How to Add or Change a Photo on Google Business Profile? A Comprehensive Guide to Photos on Your Google Business Profile!

Photos on Google Business Profile attract the attention of potential customers and increase conversion. Attractive multimedia files are often the deciding factor for a user when choosing a business’s services. Find out which photos are worth adding to your profile, how to add them, and how to solve common problems.

Types of Photos on Google Business Profile

Google encourages adding a logo, a primary photo, and business photos. These photos help customers recognize the business and increase the chance that they will want to visit its physical location, headquarters, or premises. The logo on the Business Profile (formerly Google My Business) is displayed in search results, on Google Maps, and as a thumbnail in reviews and posts. The primary photo, on the other hand, appears at the very top of the profile.

Business photos should highlight the distinguishing features of your business. Adding them is not mandatory, but do so to boost your Google Business Profile’s SEO. Below you will find some suggestions for what the photos can depict.

• Exterior photos – it’s easier for customers to recognize your business location and find it when they know what the building and entrance look like. Google recommends adding at least 3 exterior photos (taken at different times of day and from different angles).
• Interior photos – show your customers what your business looks like inside. Add at least 3 photos showcasing the decor and atmosphere of the place.
• Product photos – take photos of your best-selling products so customers can get a closer look at your offerings.
• Photos of your team and work in progress – add photos that show what your business does. Choose photos that best illustrate the services you offer. You can also show your team at work.
• Food and drink photos – food and drink photos help customers choose a restaurant. This is also a very important aspect for your profile’s SEO. Google algorithms scan product photos, e.g., a burger, and recognize what is in the image. Photos work better than placing phrases in descriptions, so it’s worth having strictly product photos on a restaurant’s profile, without people or surroundings. This way, you’ll showcase the most popular items from your menu and ensure your profile is optimized.
• Spherical photos – these photos cover a full 360° field of view horizontally or vertically. They give the user a sense of immersion in the space, as they can freely pan, rotate, and zoom.

See also how to check your Google Business Profile statistics.

Guidelines for Adding Photos to Google Business Profile

• Only JPG and PNG formats are accepted on Google Business Profile.
• The size of each photo must be between 10 KB and 5 MB.
• Google recommends a resolution of 720 × 720 pixels.
• The minimum accepted resolution is 250 × 250 pixels, and for spherical photos – a minimum of 4K (3840 × 2160 pixels).
• All photos should be sharp, well-lit, and not excessively edited, and accurately represent the actual appearance of the business, products, and services. Google prefers photos taken with a “normal” phone camera rather than professional equipment.
• Modifications allowed by Google include: changing photo orientation (e.g., from horizontal to vertical), adjusting lighting, and filters used in moderation.

Publish photos only. Google advises against uploading screenshots, GIFs, collages, heavily modified photos, and stock photos to your Profile. All photos should be taken at the relevant location.

How to Add Photos to Google Business Profile?

You can add photos to your Google Business Profile from a computer or phone (Android or iOS).

Instructions for Adding Photos to Google Business Profile Using a Computer

1. Open a search engine or Google Maps.
2. Enter your business name and location to find your profile.
3. Click Photos, then Add photos and select one or more photos.
4. If you are adding a primary photo or logo, click Add primary photo or logo and select the photo.

Instructions for Adding Photos to Google Business Profile Using a Mobile Device

1. Open the Google Maps app and find your business profile.
2. Go to the Edit profile tab, then select Photo, Logo or Primary photo.
3. Add one or more files.

See also how to add posts to your Google Profile.

Publishing Photos on Google Business Profile Using growAp

Can you add multiple photos to Google Business Profile at once?

You can add multiple photos to your Google Business Profile at once. Simply select multiple files when editing photos on your Business Profile. If you manage multiple profiles, you can upload photos “in bulk” using a spreadsheet to create a batch file. How to do it?

1. Open Business Profile Manager.
2. Click Add profile in the top right corner.
3. Select Import profiles and Download template.

