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Fixing Wrong Information and Suggested Edits on Your Google Listing
Anyone can suggest a change to a business on Google Maps, and Google gives the owner four days to respond before it may publish the change on its own, so wrong hours or a wrong phone number are often a sign that nobody was watching the profile's notifications.
When a suggested edit arrives, review it within four days: accept it if it is correct, reject it if it is wrong, and then correct the information directly in your profile so Google has an accurate version to compare against. Google's help page says that if an owner doesn't respond, it may publish the edit when other public information, such as the business website, supports it, which is why the website and the profile need to agree.
The fix, step by step
- Turn on notifications. Make sure the profile's owner or manager email receives Google's alerts, since Google says suggested edits that need review arrive by email or as an in-product notification.
- Open the profile and look for blue text. In the profile editor, Google marks information it has changed in blue, and a notice appears at the top of the page.
- Accept or reject within four days. Correct suggestions, such as new holiday hours a customer noticed, are worth accepting; wrong ones need rejecting before the window closes.
- Edit the field directly. Google's help page says "you can always update your Business Profile directly to ensure it remains accurate," so retype the correct hours, phone or address even after rejecting a bad edit.
- Match the website the same day. Google may publish a suggestion when the business website supports it, so an old footer with former hours works against you.
- Check the edit's status. Google says most edits are reviewed within 10 minutes but some take up to 30 days, and each shows as accepted, pending or not approved; a not-approved edit may be appealed.
- Report a policy problem separately. If a competitor or a stranger is changing your listing in bad faith, use the reporting form linked from Google's help page rather than editing back and forth.
| Stage | Time Google gives |
|---|---|
| Owner reviews a suggested edit | 4 days |
| Typical review of an owner's own edit | Up to 10 minutes |
| Longest review of an owner's own edit | Up to 30 days |
A monthly two-minute check
On the first Monday of each month, one named person opens the profile, compares the hours, phone, address, website link and categories with the website and the booking system, and accepts or rejects anything waiting. Holiday hours deserve their own reminder two weeks before each holiday, since they are the hours most likely to differ from the regular week.
Why it works
The volume of suggestions is large, and Google filters many of them, so an attentive owner is the best defense. In 2025 community members suggested 80 million updates to places on Maps, and Google blocked 79 million inaccurate or unverified edits, according to its annual report on Maps enforcement; a profile whose owner answers within four days and keeps the website consistent gives Google a clear, current version to trust.
Sources
- Google. Manage Google updates. Google Business Profile Help.
- Google. Business Profile edit review and status. Google Business Profile Help.
- Google. New ways we're protecting businesses on Maps. Google Keyword blog, April 2026. Figures for 2025.
Related reading: How Often Business Hours Online Don't Match, and What It Costs · How to Check Your Own Front Door in 15 Minutes (Free Checklist) · Local Search Basics: How Google Decides Which Businesses to Show · Online Listings for Dental and Medical Practices
Email hello@osnovaops.com about your business if your listing keeps changing without your say.
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