Google Business Profile

How to reply to Google reviews

Once your profile is verified, open your Business Profile, select Read reviews, choose the Reply icon under a review, write your answer and select Reply. Google checks it, then shows it under your business name.

6 steps

  1. Step 1: Confirm your Business Profile is verified. Google only lets verified businesses reply to reviews.
    1 min
  2. Step 2: Search for your business name on Google while signed in to the account that manages it, and select Read reviews.
    1 min
  3. Step 3: Pick a review and select the Reply icon next to it.
    1 min
  4. Step 4: Type a short answer in the box. Thank the person, address their point and avoid any detail that identifies them.
    3 min
  5. Step 5: Select Reply to send it for Google's policy check.
    1 min
  6. Step 6: Check back later. Most replies clear within minutes; if Google asks you to edit one, fix it and resend.
    10 min
  7. Arrived: Your reply shows publicly under the review, labeled as coming from your business. The reviewer gets a notification that you answered.

Checked 13 Nov 2026 · source: support.google.com

Who’s reading your reply

The person who wrote the review gets a notification, but they’re not your main audience. The people who matter are the dozens of strangers who will scroll past that review next month while choosing between you and the place down the street. They read your reply to see what you’re like when something goes wrong. A short, steady answer does more for them than a perfect rebuttal.

What Google checks before it publishes

Replies go through the same kind of policy review as customer reviews. Google says most replies are checked within about 10 minutes, though some take up to 30 days. If a reply doesn’t pass, Google asks you to edit it rather than silently dropping it. The common reasons a reply gets held are easy to avoid:

  • Personal details about the customer, such as their full name, phone number, address or what they bought on a given date.
  • Personal attacks or insults, even mild ones.
  • Promotions, coupon codes or links meant to sell.

Google’s tips also say to be honest about mistakes without accepting responsibility for things outside your control. That line matters when a review makes claims you’d dispute.

A reply in four moves

Most good replies follow the same rough order, but the words should change every time:

  1. Thank or acknowledge. Use their first name if they used one.
  2. Answer the specific point. If they mentioned slow service on Saturday, talk about Saturday.
  3. Say what happens next. A change you’ve made, or how to reach you directly.
  4. Sign off. Your first name or initials make it read like a person wrote it.

For a complaint, keep the details of the dispute offline. Offer a phone number or email for the business, not for the customer.

Who gets a Reply button

Reply access depends on verification. If you haven’t verified, the Reply icon won’t be there. Google also notes that reviews are available only in certain countries, regions and categories, and that this can change. Schools for students aged 6 to 18 are one category where Google has turned reviews off entirely.

When not to reply yet

If the review breaks Google’s content policy, flag it first. You can still reply, but some owners prefer to wait for the decision so they don’t spend time answering a review that’s about to disappear. If you’re angry, wait an hour. There’s no prize for answering in five minutes, and Google’s tips only ask that you respond in a timely way.

If it doesn't work

  • There's no Reply icon: the profile isn't verified yet, or you're signed in with an account that doesn't manage it.
  • Google asked you to edit the reply: remove anything promotional, personal or heated, then submit again.
  • The reply hasn't appeared after a day: Google says checks can take up to 30 days in some cases. Don't post duplicates.
  • Reviews aren't available for your business at all: Google limits reviews by country, region and category.

Questions owners ask

Does my personal name show on the reply?

No. Google says approved replies appear under the review as coming from your business, and your personal name isn't shown. You can still sign off with your first name or initials inside the text if you'd like the reply to feel personal, which Google's own tips suggest.

Should I reply to every five-star review?

Google's tips warn against pasting the same thank-you message everywhere. Answer positive reviews when you have something useful to add, like a note about the dish they mentioned, and put more care into reviews with questions or complaints.

Can the customer change their review after I reply?

Yes. Google says reviewers are notified of your reply and can still edit their review afterward, and the review date updates to the latest change. A good reply sometimes leads to a revised review, but you can't make that a condition of anything.

Can I put a discount code in my reply?

Google's tips say not to use replies for deals or promotions. Keep the reply about the customer's experience and invite them back. Offers belong in posts, not in review answers.

Sources

Checked 13 Nov 2026. When the platform changes its process we update this page and log it in What changed.

Related fixes

Written by Ellis Marr (a pen name) · Checked 13 Nov 2026 · How we check