Can you leave an anonymous Google review?

The short answer

No, not truly. Google says all reviews are public and that you're unable to add an anonymous review. What you can do is change the name people see:

1. Every review comes from a Google account. You must be signed in to post one, and the account stays linked to it.
2. You can post under a custom name and picture. Google lets you choose a display name for your public posts on Maps and Search instead of your Google Account name.
3. A custom name is not anonymity. Your other reviews and photos are still listed together on your profile, and Google still knows which account wrote the review.
4. Don't create a second account to hide. Google treats content posted from multiple accounts by one person as fake engagement, and impersonation is banned.
5. Watch what you write, not only your name. Details like the date, the order or the staff member can tell the business who you are anyway.

Are Google reviews anonymous?

No. Google's help article Add, edit, or delete Google Maps reviews & ratings says: "All reviews are public and anyone can find what you add. You're unable to add an anonymous review." It lists what other people can see when you write one:

• Your name. The name on your profile: your Google Account name, or a custom name if you set one.
• Your other contributions. Other photos and videos you've added to Google Maps, and the location info attached to them.
• Your other reviews. Everything else you've reviewed on Google Maps.

The business sees the same profile everyone else does. Google's help pages for business owners describe how to reply to reviews and report them; they don't describe any way for a business to see a reviewer's email address or account details.

How do you post Google reviews under a different name?

Google's help page Choose how you appear publicly on Google Maps & Search says you can post with the name and picture on your Google Account, or create a custom name and picture. The setting is shared between Google Maps and Search, so changing it in one place changes it in both.

In the Google Maps app (iPhone or Android)

1. Open the Google Maps app.
2. Tap Contribute, then View your profile, then Edit profile.
3. Check the box next to Use a custom display name & picture for posting.
4. Tap Display name to set your name. Tap your profile picture to pick an illustration or a photo from your phone.
5. Tap Confirm.

In the Google app

1. Open the Google app.
2. At the top right, tap your profile picture or initial, then Your profile, then Edit profile.
3. Check Use a custom display name & picture for posting, set your display name and picture, and tap Confirm.

On a computer

1. Open Google Maps in your browser.
2. Click Menu, then Your contributions, then Edit profile.
3. Check Use a custom display name & picture for posting.
4. Type your preferred name in the Display name field, and click Edit on the picture to choose an illustration, a Google Photos picture or a file from your computer.
5. Click Next, then Confirm.

To go back to your Google Account name, uncheck the same box. Source for the computer steps: Google Maps Help, Choose how you appear publicly (computer).

What does a custom name hide, and what doesn't it?

Google lists where the custom name and picture appear: Google Maps reviews, photos and videos, questions and answers, photo updates, and TV or media reviews on Google Search. Your Google Account name and picture still appear when you share your location in Maps, Family Link or Personal Safety, share lists or collections, and in other products like Gmail and Google Photos. Put together:

The last row matters most in practice. This is our advice rather than Google's: a local business often knows who came in on a Tuesday afternoon and complained about a particular haircut. If you want to stay unrecognized, describe the experience without the identifying details.

Can Google reviews be traced back to you?

By other readers, it's hard if you use a custom name and leave identifying details out (that's our view; Google doesn't comment). By Google, yes: every review is posted from a signed-in account, and Google checks contributions against its policies.

Google's privacy policy also says Google will share personal information outside Google if it believes in good faith that disclosure is reasonably necessary to respond to "any applicable law, regulation, legal process, or enforceable governmental request". In other words, legal process such as a court order can lead Google to disclose who is behind an account. When that applies depends on the law where you are, so if you're worried about a specific review, ask a local lawyer rather than relying on a display name.

The safest protection is the simplest one: write only what is true and stick to your own experience. Google's policy allows negative reviews written respectfully; what it doesn't allow includes harassment, "unsubstantiated allegations of unethical behavior or criminal wrongdoing" and other people's personal information.

Is it OK to use a second Google account to stay anonymous?

Some articles suggest creating a new Google account just to post one review. Read Google's prohibited and restricted content policy before you do:

• Multiple accounts are a red flag. Google lists "content that has been posted from multiple accounts by or at the request of one person" as fake engagement, which it removes.
• Impersonation is banned. You can't pose as another person, group or organization. Google does allow "alternative names" that aren't trying to mislead, which is what a nickname is.
• Conflicts of interest are banned too. A different name doesn't make it acceptable to review your employer, a competitor or a relative's business.

A custom display name on your normal account does what most people want from an "anonymous" review, without the risk of the review being removed.

What should you leave out when reviewing a clinic, therapist or lawyer?

People most often want anonymity when the visit itself is private. Google's policy helps here: it doesn't allow posting personal information, and it names financial, medical and personal identification information "about yourself or others".

So you don't need to, and shouldn't, describe a diagnosis, a case or an account number to write a useful review. Our suggestion: describe how you were treated (whether staff listened, explained clearly, kept to time and were upfront about cost) and set a custom display name if you'd rather your name wasn't attached. Our guide on how to leave a Google review has the posting steps and Google's tips for writing one.

For business owners: what can you do about reviews from unnamed accounts?

A review from "Coffee Lover" with a cartoon picture is not suspicious by itself. Google lets every reviewer choose a custom name, so you may see more reviews from nicknames. Treat them like any other review:

1. Reply as you would to a named customer. Don't guess who it is in public, and never reveal details about a customer in a reply. If you can't match the review to a visit, say so politely and give a phone number or email so they can reach you. Our guide on how to respond to Google reviews has wording for this.
2. Report it only if it breaks a policy. Fake engagement, conflicts of interest, harassment and off-topic rants are all reportable whatever name is on them. Google's steps are in Report inappropriate reviews on your Business Profile: go to your Business Profile, select Read reviews, select Report next to the review, choose a reason and send the report. Google says evaluation typically takes several days.
3. Report the profile if the account is the problem. The same help page explains how to report a user profile that posts inappropriate content: in the Google Maps app, tap Business, then Reviews, tap the reviewer's name, then More and Report.

If Google keeps a review you're sure is fake, you can appeal once. Our guides on fake Google reviews and how to remove Google reviews cover evidence and appeals.

To keep up with replies whatever the name on the review, Mekomi's AI review replies draft a reply to every new review; 1 to 3 star reviews and any review with a complaint wait for your approval.