You search for your own shop on Google Maps. Two pins come up. One has your photos and your reviews. The other has your name, an old phone number and two reviews you never saw.
This happens more than you would think. A past owner made a listing. A staff member made a second one to fix the hours. A customer added your shop before you opened. Or you made a new one when you moved.
Two listings split your reviews and confuse new customers. Some will call the old number. Some will leave a review on the wrong pin. This guide shows how to fix it with Google's own steps, in plain words. It is for cafes, bakeries, food counters, salons, barbers and nail studios in the US and Canada.
The short answer
Keep the profile you have verified. Then pick the fix that matches who controls the other one:
- You made both: remove the extra one from your Google Account.
- Someone else manages it: request access, then remove or fix it.
- Nobody manages it: mark it as a duplicate in Google Maps, or ask Google to merge it.
- Google hid your shop as a duplicate by mistake: contact Google support to appeal.
Key Takeaways
- Google hides a profile it treats as a duplicate from Search and Maps. So the fix decides which listing people see.
- Removing a profile you made deletes its photos, posts and your replies. Customer reviews stay on Google.
- When Google merges two profiles, the reviews are combined, but your replies may be lost.
- After any fix, open your review link and your printed QR code. Make sure they go to the profile you kept.
First, find out which case you are in
Sign in to the Google Account you use for your shop. Open business.google.com. Look at the list of profiles you manage.
Now search for your shop's name on Google Maps, on your phone. Compare what you see with your list.
| What you see | Your case | The fix |
|---|---|---|
| Both listings are in your account | Case 1 | Remove the extra one |
| One listing says someone else manages it | Case 2 | Request access |
| One listing is not managed by anyone | Case 3 | Mark it as a duplicate, or ask for a merge |
| Your own shop is missing, and Google says it is a duplicate | Case 4 | Appeal |
Before you change anything, write down which listing has more reviews and photos. That is usually the one to keep. If it is not verified yet, verify it first. Our guide to getting your first Google reviews walks through claiming and verifying a profile.
Case 1: You made both listings
This is the easiest case. Google's help page on duplicate profiles says that if you made a duplicate by mistake, you can remove it without affecting your verified listing.
Google's steps to remove a Business Profile, read on 10 November 2026:
- Go to business.google.com and sign in with the account that manages the extra profile.
- Open the More menu, then Business Profile settings.
- Select Remove Business Profile, then Remove profile content and managers.
- Select Continue, then Remove, then Done.
Read this before you press Remove:
- Pick the right one. The removal is permanent. The posts, photos, videos and replies you added are deleted, and you cannot get them back.
- Reviews stay. Google says content that customers added, and their reviews, remain.
- The pin may stay too. Google says the business may still show on Search and Maps after removal. If the extra pin is still there, use the Case 3 steps to mark it as a duplicate.
- Only a primary owner can do it. A new owner or manager must wait 7 days before they can remove a profile's content and managers.
If you moved your shop, do not make a new profile. Google's help page says to update the address on the profile you already have. The same goes for a salon that offers hair and nails: one profile lists both services.
Case 2: Someone else manages the other listing
This often happens when a shop changes owners, or when a past manager made the profile with their own Gmail. You need access before you can fix it.
Google's steps to request ownership, read on 10 November 2026:
- Go to business.google.com/add and type your shop's name and address.
- Choose your shop from the list. Google shows "Someone else may manage this Business Profile."
- Select Request Access.
- Fill out the form, then select Submit.
Google emails the current owner. They have 3 days to answer. Then one of three things happens:
- Approved. You get an email and can manage the profile. Now follow Case 1 or merge it.
- Denied. You get an email. You can appeal, or suggest an edit to the listing on Google Maps.
- No answer after 3 days. You may be able to claim it. Open the confirmation email and select View request, then Verify. Google says this option is not always there.
If you know the person who made it, ask them first. A friendly text to a past manager is faster than any form. Ask them to add your account as an owner.
Case 3: Nobody manages the other listing
Some listings have no owner at all. One may have been added to Maps before you claimed your shop. There is nobody to ask, so you go through Google Maps.
