Google Business Profile Photos: What to Upload and Why Some Get Rejected

A customer searches for a plumber, a salon or a restaurant near them. Two listings look equal on paper: same rating, same distance. The one with a clear shop front, a tidy interior and real photos of the work gets the tap. Photos are the part of a Google Business Profile that customers judge in seconds, and the part owners most often leave half finished. This guide shows which photos to upload first, the size rules Google publishes, and what to do when a photo stays pending or gets refused.

Which photos should a local business upload first?

Google describes each photo type by what it proves to a stranger: the exterior proves the customer can find you, the interior proves what it feels like inside, product photos prove what you sell, and team photos prove who will answer the door. Upload nothing arty until those four jobs are done. A restaurant adds dishes, a hotel adds rooms and common areas, a trade adds photos of the team at work on real jobs.

Google suggests at least three photos for most types, which gives a practical first upload of about a dozen pictures:

Take these with the phone you already own, in daylight, and keep them honest. Google asks for photos that represent reality: in focus, well lit, with no heavy filters and no significant alterations. A bright, slightly imperfect photo of your real counter beats a stock photo of someone else's shop every time, and stock images are exactly the kind of upload that gets flagged.

What size and format do Google photos need?

Google publishes one short specification for every photo on a Business Profile, and it is worth quoting in full because most size charts circulating online add numbers Google never published:

• Format: JPG or PNG.
• File size: between 10 KB and 5 MB.
• Recommended resolution: 720 pixels tall and 720 pixels wide.
• Minimum resolution: 250 pixels tall and 250 pixels wide.
• Quality: in focus, well lit, no significant alterations or excessive filters.

Two things Google does not publish: a separate size for the logo and a separate size for the cover photo. Both follow the same block above. Any chart that states a special cover size in pixels is guessing, so aim for the recommended 720 by 720 or larger and keep the subject centred, which survives whatever crop Search or Maps applies.

For video the rules are requirements rather than recommendations: up to 30 seconds long, up to 75 MB, resolution of 720p or higher. One short clip of the room or the team at work is enough; the listing is not a video channel.

How do I add photos from a phone, step by step?

The whole workflow fits in a quiet ten minutes at the counter. Do it on a computer if you prefer, but the phone is fine:

1. Verify the profile first. Photos only show on Google after the Business Profile is verified, so finish verification before uploading anything.
2. Open the profile. Search your business name on Google, select the listing, then choose Add photos or open Edit profile and go to the photos section.
3. Upload the exterior and interior first. These are the photos customers need most. Add at least three of each before moving to products or the team.
4. Set the logo and the cover photo. Add the logo under the profile photo slot so customers recognise the business, then pick the cover photo that best represents it at the top of the profile.
5. Wait before judging the result. Google reviews every upload, which takes up to 24 to 48 hours. Check the status the day after tomorrow, not ten minutes later.

Why are my photos pending, rejected or not showing?

Almost every photo problem falls into one of four causes. Work through them in order before re-uploading the same file for the fifth time:

• Pending: the review is still running. Every upload is checked before it goes live, and Google states this takes up to 24 to 48 hours. On an unverified profile nothing shows at all, so verify first and wait second.
• Not approved: the content broke a policy. The usual refusals are text or web addresses burned into the image, borders, collages, heavy filters, blurry or very dark shots, and photos that are clearly not yours. Re-upload a clean, original photo instead of appealing a filtered flyer.
• The cover photo changed by itself. Google warns that picking a cover photo does not guarantee it shows first: if the chosen image is low quality, or other sources suggest a better one, a customer photo can take its place. Fix it with a sharper cover, not by uploading the same file again.
• A brand new listing stays empty. Local SEO practitioners report that photos on listings less than one or two weeks old often sit at not approved until the listing settles, then go live on their own. Leave them alone for a fortnight before assuming a policy problem.

One more check that saves arguments: if the logo slot looks empty, Google points at missing profile fields rather than the image. A name, a street address, a category, a phone number and opening hours all need to be filled in before the logo displays. Photos and business details depend on each other, so if you recently fixed the hours on the profile, the page and the door, confirm the rest of the fields while you are there.

Sources and method

The photo and video specification, the upload statuses (pending, not approved, live), the 24 to 48 hour review wait, the verification requirement, the logo and cover definitions and the missing-logo field checklist all come from Google's own Business Profile help pages, "Manage your Business Profile photos and videos" and "Tips for business-specific photos", consulted on 9 November 2026. The type-by-type minimums of three photos come from the same tips page. The new-listing waiting period is not a Google statement: it is reported by local SEO practitioners (Sterling Sky's coverage of the image approval issue, consulted on the same date). No prices, volumes or statistics are cited in this article.

Start this week: stand outside your own door and take the three exterior shots you are missing, then check the listing the day after tomorrow. And while the profile is open, confirm what the website field points to, because a customer convinced by your photos needs somewhere to tap next: one page with your services, prices and a booking button.