Part of our complete guide: How to rank on Google Maps: the complete guide.
Anyone can add a photo to a place on Google Maps, but photos you add as the owner sit under your business’s own profile and can be organised by type. Customers look at photos before they call or visit, so this is worth doing properly.
Step by step
Sign in to the account that manages your profile
Photos added from the owner account show as coming from the business. Photos from other accounts show up under customer photos.
Open your Business Profile
Search for your business name on Google while signed in, or open Google Maps and go to your business.
Go to Photos
Choose Photos, then Add photo. On a phone you can take a new picture with the camera or pick one from your gallery. On a computer you pick files from your folders.
Choose the type of photo
Pick the right label, such as Exterior, Interior, Product, At work or Team, so people can find what they want. Your logo and cover photo are set from the same area.
Publish and check the result
Tap Post or Publish. Photos are checked against Google’s content policies, so they may take a little while to appear. Open your profile as a customer would and confirm they look right.
Repeat on a regular schedule
Add a few fresh photos every month. A profile that stays unchanged for a year looks closed, even when it is not.
What our team at MapBoost does instead
We add fresh photos to your profile every month, from a tagged library, so your listing keeps changing without you uploading anything.
If you send us pictures from your phone, we sort them into the right types and put them where they belong.
India: ₹2,499* per location per monthEurope: €49 per location per month (or €39 billed yearly) + VAT where applicableRest of the world: $49 per location per month (or $39 billed yearly)
*Plus GST (India)
What to photograph
Show what a customer will actually see and use. Photos that match reality build trust, and photos that do not lead to bad reviews.
- The outside of your place, including the signboard and the entrance, so people can find you.
- The inside, in good light, with the space as it normally looks.
- Your products, dishes, rooms, courts or work, whichever is the reason people come.
- Your team at work, with their permission.
- A short video of the place, if you have one.
File limits from Google
Google lists these limits in its help pages. Check the page before a big upload, because limits can change.
- Photos: JPG or PNG, between 10 KB and 5 MB. Google recommends 720 by 720 pixels, with 250 by 250 as the minimum.
- Videos: up to 30 seconds and 75 MB, at 720p or higher.
Common mistakes
- Uploading stock images or pictures from the internet. Google can remove them, and customers feel misled.
- Heavy filters, text over the picture or collages. Plain, sharp, well-lit photos work best.
- Dark, blurry or sideways phone photos. Take them in daylight, hold the phone steady and check before uploading.
- Photos of other people’s businesses or of customers who did not agree to be shown.
- Uploading everything once and never again. Fresh photos tell visitors that the business is active.
- Leaving customer photos unchecked. Look at what customers have posted, and report any that break Google’s rules.
Questions people ask
How do I add photos to my business on Google Maps?
Sign in to the Google account that manages your profile, open your business on Search or Maps, choose Photos, tap Add photo, select your pictures and publish them.
How do I upload a photo to Google from my mobile phone?
Open the Google Maps app, go to your business, tap Photos and then Add photo. Take a picture with the camera or choose one from your gallery, then tap Post.
How do I add photos to a location on Google Maps?
Open the place in Google Maps, tap Photos, then Add photo. If it is your own business, do it from the account that manages the profile so the photos show as coming from the owner.
Why are my photos not showing on Google Maps?
New photos are checked before they appear, so there can be a delay. A photo can also be held back or removed if it breaks Google’s content policies, for example if it is a stock image or contains unsuitable content.
What size should photos be for a Google Business Profile?
Google asks for JPG or PNG files between 10 KB and 5 MB, and recommends 720 by 720 pixels, with 250 by 250 as the minimum. Use sharp photos rather than tiny or heavily compressed ones.
How many photos should I add?
Google does not set a target. Start with a good set that covers the outside, inside, your products or work and your team, then add a few new ones every month.
Can I remove a photo a customer added to my profile?
You cannot delete customer photos yourself. If a photo breaks Google’s policies, you can report it and Google decides whether to remove it.
Do photos help me rank higher on Google Maps?
Google tells owners to add photos and videos in its tips for improving local ranking. Photos mainly help customers choose you, and a complete profile is part of how Google judges relevance.
Terms used in this guide, in the glossary: Cover photo, Logo, Photo geotagging, Google Business Profile, Knowledge panel.