Common GBP Errors

Encountering errors in Google Business Profile is common. Here are the most frequent issues and how to fix them.

Profile Information Errors

"Your edits can't be saved"

Causes:

• Session timeout
• Server issues
• Invalid data entered

Solutions:

1. Refresh the page
2. Sign out and back in
3. Try a different browser
4. Wait and try again later
5. Check data for special characters

"This phone number is already in use"

Causes:

• Phone already linked to another listing
• Duplicate listing exists
• Previous business used this number

Solutions:

1. Search for existing listings with that number
2. Claim or remove conflicting listing
3. Use different phone number
4. Contact support for resolution

"This address is already in use"

Causes:

• Another business at same address
• Duplicate listing
• Previous tenant's listing still active

Solutions:

1. Search for existing listings at address
2. If legitimate multi-tenant, proceed with verification
3. Remove duplicate listings
4. Contact support if stuck

Business Name Rejected

Causes:

• Keywords in name
• Location in name (when not on signage)
• Excessive punctuation
• Promotional language

Solutions:

1. Use only legal business name
2. Remove keywords and locations
3. Match your storefront signage exactly
4. Review naming guidelines

Category Errors

"Category not available"

Causes:

• Category was removed by Google
• Region-specific category
• Category merged with another

Solutions:

1. Search for similar categories
2. Use parent category
3. Check if category renamed
4. Wait for Google to update

Category Changed Unexpectedly

Causes:

• Google's automated systems
• User suggestions accepted
• Category consolidation

Solutions:

1. Change back to correct category
2. Monitor for future changes
3. Report if keeps changing
4. Ensure category matches business

Hours Errors

Hours Not Displaying

Causes:

• Hours not set
• Conflicting information
• Technical glitch

Solutions:

1. Re-enter hours in GBP
2. Verify hours are saved
3. Check for special hours conflicts
4. Wait 24-48 hours for propagation

"Open 24 hours" Showing Incorrectly

Causes:

• Open/close times set incorrectly
• Next-day hours confusion

Solutions:

1. Set specific open and close times
2. For overnight hours (bar closing at 2am):
   • Use "Opens Thursday 5pm, Closes Friday 2am"
3. Don't use 24-hour format if not truly 24/7

Holiday Hours Not Showing

Causes:

• Set too early/late
• Conflicting with regular hours
• Technical delay

Solutions:

1. Add special hours at least 3 days early
2. Check format is correct
3. Verify they saved properly
4. Clear cache and re-check

Photo Errors

"Photo can't be uploaded"

Causes:

• File too large (max 5MB)
• Wrong format (need JPG, PNG)
• Resolution too low (under 720px)
• Copyright or content issues

Solutions:

1. Resize image (2000x2000 max)
2. Convert to JPG or PNG
3. Ensure minimum 720px width
4. Check for content policy violations

Photos Not Appearing

Causes:

• Processing time (up to 24 hours)
• Content review pending
• Photo rejected
• Cache issues

Solutions:

1. Wait 24-48 hours
2. Check for rejection notice
3. Try uploading again
4. Clear browser cache

Photos Removed Without Notice

Causes:

• User-reported issue
• Policy violation detected
• Automated removal
• Quality issues

Solutions:

1. Review photo guidelines
2. Re-upload if compliant
3. Don't include text overlays
4. Avoid stock photos

Review Errors

Can't Respond to Reviews

Causes:

• Not listing owner/manager
• Technical glitch
• Account issues

Solutions:

1. Verify you have edit access
2. Try different browser
3. Sign out and back in
4. Check for account suspension

Review Response Not Posting

Causes:

• Content flagged
• Links in response
• Response too long
• Technical issues

Solutions:

1. Remove any links
2. Shorten response
3. Remove potentially flagged words
4. Wait and try again

Reviews Disappeared

Causes:

• Google filtered as spam
• Policy violation detected
• Account issues (reviewer)
• Temporary glitch

Solutions:

1. Wait—sometimes reviews return
2. Check if review violated policies
3. Don't contact Google about filtered reviews
4. Focus on getting new legitimate reviews

Post Errors

"Post can't be published"

Causes:

• Content policy violation
• Link issues
• Image problems
• Technical glitch

Solutions:

1. Check for prohibited content
2. Verify link works
3. Try different image
4. Simplify post text

Posts Not Showing

Causes:

• Still processing
• Rejected during review
• Display lag
• Category restrictions

Solutions:

1. Wait 30 minutes
2. Check for rejection notice
3. Try posting again
4. Simplify content

Verification Errors

"Verification code invalid"

Causes:

• Wrong code entered
• Code expired (30 days)
• Multiple postcards sent
• Address changed after request

Solutions:

1. Double-check code
2. Request new code if expired
3. Use most recent postcard
4. Don't change address while waiting

"Verification not available"

Causes:

• Business type restrictions
• Previous verification issues
• Address concerns

Solutions:

1. Try again later
2. Contact support
3. Provide documentation
4. Try alternate method if available

Dashboard Errors

"Something went wrong"

Solutions:

1. Refresh page
2. Clear browser cache
3. Try incognito mode
4. Wait and retry later

Changes Not Saving

Solutions:

1. Check internet connection
2. Try different browser
3. Disable browser extensions
4. Contact support if persistent

Missing Features in Dashboard

Causes:

• Feature not available in your region
• Business category restrictions
• Account not fully verified
• Rolling feature updates

Solutions:

1. Verify listing is complete
2. Check verification status
3. Wait for feature rollout
4. Try different browser/device

API Errors

Rate Limiting

If using Google Business Profile API:

• Respect quota limits
• Implement exponential backoff
• Cache responses where possible
• Monitor usage

Authentication Errors

• Verify OAuth tokens are fresh
• Check API permissions
• Ensure correct scopes
• Refresh tokens as needed

When to Contact Support

Contact Google When:

• Error persists after trying solutions
• No clear cause identified
• Data loss or corruption
• Verification completely blocked
• Suspension without clear reason

Provide:

• Screenshots of error
• Steps you've tried
• Business details
• Timeline of issue

Key Takeaways

1. Most errors have simple solutions
2. Wait before assuming permanent issue
3. Try clearing cache and different browsers
4. Document errors with screenshots
5. Contact support for persistent issues