How to Disable Reviews on Google My Business

Trying to turn off reviews on your Google Business Profile? The short answer is you can't just flip a switch and disable them permanently. Google sees reviews as essential user-generated content, but there are specific situations where you can get them temporarily paused or removed. This guide will walk you through exactly what those situations are, how to handle them, and what you should be doing instead to take control of your online reputation.

The Hard Truth: Why You Can’t Simply Disable Google Reviews

Let's get this out of the way first. For the overwhelming majority of businesses, there is no button, setting, or secret hack to permanently disable Google reviews. From Google's perspective, customer reviews are the bedrock of its local search platform. They offer social proof, build trust, and help customers make informed decisions - whether they're looking for the best coffee shop or a reliable plumber.

Imagine if businesses could just turn off their reviews whenever they received negative feedback. The system would lose all credibility. Transparency is the name of the game, and Google intends to keep it that way. The entire purpose of Google Maps and local search ranking is to provide an authentic, user-driven snapshot of a local business. Allowing owners to cherry-pick what customers see would completely undermine that trust.

So while you can't put up a permanent "reviews are closed" sign, you are not powerless. The solution isn't to hide from feedback but to understand the rules and manage it effectively.

When Google Reviews Can *Actually* Be Turned Off (The Exceptions)

While you can't opt out of the system, there are a few specific scenarios where Google may temporarily pause or remove a business's ability to receive new reviews. These are rare and usually handled by Google, not initiated by the business owner.

1. Your Business Is Under a "Review Bombing" Attack

A "review bomb" is a coordinated attack where a swarm of people leave fake, one-star reviews in a short period. This often happens due to a viral social media post, a political stance, or a public controversy. It’s an attempt to damage a business’s reputation as a concerted effort, not genuine customer feedback.

When this happens, Google’s systems are designed to detect unusual activity. If they notice a massive spike in reviews from users who aren’t legitimate customers, they may temporarily pause the ability for anyone to leave new reviews while they investigate and clean up the fake ones.

What to do if this happens to you:

• Don't panic and reply angrily. Your first instinct might be to defend your business, but replying to dozens of fake profiles will only add fuel to the fire and make your page look chaotic.
• Document everything. Take screenshots of the reviews. Note the usernames (they often follow a pattern), the dates, and the times. This evidence will be vital.
• Flag each fake review individually. While tedious, this is the first official step in alerting Google to a policy violation for each review. Go to the review, click the three-dot menu, and select "Report review." Choose the most appropriate reason, like "Spam" or "Conflict of interest."
• Contact Google Business Profile support directly. This is the most important step. Don't just rely on flagging. Go to the Google Business Profile help section, explain that your business is the target of a coordinated attack or review bomb, and provide the evidence you collected. This escalates the issue beyond individual flags and can trigger a broader investigation and short-term pause on new reviews.

2. During Major Ownership or Location Changes

Sometimes, when a business is sold, changes its name, or moves to a new location, Google may remove old reviews. The logic is that the reviews for "Joe’s Old Pizza Place" may not be relevant to "Jane's New Cafe" operating out of the same building. Similarly, reviews for a location in one city may not apply if the business moves across the country.

This isn't something a business owner can request on a whim. It typically happens as part of a significant profile update, such as merging profiles or reclaiming a listing with new ownership information. In these cases, you’re not disabling reviews - you’re essentially starting fresh because the business itself is fundamentally different.

3. Temporary Hold for Unverified Profiles

When you first create a Google Business Profile or if it becomes unverified for any reason (like changing a key detail like the address), Google's systems can place a temporary hold on new reviews being published. This is a measure to prevent spam and ensure the business is a legitimate entity with a real location before user-generated content starts pouring in. Once your profile is fully verified, the review functionality becomes active.

What You Should Do Instead: A Proactive Reputation Management Strategy

Since hiding reviews isn’t an option, the best strategy is to take control of the narrative. A few negative reviews have very little impact when they are drowned out by dozens of authentic, positive ones. This isn't about covering up problems, it's about showcasing the great experiences your real customers have every day.

Step 1: Respond to Every Single Review (Yes, *Every* Single One)

Responding to reviews is one of the most powerful and underutilized tools you have. It shows potential customers that you are engaged, that you listen to feedback, and that you care about your customers' experience. It also gives you a chance to frame the conversation.

