web analytics
Skip to content

Google Business Profile

How to Add Photos to Your Google Business Profile

The Short Answer

Yes, and it takes just a few taps. Upload photos to your Google Business Profile through the Google Maps app, the Business Profile app, or directly from a Google Search of your business name on a computer. Use JPG or PNG files around 720 x 720 pixels, under 5MB, and expect approval within 24 to 48 hours. For local service businesses, start with your logo, a strong cover photo, exterior shots, and photos of completed jobs – both recency and photo volume factor into how complete and prominent your profile looks.
Storefront window being photographed to add to a Google Business Profile listing

How to Add Photos to Google Business Profile

There are two practical ways to upload photos, and most businesses end up using both depending on whether they’re on their phone after a job or cleaning up their profile from a desktop.

From the Google Maps App

  • Open the Google Maps app and tap the "Business" icon in the bottom right
  • Tap "Add photo" from the menu, or choose "Cover photo" or "Logo" to set those specifically
  • Select one or more photos or videos from your device
  • Tap "Done," then "Post" to submit them for review

From Google Search on a Computer

  • Search your business name and city on Google
  • Click "Photos" on your Business Profile panel, then "Add photos"
  • Select the images you want to upload – you can select several at once
  • Give it a day or two; Google reviews every photo before it goes live

What Photos to Add First

If you’re starting from a mostly empty profile, add photos in roughly this order for the fastest improvement to how complete your listing looks:
  • Logo – helps customers recognize you across Search and Maps
  • Cover photo – the first image people see at the top of your profile
  • Exterior or storefront – confirms customers found the right location
  • Interior – shows what to expect when someone walks in
  • Team photos – builds trust before the first phone call
  • Work in progress and completed jobs – proof you actually do what you say
  • Products or services – close-ups of what you’re selling or installing

What This Looks Like for a Service Business

Photo strategy looks different once you’re not running a storefront. An HVAC company gets more mileage out of a photo of a freshly installed condenser unit than a stock photo of a thermostat. A tree service should post before-and-after shots of a completed removal or trim, ideally taken on the same visit. A landscaping crew can do the same with a lawn renovation or a fresh mulch bed. A plumber’s branded work van parked in a customer’s driveway does double duty – it’s a photo and proof you showed up. None of this requires a professional photographer or a special trip back to the job site; a phone camera and five minutes at the end of each visit is enough to build a photo library that actually reflects the work you do.

Photo Size, Format, and Specs

Google keeps the technical requirements simple. Photos should be JPG or PNG files between 10KB and 5MB. The recommended resolution is 720 x 720 pixels, with a 250 x 250 pixel minimum – anything smaller gets rejected. Images need to be in focus, well lit, and free of heavy filters or watermarks; Google’s guidelines specifically flag photos that look overly edited or don’t represent the real business. Videos are also allowed, up to 30 seconds and 75MB, at 720p resolution or higher.

How Often You Should Post New Photos

Google displays your newest photos first, and an active, growing photo library is one of the signals that feeds into how complete your profile looks – which in turn affects prominence in local search. A profile with 40 photos from three years ago reads very differently than one that gets two or three new photos every month. You don’t need a content calendar for this: photographing a completed job, a new team member, or a seasonal setup once or twice a month keeps the profile looking active without becoming a chore.

Owner Photos vs. Customer Photos

Anyone can add photos to your Google Business Profile, not just you. Photos customers upload show up in a separate section and stay there even if they’re unflattering, off-topic, or just a screenshot of a receipt. You cannot delete a customer-added photo directly. What you can do is report it: open the photo, click “Report a problem,” and choose a reason like “not a photo of the place” or “privacy concern.” Google reviews the request and may remove it, though this can take several business days and isn’t guaranteed. It’s worth checking your photo tab every so often, since customer uploads don’t trigger a notification the way a new review does. The most reliable way to control what people see first is simply out-posting them with your own high-quality photos, added consistently enough that yours dominate the top of the gallery.

Questions

Frequently Asked Questions

Typically 24 to 48 hours after you upload them, assuming your profile is verified. Photos go through an automated policy review first, and busier review periods can take a bit longer.
No. You can only report it for review using the “Report a problem” option on the photo. Google decides whether to remove it – there's no way to delete a customer photo yourself.
Google recommends 720 x 720 pixels, with a 250 x 250 pixel minimum. Files should be JPG or PNG and between 10KB and 5MB.
Photos aren't a direct ranking factor on their own, but they contribute to profile completeness, which Google has said factors into relevance and prominence in local search results.
Yes. Videos can be up to 30 seconds long, up to 75MB, and should be 720p resolution or higher.

Want Your Whole Profile Working, Not Just the Photos?

Great photos help, but they’re one piece of a complete Google Business Profile. See our Google Business Profile Optimization Services for the categories, posts, and review strategy that go with them.
See Our GBP Services