from abuse.
Why Reviews Vanish Right After You Click Post
You hit submit, the review flashes on your screen, and then it’s gone. That “now you see it, now you don’t” pattern points to a filter catching the content right after publication. Your post may show in your own activity log but won’t display on the public profile until it clears screening.
Common Triggers For Instant Takedowns
- Duplicate text you used on several listings
- Promo lines like “use code” or “ask for me”
- Personal info about staff or other customers
- Profanity aimed at a person or group
- Links to external stores, referral pages, or discounts
- Photos that look like stock, ads, or screenshots of receipts with private data
How Long Delays Usually Last
When content sits in a queue, it can appear within minutes or take a few days. During active sweeps for fake posts, some reviews stay hidden until the wave passes. If yours respects policy and you’ve already run the steps above, wait, then re-word and re-post only once after a few days.
Deep-Dive: Account And Profile Factors
Sometimes the block isn’t the text—it’s the account. A new profile with no activity, an account with unusual patterns, or a name field that violates naming rules can all get in the way.
New Profiles Need A Bit Of History
Brand-new accounts posting long rants from day one look risky to automated systems. Add a photo to your profile, set a display name, give a few star ratings, and save places. That normal usage builds trust signals that help your posts stick.
Name And Photo Checks
Use a regular display name and a normal profile photo. Names that resemble promo text or full-caps slogans can be flagged. Steer clear of logos for personal profiles.
Age And Region Settings
If your profile has missing birthdate or conflicting region info, some content features can act oddly. Fill in those fields and retry from the same country as your visit.
Business-Side Causes You Can’t Control
Some places go through periods where new ratings are paused system-wide, often during spam spikes or while policy actions are pending. In these windows, new posts may be disabled or removed and a warning banner can appear on the page. When the pause lifts, normal posting returns.
How To Tell If A Pause Is In Effect
Look for a banner on the business profile, a burst of recent missing posts mentioned by many users, or news about stricter action on fake ratings in that region. During those spans, retries won’t help; waiting is the only move.
Troubleshooting By Error Message
When an error appears, match it to the table below and use the action that fits.
| Message | Meaning | What To Try |
|---|---|---|
| “Your review couldn’t be posted” | Generic block or network timeout | Log out/in, clear cache, post short text, turn off VPN, switch network |
| “Looks like this review is not appropriate” | Policy trigger in wording or media | Remove links, ads, personal data, profanity; re-word and retry |
| No error, review disappears after refresh | Auto-removal by filters | Wait a day; then post a shorter, cleaner version with no media |
| Write button grayed out | Posting paused on the listing or account restriction | Try later; check from a second device; avoid repeated submits |
| Photo upload fails | File too large or looks non-original | Compress, remove overlays, post text first, add one photo later |
Write A Review That Sticks: Practical Template
Keep your post short, factual, and tied to a real visit. Outline the date, what you bought, and what went well or didn’t. Avoid sweeping claims. Mention staff by role, not full name. Finish with a helpful tip for other visitors.
Simple Structure You Can Copy
- When: “Visited on 12 Oct during lunch”
- What: “Ordered the combo; wait time 10 minutes”
- Details: “Sandwich was warm; fries needed more salt; cashier was friendly”
- Tip: “Street parking fills by noon”
This format reads like a firsthand account and avoids triggers that get posts pulled. It helps the next person make a choice, which is the whole point.
When You’ve Tried Everything
If text-only still won’t publish after the checks above, give it time. Then try a fresh wording from a second device and a clean browser profile. If multiple people near you can post on the same listing while you can’t, the block may be account-specific. In that case, scale back activity for a few days and post a short note later.
Signals That Call For Patience
- Many users report delays on the same listing
- A region-wide push against fake ratings appears in tech news
- The business page shows a warning banner about recent review action
FAQ-Style Clarifications (No Extra Fluff)
Can A Business Stop Me From Posting?
Businesses can’t pick and choose which posts go live, but if a listing is under policy review, new ratings can be paused for a while. Once that clears, posting resumes.
Can Staff Names Be In A Review?
A role is fine. Full names and private details can be removed. Keep it about the service and place.
Can I Reference My Order Or Ticket?
You can reference items or services in plain language. Avoid order numbers, emails, and phone numbers.
One-Page Checklist You Can Save
Before Posting
- Right account, correct listing
- Plain-text draft, no links
- Normal tone, no personal data
- Clean connection, no VPN
If It Fails
- Log out/in and clear cache
- Switch device or browser
- Try text-only, then add one photo later
- Wait during known pauses; retry once after a few days
Why This Works
The steps above align with how filters protect users from spam and scams. Clean text avoids flags. A normal posting pattern adds trust. Careful media use reduces false hits. When you match your post to the rules linked earlier, your review stands a far better chance of staying visible for the long haul.