How to Claim Your Google Business Profile (Step by Step)
An unclaimed listing means anyone can edit your business info and you miss out on reviews, posts, and Maps visibility. Here is how to claim and verify it.
Reviewed by Noah Owsiany for Strelva's co-founder; websites lead responsibilities.
If your business shows up on Google Maps but you have never logged in to manage it, your Google Business Profile is unclaimed. That means you cannot control your hours, photos, or description, anyone can suggest edits, and you cannot reply to reviews or use posts. For a local business, this is the single highest-leverage free thing you can fix.
Why claiming matters
The Google Business Profile is what feeds the map pack, the panel on the right of search, and increasingly the answers people get from AI assistants. An unclaimed profile is a profile you do not control, and competitors or random users can change details on it. Claiming it unlocks reviews management, posts, messaging, and the insights that show how customers find you.
How to claim it
- Find your listing. Search your exact business name plus city on Google. If a panel appears with a "Claim this business" or "Own this business?" link, click it. If nothing appears, go to business.google.com and add your business.
- Start the claim. Sign in with the Google account you want to own the profile long term (use a business account, not a personal one you might lose access to). Confirm the name, category, and address.
- Verify ownership. Google offers verification by phone, text, email, video, or postcard depending on your business type. Video verification has become the most common method in 2026 for service businesses, so have your storefront, signage, or work vehicle ready to film.
- Enter the code and confirm. Once verified, your dashboard unlocks. Check that name, address, phone, and website are correct before doing anything else.
After you are verified
Set your hours, write a description, pick the most specific primary category, and add photos. A claimed but empty profile still underperforms, so treat verification as step one, not the finish line.
If your profile was claimed years ago by a former employee or an agency you no longer work with, you can request access and Google will notify the current owner. Claiming control is worth the wait.
Frequently asked
What business owners ask next.
How long does Google Business Profile verification take?
Phone, text, and email verification are usually instant. Video verification is typically reviewed within a few days. Postcard verification takes 5 to 14 days to arrive. Until you are verified you cannot make most edits public.
What if someone else already claimed my business?
Use the 'Request access' option. Google emails the current owner, who has a few days to respond. If they do not, you can claim it. Do not create a duplicate listing, which can get both suspended.