You have two choices.
Mark it as a duplicate
Google's steps to mark a place as a duplicate, read on 10 November 2026:
- Open Google Maps.
- Search for the extra listing, or select it on the map.
- Select Suggest an edit, then Place closed or not here.
- Select Duplicate of another place, then Submit.
Google reviews every suggestion. Changes can take some time to show on the map.
Ask Google to merge the two
If the extra listing has real reviews from your customers, you may want to keep them. Google's help page says you can ask for a merge by reporting a suggestion on Google Maps. Both profiles must be the same business, with the same details.
Know what a merge does. Google says: "their reviews are combined, but replies to reviews may be lost." So save a copy of any reply you care about before you ask.
Case 4: Google marked your shop as a duplicate by mistake
Sometimes Google hides a real business because it looks like another one. A barber who rents a chair inside a salon can see this. So can a bakery that shares an address with a cafe.
Google's help page says a profile treated as a duplicate does not show on Google Search or Maps. If your shop and the other business are both real and separate, you can contact Google support to appeal the duplicate status.
If both businesses serve customers at the same address, Google asks for proof. Its help page names permanent signage that shows both businesses. Take clear photos of your own sign at the door before you start.
After the fix: check your review link and your QR code
This is the step most guides skip. Many shops print a review QR code before they notice the duplicate. If that code points to the listing you removed or merged, every scan sends a customer to the wrong place.
Do these three checks the same day:
- Open your review link. In your Business Profile, find the link that opens the review box. Open it on your phone. It should show the listing you kept, with your photos and reviews.
- Scan your printed QR code. If it opens the wrong listing, make a new one. The free Google Review QR Code Maker checks your link and prints a counter card and a table tent. Throw away the old cards.
- Update every other place. Your website, your Instagram bio, your email signature and any review request tool. If you use KANJIN, paste the new link into Your Google review link on the reviews page of your back office.
Then see where your rating stands. With all your reviews in one place, the free Google Review Calculator shows how many new 5-star reviews it takes to reach the rating you want.
How to stop a new duplicate
Most duplicates start with a good intention. Someone wants to fix a detail and makes a new listing instead. A few habits stop that:
- One account owns the profile. Use a Google Account that belongs to the shop, not to one staff member. Add others as managers.
- Edit, never re-create. New hours, a new phone number or a new address all go on the same profile.
- Check Maps once a month. Search your shop's name on your phone. It takes one minute.
- List the shop the same way everywhere. Use the same name, address and phone on Google, Apple Maps, Bing and Yelp. The free Get Found Checklist lists where to put a shop, in order, with the steps for each.
Also save your profile's sign-in details somewhere safe. If you lose access, Google's help page points you to its account recovery steps.
Frequently asked questions
Will I lose my reviews if I remove a duplicate? Customer reviews stay on Google when you remove a profile. What you lose are the posts, photos and replies that you added. If both listings have real reviews, ask Google for a merge instead. A merge combines the reviews, but your replies may be lost.
How long does it take to fix a duplicate listing? Removing a profile you manage is quick. Requests to others take longer: a current owner has 3 days to answer an access request, and Google reviews every Maps suggestion and merge request. Google does not give a fixed time for its review.
Can I delete a listing I do not manage? No. You can request access to it, or mark it in Google Maps as a duplicate of your real listing. Google then decides.
Why did Google hide my shop as a duplicate? Google treats a profile as a duplicate when it looks like another business at the same place, with the same details. If your shop is real and separate, you can appeal through Google support. Photos of your permanent sign help.
Your next step
Today, search your shop's name on Google Maps from your phone. If you see two pins, use the table above to find your case. Then scan your printed review QR code and make sure it opens the right listing.
Once all your reviews sit in one place, keep them growing. KANJIN (kanjin.app) is a free stamp card on the customer's phone number, with no app and no plastic card. It also sends Google review requests by email, the same message to everyone, and marketing emails that bring regulars back. Start your free KANJIN stamp card.