Google reviews disappeared? Causes and fixes
The short answer
Google reviews usually go missing for one of a few reasons: a short delay while Google checks them, removal for breaking its policy, the reviewer deleting it, a merged or duplicate profile, or Google switching off reviews for your listing. Work through the causes below to find yours.
By Reputant · Updated October 30, 2026 · 6 min read
Why are my Google reviews not showing?
Google lists the causes on its help page for missing or delayed reviews. Most of them leave a clue you can check in a few minutes. Start with the table, find the row that sounds like yours, and read that section.
| Cause | How to tell | What to do |
|---|---|---|
| Review still being checked | Customer says they posted it today or in the last few days | Wait. Google says checks can take a few days |
| Removed for breaking policy | Review was once visible and now is gone | Google says reviews removed for policy violations are not restored |
| Reviewer deleted it | A customer says they removed it, or the count dropped by one | Reviewers can delete their own reviews. You can ask politely if they would write it again |
| Merged profile | You merged listings recently | Google says reviews from both can take a few days to show |
| Old phone or app | Customer says the post would not go through | Google suggests updating the Maps app |
| Reviews switched off | No review option appears at all | Google can turn reviews off for some profiles or categories, including schools for students aged 6 to 18 |
| Profile reinstated | Reviews vanished around a reinstatement | Google says to contact support |
The sections below take each cause in turn.
Is a new Google review just delayed?
Possibly. Per Google, reviews are checked for policy compliance, and this can take a few days, which delays when a review appears on your profile.
You can tell because the customer posted recently and still sees their own review on their account. Give it a few days. If it has not appeared after that, move down to the policy and deletion causes, because the review may have been caught in the check.
Do not ask the customer to post again right away.
Did Google remove my review for breaking its rules?
Possibly. Google says it removes content that breaks its review policy, and the missing reviews page states that reviews removed for policy violations are not restored.
Google's content policy lists reviews tied to the business through current or former employment, a contractual relationship, competitors or family as a conflict of interest. It also lists offering payment, discounts or free goods in exchange for a review, and content with unusual volumes or patterns of review contributions.
Ask every customer the same way, never reward a review, and never ask staff to post one. Our guide on how to get more Google reviews sets out who to ask and what Google allows.
If you think a genuine review was taken down by mistake, Google's flagging page says to contact support when automated spam detection removes a legitimate review.
Could the reviewer have deleted it?
Yes. Reviewers can edit or delete their own reviews at any time from their account.
A count that dropped by one, or a customer who tells you they deleted it, points to this. Google also says that when a reviewer edits a review, the date of the last edit shows as the post date.
You cannot undelete it. If you ask them to write it again, keep it polite, do not push, and never offer anything in return.
Are my reviews on a merged or duplicate profile?
After you merge two profiles, Google says it can take a few days for reviews from both to appear in Search and Maps.
Search your business name and address in Maps to see whether two entries appear for the same place.
Can an old phone or app stop reviews from posting?
Yes. Google says customers on older phones or software might have trouble leaving reviews, and recommends they update the Maps app to the latest version.
If a customer says they posted, ask what they saw on the screen. If it never confirmed, they can try again after updating the app.
Has Google turned reviews off for my listing?
Google may temporarily disable user-created content, including reviews, for certain Business Profiles, according to its missing reviews page. The same page says reviews and ratings are removed and disabled for schools primarily categorized as educational institutions for students aged 6 to 18.
Check that your business category is correct in your profile.
What if my profile was suspended or reinstated?
Google's page says reviews might be removed after a Business Profile is reinstated, and to contact support in that case. Have the date of the reinstatement and an approximate count of how many reviews you had before.
Taking screenshots of your profile now and then gives you a dated record of your rating and count to show support.
What should I check, in order?
Run through these in order.
- Note the date the review was posted and ask the customer what they see on their account.
- Wait a few days if it was posted recently.
- Check for a recent profile merge.
- Ask whether the reviewer deleted it or changed accounts.
- Read the review against the policy: was it from staff, family, a competitor or paid for?
- Check your business category.
- If a review was removed by mistake or reviews vanished after a reinstatement, contact Google Business Profile support with your screenshots and dates.
What do I do now that the review is gone?
Accept that one review may not come back, and build the stream that outlasts any single loss. Ask every customer the same way after every job. Reply to the ones you have.
If the real worry is fake reviews staying up instead, read how to report fake Google reviews. If you want to know what Google will take down on request, see how to remove a Google review.