Yes, you can edit your own Google review to change the rating, text, and photos; you can’t modify other people’s reviews.
You can change what you wrote on Google any time. That includes your star rating, the words you posted, and any photos you attached. Your edited post replaces the original and shows the new timestamp. The business can see the changes, and so can anyone browsing the listing. Edits are fast, but they still need to follow Google’s content rules. This guide shows the exact steps on phone and desktop, where edits often fail, and how businesses can encourage updates the right way.
What Updating A Review On Google Really Means
Editing your own post keeps the same review slot on the page. You’re not adding a second rating; you’re overwriting the first one. That means the star count tied to your profile adjusts, your text changes, and any image swaps carry through. Google keeps a “Edited” marker with the new date. People browsing can’t view a full history; they only see the latest version. If you delete instead of edit, the rating and text vanish from the page.
What You Can Change And What Stays The Same
Here’s a fast overview of what you’re allowed to change, where to do it, and any quick notes before you start.
| Item You Can Change | Where To Do It | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Star Rating | Google Maps app or maps.google.com | Slide to a new rating and save; the average updates after refresh. |
| Review Text | Google Maps app or web | Edit the text field; keep it factual and clean per policy. |
| Photos/Videos | Google Maps app or web | Add or remove media; low-quality or off-topic uploads may be filtered. |
| Location Tagging | Google Maps listing page | Edits apply to that single place page; you can’t move it to a new place. |
| Delete Review | Google Maps app or web | Removes it fully; you can’t recover a deleted post. |
| Your Name/Profile | Google Account settings | Name or photo changes will reflect on your review card. |
Step-By-Step: Edit Your Review On A Phone
These steps work on iPhone and Android with the Google Maps app.
- Open the Google Maps app and sign in.
- Tap your profile photo, then choose Your contributions → Reviews.
- Find the place and tap your post.
- Tap the three dots, then tap Edit review.
- Change the star count, rewrite the text, and add or remove photos.
- Tap Post to save. Your card shows “Edited” with today’s date.
You can make more than one change. If you notice a typo after saving, repeat the same steps. If you decide the post no longer serves readers, delete it from that menu instead.
Step-By-Step: Edit Your Review On A Computer
You can edit from any browser on maps.google.com.
- Open Google Maps and sign in.
- Click the menu, then choose Your contributions → Reviews.
- Find the place and click the three dots next to your post.
- Click Edit review, change the rating or text, and manage photos.
- Click Post to update the live card.
If the edit button isn’t visible, open the place page first, scroll to the reviews section, and locate your card. You should see an Edit option under your text or in the three-dot menu.
Can You Edit Your Google Review After Posting — Rules And Limits
Yes, you can change your own content at any time. There’s no fixed countdown clock. That said, the post still needs to follow Google’s user-generated content rules on spam, conflicts of interest, and off-topic claims. If the system flags your edit, the card can be hidden or removed. Your account can also face posting limits if you keep breaking the rules. Keep your words clean, stick to first-hand experiences, and skip incentives or links that push sales.
What You Can’t Change
- Other people’s ratings or text.
- A business owner’s reply. Owners can edit their own reply; you can’t.
- The place page details from the review screen. Use Suggest an edit on the listing for map data changes.
When An Edit Might Not Show
Most changes appear right away. If your card doesn’t refresh, you may be seeing cache lag or a filter at work. Close and reopen the app, or reload the page. If the edit still isn’t live after a short wait, check your text and images. Spam triggers include off-topic rants, personal info, slurs, phone numbers, payment requests, and links that look like ads. Edits that trip those lines can get blocked or removed.
Add Or Remove Photos The Smart Way
Media adds context, but it also draws extra checks. Keep faces and plates blurred or out of frame. Shoot the sign, menu, product, or service area that matches your story. If you add a batch and the post vanishes, remove the extras and post one or two shots. Then add more later from your profile. That pattern helps avoid spam filters that react to sudden spikes in uploads tied to a single card.
Fix “Edit Failed” Problems Fast
If your change won’t stick, walk through this list. Most stalls come from small issues you can clear in minutes.
| Symptom | Likely Cause | Quick Fix |
|---|---|---|
| Save button grayed out | No change detected | Edit text or rating first; then try again. |
| Edit posts but vanishes later | Policy filter | Remove ads, links, or personal info; repost clean. |
| Can’t find your post | Signed into another account | Switch to the profile that wrote the original. |
| Photos don’t attach | Large files or wrong format | Compress or use common formats like JPG/PNG. |
| Button to edit missing | App cache or UI glitch | Force close the app, update Maps, or use the web. |
| Edits stuck “pending” | Back-end checks | Wait a short while, then refresh your profile page. |
Clean, Policy-Safe Edits That Stay Live
Keep your words tied to your visit. Describe what happened, when you went, and what changed on a return visit. Skip staff names and private details. If a business corrected a problem and earned a higher rating, say what changed in plain terms. If things got worse, stick to facts and steer clear of insults or threats. Clear posts help other readers and pass automatic checks.
How A Business Can Encourage An Update
Owners can’t rewrite customer posts, but they can reply with care and invite a follow-up visit. A calm reply with a fix, a contact email, or a make-good offer can turn a one-star moment into a fair update. Keep it short, sign with a name, and post the same day when possible. If the guest returns and has a better time, you can ask them to revisit their card. Keep the request simple and voluntary. Don’t bundle the ask with discounts or gifts tied to the rating.
When To Flag Instead Of Asking For An Edit
Some posts don’t qualify for updates because they shouldn’t be on the page at all. If the card is off-topic, contains hate speech, threats, sexual content, doxxing, or links that look like ads or phishing, use the flag tool on the review. Keep your reply short and neutral while it’s under review. Google removes content that breaks rules, and the listing will refresh once a decision is made.
Privacy, Names, And Sensitive Details
Think twice before posting photos of people who didn’t agree to appear. Skip names, emails, order numbers, and private health or billing data. If you posted a shot that shows these by mistake, remove it, save the edit, then add a safer image. That single change can be the difference between a live post and a filtered one.
Ratings And Averages: What Changes After An Edit
When you change the star count on your card, the place’s average refreshes after the system updates. Large pages with many ratings move slowly, while small pages can swing fast. Don’t chase the math. Write what reflects your real experience now, not what you think the average should be. Readers trust clear notes over number games.
When An Appeal Makes Sense
If your edited card vanished and you’re sure it followed the rules, try posting again with trimmed text and no links. If it still doesn’t appear, wait a short time and try the web version. For long-standing accounts that had a wave of removals, an appeal can help if the takedown was a mistake. Keep the request short, point to the visit details, and avoid copy-pasted language that looks like a template.
Tips For A Helpful Edit
- Lead with the date of your most recent visit.
- State what changed since your first post.
- Stick to one clear theme per paragraph.
- Add one or two sharp photos tied to that theme.
- Cut extra adjectives; use plain words and facts.
Legal And Safety Edge Cases
Don’t post claims that look like legal findings. Stick to what you saw and what you paid for. Skip threats of legal action inside the card. If a post mentions harm or safety risks, state the facts and leave contact info for the business reply. If a business claims your card is defamatory, keep your cool; edit to remove heated language and keep the core facts.
Quick Recap
You can change your own post on Google any time. Use the Maps app or the web, press edit, and save. Keep the card tied to your real visit, trim links and private data, and use clean photos. If a fix changed your view, say what changed and adjust the stars. If a post breaks rules, flag it rather than arguing in the thread. Clear, policy-safe edits help readers make better choices and keep the page useful for everyone.
Helpful references:
edit or delete your review and the
user-generated content policy.