How to respond to negative reviews:

• Keep it calm and professional. Never get into a public argument. Your response is not just for the unhappy customer, it’s for every future customer who will ever read it.
• Acknowledge and apologize. Start with something simple like, "We're sorry to hear your experience didn't live up to your expectations." This isn't necessarily admitting fault, but it validates their feelings.
• Take it offline. Provide a direct way for them to resolve the issue privately. "Please contact us directly at [email address] or [phone number] so we can learn more about what happened and make things right." This shows you are proactive about finding a solution.
• Don't make excuses. Avoid lengthy explanations about what went wrong. Keep your public response short, professional, and resolution-oriented.

How to respond to positive reviews:

• Say thank you! It seems simple, but it shows genuine appreciation.
• Be specific. If they mention a product they loved or an employee who was helpful, mention that in your reply. "We're so glad you enjoyed the hazelnut latte! Sarah is an amazing barista, and we'll be sure to pass along your kind words." This makes the interaction feel more authentic.
• Reinforce your brand values. Use it as an opportunity to reiterate what makes you special. "We work hard to provide fast and friendly service, so we're thrilled to hear that was your experience."

Step 2: Actively Flag and Remove Policy-Violating Reviews

Just because you can't disable reviews doesn't mean you have to tolerate ones that are clearly breaking the rules. Google has a very specific set of content policies, and you should familiarize yourself with them. You have every right to flag a review and request its removal if it contains:

• Spam or Fake Content: Reviews posted by bots, fake accounts, or content designed to manipulate ratings.
• Conflict of Interest: Reviews from employees, former employees, or competitors.
• Off-Topic Content: Reviews that discuss political views, social commentary, or personal rants unrelated to the customer experience.
• Harassment, Hate Speech, or Offensive Content: Reviews that attack, threaten, or use inappropriate language toward anyone.
• Personal Information: Reviews that post private information like phone numbers or home addresses.

How to flag a review for removal:

1. Navigate to your Google Business Profile Manager.
2. In the left-hand menu, click "Reviews."
3. Find the review you want to report. Click the three-dot menu next to it.
4. Select "Report review" (or "Flag as inappropriate").
5. Choose the category that best describes the violation.

After you submit the flag, be patient. It can take several days or even weeks for Google to review your request. There’s no guarantee it will be removed, but if it clearly violates a policy, you have a strong case.

Step 3: Build a System for Generating Authentic Positive Reviews

This is the most effective long-term strategy. The best way to combat negative feedback is with an overwhelming amount of positive feedback. Don’t just passively wait for reviews to happen - build a simple process to encourage your happy customers to share their experiences.

Simple, ethical ways to get more reviews:

• Create and share your direct review link. In your Google Business Profile dashboard, there's a "Share review form" feature that gives you a direct link to the review pop-up. Make this link easy to access.
• Use QR codes. Put a QR code that leads to your review link on receipts, business cards, flyers, or at your checkout counter. It makes it incredibly easy for customers to leave a review right on their device.
• Put the link in your email signature. Every email you send is an opportunity to gently remind people to share their feedback.
• Send a post-purchase follow-up. After an online order is delivered or a service is completed, send a simple email thanking the customer and just ask for their honest feedback. Something like, "Enjoyed your experience? We'd love to hear your feedback on Google!"

One critical rule: Never, ever incentivize reviews. Offering discounts, gift cards, or free items in exchange for a review is a direct violation of Google's policy and can get your reviews wiped and profile penalized.

Final Thoughts

While you can’t just opt out of Google reviews, you absolutely have the power to manage your online reputation. By understanding when to escalate issues like a review attack, knowing how to remove illegitimate reviews, and focusing on generating a steady stream of positive feedback from your actual customers, you can build a profile that truly reflects the quality of your business.

Managing the constant stream of Google reviews is a challenge, but it's parallel to how community management happens on social media. People share their thoughts everywhere - comments, DMs, @mentions - and staying ahead of that constant flow is key to building a strong organic brand. This is a big reason why we built our unified inbox over at Postbase. We bring all your messages from across social platforms into one single feed. This approach to community management feels manageable, enabling us to focus on building our brand instead of being stuck catching up on every single app all day long.