Customer photos on your Google listing: what you can do
Translated from the Spanish original. Leer en español
One day you open your Google listing and find photos you didn't upload: a half-eaten dish, the counter seen from the door, a product with a crooked label. They are photos from your customers, and they are there for anyone comparing your business with another. The usual thing is to ignore them, and it is an opportunity left on the table.
Short answer. Customer photos are published on your Business Profile without you being able to stop it, but you can see them, reply to them from the Google Maps app and report those that violate Google's policies. It is also worth taking care of your own photos: Google says that, if the cover photo is low quality, it may choose one submitted by users.
In today's edition you have where to find those photos, how to reply to them, when to report them and what requirements the ones you upload must meet. In the previous edition we saw how to reply to a five-star review, and today it is the visual part of the listing's turn.
What is a customer photo update?
When a customer visits your Business Profile in the Google Maps app, they can post a photo update. According to Google's help, an update includes one or more photos, with or without text, and can highlight things like changes in opening hours, seasonal menus or new products and services.
There is a difference from reviews worth being clear about. A customer can write only one review about your business, but can post several photo updates. That means the flow of photos can be much steadier than that of opinions.
Google says it bluntly: you can't prevent customers from posting photo updates. What you can do is manage them, and that is what follows.
Where are the photos your customers upload shown?
There is a practical detail that surprises many people: photo updates can only be found in the Google Maps app, not in the desktop version. According to Google's help, the path is this:
- On your phone, open the Google Maps app.
- At the bottom right, tap Business.
- Tap View Business Profile.
- Go into Updates and then From visitors.
There appear the photo updates your customers have posted. It is worth following this path from time to time, just as you check new reviews, because it is easy for weeks to go by without you seeing them.
If you want to see the photos individually, you can also do it from the Photos tab of your profile. In Google Search, in addition, the source of each photo and the total number of views are shown in the bottom left corner, something Google covers in its help on photos and videos.
Can you reply to customers' photos?
Yes. Google says you can only reply to photo updates from the Google Maps app. The steps are the same as to find them, with one last gesture:
- Open Google Maps, tap Business and go into View Business Profile.
- Go to Updates and then to From visitors.
- Find the update you want to reply to.
- Tap Reply.
A short reply to a photo works like a reply to a review: the person who uploaded it reads it and so do other customers passing through. If you prefer to review how to word it, in the previous edition you have the three-piece structure: specific thanks, useful information and a natural close.
How do you reply to a photo without sounding like a template?
The same rule as for reviews works here: answer with something specific about what is seen in the photo. These three examples are made up and serve only as structure. Swap them for what actually appears in each update.
When the photo shows a product or a dish:
"Thanks for sharing it, Marta. We're glad you liked it, and we remind you that from this month we are changing the seasonal menu. Best, Laura."
When the photo shows the premises:
"Thank you very much for the photo, Pablo. It is the entrance area, which we recently renovated. Best, Laura."
When the update includes a comment about opening hours or a service:
"Thanks for letting us know, Elena. We confirm that from this month we are also open on Friday afternoons. Warm regards, Laura."
Notice what they have in common: they mention what is seen, add a useful fact and carry a signature. None carries offers or invitations to buy.
When is it worth reporting a customer photo?
When it violates Google's policies, not when you simply don't like it. According to Google's help, if a photo or video uploaded by a customer violates the policies, you can request that it be removed. The content is reviewed and it may be taken off your Business Profile.
The reasons Google gives as examples in the app are "Spam" or "Personal information", and in Google Search, "Privacy issue" or "Not a photo or video of the place". If a photo shows someone's private data, or doesn't correspond to your business, it is a good candidate.
The process can take several business days. Google warns of an important detail: if you submit several removal requests for the same content, the review process can be delayed. One well-chosen request is enough.
How do you report a photo update from the app?
The steps Google gives for a full update are these:
- Open Google Maps, tap Business and go into View Business Profile.
- Go to Updates and then From visitors.
- Find the update you want to report.
- Tap More and then Report.
- Select the type of violation.
If you only want to report one specific photo from an update, Google says you can do it from the Photos tab. There is also a route from Google Search, with the same approach: choose the reason and submit the request.
What requirements do the photos you upload meet?
Uploading your own photos lets you balance what customers see. Google asks that they be well focused and lit, and not significantly edited or have too many filters, that is, that they represent reality. These are the technical requirements:
- Format: JPG or PNG.
- Size: between 10 KB and 5 MB.
- Recommended resolution: 720 pixels high by 720 wide.
- Minimum resolution: 250 pixels high by 250 wide.
To add them from your computer, search for your business's name and city in Google Search or Maps, click Photos and then Add photos. Your photos are only shown when the profile is verified, and can take 24 to 48 hours to appear. If you haven't done it yet, in the article on how to fix your Google Business Profile listing you have the process.
Why does the cover photo matter?
Because it is the first impression of your listing. Google explains that selecting a cover photo doesn't guarantee it will be shown first, and that if the chosen photo is low quality, or if other sources suggest it isn't the best to represent your business, one of those submitted by users may be chosen.
Put another way: if you don't take care of what you upload, the main image of your business may end up being decided by someone else. A well-lit exterior photo also helps customers recognize your business when they visit, according to Google's own help.
What if a customer photo shows something you don't like but doesn't violate anything?
Reply calmly and add context. If a photo shows, for example, a sold-out product or an area under construction, a friendly reply with the updated information turns an image that could confuse into a useful clarification for whoever sees it later.
If the photo comes with a negative opinion, the guideline is different, and in the guide on how to respond to a one-star review you have the step by step. If someone asks you for money to remove a review or a photo, the edition on Google review extortion explains how to act.
How often should you check customer photos?
A short routine keeps them from piling up. Pick a fixed moment, for example when you check new reviews, open Updates in the app and take a look at what has arrived since last time. It takes a few minutes.
Prioritize three things: photos with other people's private data, those that don't correspond to your business and those that come with a comment you can answer with useful information. The rest can stay as is.
Frequently asked questions
Can I prevent my customers from uploading photos to my listing?
No. Google says you can't prevent customers from posting photo updates, although you can report inappropriate ones.
Where can I reply to a customer photo?
Only in the Google Maps app. Google explains that photo updates can only be found and replied to from the app, going into Business, View Business Profile, Updates and From visitors.
How long does Google take to review a photo report?
It can take several business days. Google recommends not sending several requests for the same content, because it can delay the review.
What format and size must the photos I upload have?
JPG or PNG, between 10 KB and 5 MB, with a recommended resolution of 720 by 720 pixels and a minimum of 250 by 250.
Can Google choose a customer photo as my business's main image?
Yes, in some cases. Google says that if the cover photo you chose is low quality, or if other sources suggest it isn't the best, one of the photos submitted by users can be chosen.
To finish your coffee
Your customers' photos are part of your listing, whether you like it or not, and what depends on you is looking at them, replying with something useful and reporting only what truly violates the policies. Five minutes every so often is enough to keep that part of the listing under control.
Photos are one part of the listing. If you also want to review the data, the reviews and the connection with your website, you have the scope of my local SEO service.
Tomorrow it's the starting question: how to appear on Google Maps. I'll tell you what steps Google indicates for your business to show up there.
Sources
- About customer photo updates, Google Business Profile Help
- How to report inappropriate photos or videos on your Business Profile, Google Help
- Manage photos and videos on a Business Profile, Business Profile Help on Google
Accessed on October 21, 2026.