4. Select photos in 3 categories: logo, primary photo, and business photos.
5. Add the photo URL to the respective category column in the spreadsheet.
6. If you are adding multiple photos (for the business photos category), separate the URLs with commas.

Note! You can add photos only to a verified Profile.

Adding Videos Using the growAp App

How to Change a Photo on Google Business Profile?

To change a multimedia file you’ve added, go to your business profile and select Photos (on a computer) or View business profile and Photos (on a phone). Then browse the list, delete the selected photo, and add another in its place.

You cannot delete photos added by customers yourself, but you can report them to Google if they violate policies. Check how to remove unsightly photos from your Business Profile published by users.

Adding, Changing, and Deleting Photos Using the growAp App

How long does it take for a photo to be published on Google Business Profile?

After adding a photo, algorithms will analyze it for compliance with GBP guidelines. This verification can take up to 48 hours. You can check the current status of the multimedia file on your Profile.

• Pending means that the file has been uploaded and is undergoing verification. It does not appear in search or on Google Maps.
• Not Approved means that the file violates policies and will not appear in search or on Google Maps.
• Published means that the file is already visible to users.

Why Can’t I Add Photos to Google Business Profile?

Below you will find the most common reasons why Google rejects photos on Business Profile and ways to solve the problem.

• New or verified profile – Google blocks unverified profiles from adding photos. Sometimes, multimedia files cannot be added for the first 14 days after creating a Profile. In such a case, you should ensure the profile is verified and wait 2 weeks. Most often, however, with a new Profile that is immediately verified, you need to wait 3 days for Google to pull the photos. They usually appear in the gallery as unapproved, and after 3 days, they are displayed.
• Photos do not meet technical requirements – make sure the photos have the correct format, size, resolution, are sharp, well-lit, and do not have watermarks or excessive text.
• Duplicates or copyright infringement – do not add photos for which you do not have copyright.
• Algorithm selects other photos as primary – Google may choose other photos from those you or a user have uploaded as primary, based on image quality and relevance assessment. The only thing you can do in such a situation is to upload another, more suitable photo as primary, but there’s no guarantee Google will change it. Even if you contact support, Google may not change it. Sometimes it’s a lottery which photo becomes the primary one on the Profile.
• Logo photo does not appear on the profile – this photo is displayed only when essential information is present on the Profile: name, location, categories, phone number, and opening hours. If they are missing, fill them in.

How to Change a Photo on Google Business Profile? Summary

Google Business Profile more effectively attracts customer attention if you include attractive photos. Visual materials translate into a greater number of views and contacts with the company. To fully utilize the profile’s potential, add a complete set of high-quality photos, primarily: a logo, a primary photo, interior photos, exterior building photos, and product photos. Choose only files that meet the guidelines for format, size, and image quality.

Sources:

1. https://support.google.com/business/answer/6123536?hl=en [Accessed: 2025-04-10]
2. https://support.google.com/business/answer/6103862?hl=pl&co=GENIE.Platform%3DAndroid [Accessed: 2025-04-10]
3. https://support.google.com/business/answer/6123536 [Accessed: 2025-04-10]
4. https://support.google.com/contributionpolicy/answer/7411351?sjid=15440147087716068930-EU#zippy=%2Ctre%C5%9Bci-i-formaty%2Culepszenia-estetyczne%2Cnak%C5%82adanie-tekstu-lub-grafiki%2Czdj%C4%99cia-sferyczne [Accessed: 2025-04-10]
5. https://support.google.com/business/answer/6130451?sjid=15440147087716068930-EU [Accessed: 2025-04-10]
6. https://support.google.com/legal/troubleshooter/1114905?sjid=15440147087716068930-EU#ts=9723198%2C7170398 [Accessed: 2025-04-10]
7. https://support.google.com/business/answer/3370250#photos [Accessed: 2025-04-10]
8. https://support.google.com/business/answer/3370250?sjid=6622063036988961084-EU [Accessed: 2025-04-10]