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What does it mean when someone else claimed your profile?
It means a different Google account is verified as the owner of your Google Business Profile, so you can't manage it from yours. You can usually get it back by requesting access through Google, which notifies the current owner and gives them a chance to respond. If they refuse or the profile was taken maliciously, Business Profile support is the next step.
Don't create a new profile
Making a second profile for the same business creates a duplicate, which breaks Google's guidelines and leaves your reviews on the old one. Work on getting the existing profile back instead.
Who usually has your profile?
Most of the time the owner is someone who once worked with the business and set up the profile under their own account. Common situations:
- A former employee who created or verified the profile with a personal Gmail address.
- A previous agency that verified the profile under its own account and kept it after the contract ended.
- A web designer who set the profile up as part of building your site.
- A former business partner who still has the ownership role after leaving.
- A hijacker who claimed the profile to change the phone number or website and redirect your customers.
The first four are usually solved with a polite request. The last one needs support. If customers suddenly report reaching a number that isn't yours, or the website link on your profile points somewhere unfamiliar, treat it as a possible hijacking and move quickly.
First, check whether you already have access
Before you request anything, make sure the profile isn't already under a Google account you own. Many owners have more than one: a personal Gmail, a work Google Workspace account, or an old address someone set up for the business years ago.
Sign in to each account and search Google for your business name. If you manage the profile from that account, you'll see options to edit it. Also check old email for messages from Google about Business Profile, which can show which address was used. If you find access this way, you're done. Skip to making sure the right account is the primary owner.
How to request access to your profile
When you try to claim a profile someone else manages, Google shows that it's already managed and offers a way to request access. Fill in the form with your name, your role at the business, and the level of access you need. Ask for ownership if it's your business.
Use an account the business controls when you submit the request, ideally one on your own domain. Whatever account you request from is the one that ends up with access, so don't use a staff member's personal address.
Google then notifies the current owner, who can approve or deny the request. If they don't respond within the period Google gives, you may be offered a way to verify the profile yourself. Google shows the status of your request and any next steps, so keep an eye on your email and the request page rather than relying on a fixed number of days.
Contact the owner directly too
If you know who has the profile, such as an old agency or former employee, message them as well. A quick note explaining the request is coming often gets it approved faster than the automated email alone.
Evidence to have ready
Keep proof that you own or run the business ready before you start, in case Google or support asks for it:
- A business license or state registration showing the business name and address
- A utility bill or lease in the business name at that address
- Photos of permanent signage and the storefront, if customers visit
- An email address on your website's domain, which helps show you're connected to the business
- Screenshots of the profile, including any details someone changed
If the owner refuses or it's a malicious takeover
If the current owner denies your request, or the profile was taken over by someone you don't know, contact Google Business Profile support. Explain the situation briefly, include the request details, and attach your evidence. Support can review ownership disputes, but it decides each case on its own terms, and there's no guaranteed outcome or timeline.
If a hijacker changed your phone number or website, note the original details so support can see what was altered. Our guide to a suspended Google Business Profile is worth reading too, since unusual edits can sometimes trigger a suspension.
After you get it back
Make yourself the primary owner using a Google account the business controls, and give everyone else a lower level of access. That way the profile doesn't leave with an employee or vendor again.
- Use a business-owned Google account as the primary owner, not a staff member's personal address.
- Give agencies and web designers manager access, not ownership. Managers can do the work without being able to remove you.
- Remove anyone who no longer works with the business.
- Check the name, address, phone number, website, and hours, and fix anything that was changed.
While you're there, look for a duplicate listing. Ownership problems and duplicates often show up together, especially after someone made a new profile when they couldn't get into the old one.
What if the profile isn't claimed at all?
If nobody manages the profile, you can claim it yourself. Search for the business on Google or Maps, look for the option to claim it or say you own it, and follow the verification steps Google offers. Our complete Google Business Profile guide walks through claiming, verification, and setup.
Key takeaways
- Check every Google account you own before assuming someone else has the profile.
- Request access through Google. The current owner is notified and can approve or deny.
- If they refuse or the profile was hijacked, contact Business Profile support with evidence.
- Keep ownership on a business-owned account and give agencies manager access only.
- Never create a new profile to get around an ownership problem.
Common Questions
How long does a Google Business Profile access request take?
It depends on the current owner and on Google. The owner is notified and can respond, and if they don't respond within the period Google gives, you may be offered a way to verify the profile yourself. Google shows the status and next steps on your request.
My old agency won't give my profile back. What can I do?
Request access through Google so there's a record, ask the agency in writing to transfer ownership, and if they refuse, contact Business Profile support with proof that you own the business.
Should agencies be owners of my Google Business Profile?
No. Keep ownership on a Google account the business controls and give agencies manager access. Managers can do the work, but they can't remove you.
How do I claim a Google Business Profile nobody owns?
Search for the business on Google or Maps, choose the option to claim it, and complete the verification Google offers. Our complete Google Business Profile guide covers the steps.
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