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Google Business Profile photo upload checklist
Use this checklist before uploading a photo to your Google Business Profile. It checks the file, the image itself, the profile's verification state, and the policy conditions that can affect submitted or published media.
By Sergey Sulimko, Founder · · 5 Google help pages, read Oct 17, 2026
| Checklist | Use it when |
|---|---|
| Standard photo readiness checklist | Every owner-uploaded photo before submission |
| Policy pass for the photo | The image includes people, personal information, or a restricted product or service |
| Upload log | You want a small record of what you submitted and what Google shows afterward |
Standard photo readiness checklist
Copy this block for each photo and mark every line before you upload it.
0 of 10 done
Photo: [filename]
- The file is JPG or PNG.
- The file is between 10 KB and 5 MB.
- The image is at least 250 px tall by 250 px wide. Google recommends 720 px tall by 720 px wide.
- The image is in focus and well lit.
- The image represents reality without significant alterations or excessive use of filters.
- I captured the image at the location, and the location is the primary subject.
- The image is not a screenshot, stock photo, GIF, collage, heavily edited image, or image created by another party.
- The image has no added borders or text, and it is not excessively dark or rotated.
- Any rotation or lighting correction is minimal, and any filter keeps the image a clear and accurate depiction.
- The Business Profile is verified before I expect the photo to show on Google.
Google's photo and video requirements set the JPG or PNG, 10 KB to 5 MB, 250 px by 250 px minimum, and 720 px by 720 px recommended checks.1 Google's quality guidance says the image should be in focus, well lit, and representative of reality without significant alterations or excessive filters. Google's media tips add the checks about capturing the media at the location, making the location the primary subject, avoiding screenshots and stock media, and keeping edits accurate.2
Read the full section
Verification is a display condition, not a promise of immediate publication. Google says photos and videos show on Google only after the Business Profile is verified.1 Use the photo publishing guide for the upload path and menu names.
Policy pass for the photo
Use this add-on when the photo contains a person, personal information, or a product or service with legal or platform restrictions.
0 of 7 done
Policy pass
- The photo reflects a genuine experience and accurately represents the location or product.
- The photo does not show another person's personal information without consent, including their face.
- Any business contact information shown is related to this business.
- If a restricted product or service is the main focus, the image has no call to action, sales offer, purchase link, purchase-contact email address, purchase-contact phone number, or promotional offer.
- If a restricted product or service appears only incidentally, I checked the policy's incidental-depiction exception instead of applying the restricted-content rule too broadly.
- I checked Google's complete current policy for any other category that may apply.
- I have considered the laws and regulations that apply to the content I am posting.
Google's Business Profile media policy applies its prohibited and restricted content policies to both submitted and published photos and videos. The policy also says that media must meet additional criteria and that the person posting remains responsible for applicable laws and regulations.3
Read the full section
The Google Maps prohibited and restricted content policy says contributions should reflect a genuine experience and accurately represent the location or product. It also describes privacy and restricted-content conditions. The restricted-content rule has an exception for incidental depictions, such as a menu or alcohol that is not the main focus, so keep that exception with the rule instead of treating every appearance as a violation.4
This short pass is not a substitute for the complete policy. If the problem is a photo uploaded by a customer, use the customer-photo reporting guide instead of treating it as your owner upload.
Upload log
This is a recommended record for the person managing the profile. Google does not require these field names.
Google Business Profile photo upload log
- File: [filename]
- Profile: [business name]
- Photo category: [exterior, interior, product, at work, food or drink, team, or other]
- Upload date: [YYYY-MM-DD]
- Profile verified: [yes / no]
- Google status: [Pending / Not approved / Live]
- Next check or action: [date, duplicate check, correction, or none]
- Notes: [what changed or what needs review]
Google's photo guidance defines the post-upload states this log records. Pending means the media is uploading or processing, or the profile is not verified, and pending media does not show to customers on Google Search or Maps. Not approved means the media was flagged for a policy violation and does not show. Live means the media shows on Search and Maps. Google also says photos and videos can take up to 24 to 48 hours to show on the Business Profile.1
How should I use the checklist without turning it into a quota?
Check the file and policy lines before each upload, then record the result after submission. Google's business-specific photo guidance gives category-specific recommendations, such as at least three exterior photos for helping customers recognize a business. Those recommendations vary by business type and photo set; they are not a universal upload quota or a ranking rule.5
Read the full section
Do not treat Pending as Not approved. If a verified profile's photo is still pending, allow Google's stated 24 to 48 hour display window before diagnosing a problem. If the photo is Not approved, review the policy and the image instead. If the upload cannot be found, Google says to check whether it is a duplicate before trying again.1 For that diagnostic sequence, use the guide to Google Business Profile photos that are missing or rejected.
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Where your profile stands now
Visibility Score 0-100 · 20 scored factors · free · no signup
- Profile Completeness
- 11 checks · 40% of score
- Performance
- 4 checks · 35% of score
- Competitive Position
- 5 metrics · 25% of score
Sources
All read Oct 17, 2026