Step-by-step instructions for deleting a Yelp review you wrote, or for flagging a review on your business listing that violates Yelp's content guidelines.
By Abhishek Gharat Last updated
Go to yelp.com or open the Yelp app. Make sure you are signed into the account you used to write the review.
Click your profile photo or username at the top-right corner to open your account page.
From your profile, click or tap 'Reviews'. You'll see all the reviews you've written across Yelp.
Find the review you want to remove. Click the three-dot menu or the pencil icon next to it.
Choose 'Remove review' to permanently delete it, or edit the star rating and text if you want to update rather than remove it. Removed reviews cannot be recovered.
Business owners cannot delete customer reviews on Yelp. You can:
For a detailed guide, see our article on how to remove fake Yelp reviews.
For guidance on crafting a professional reply, see our article on how to respond to negative Yelp reviews.
Yelp is unusual in that it actively hides many reviews rather than showing them all. Reviews from newer accounts, accounts with few friends, or accounts that Yelp's algorithm suspects are low-quality end up in a separate "not currently recommended" section at the bottom of the listing.
This means a review being hidden from your listing is often not something you reported — Yelp's software did it automatically. It also means that if you write a genuine review, it might disappear without any deliberate action. This is not the same as being deleted.
No. Yelp does not allow business owners to delete customer reviews. You can flag a review that violates Yelp's content guidelines — spam, fraud, inappropriate content, or a conflict of interest — and Yelp may remove it after review. Genuine negative opinions from real customers cannot be deleted.
Yes. Sign into your Yelp account, go to your profile, click Reviews, find the review, and choose the option to remove it. The review is permanently deleted and will no longer appear on the business listing.
Yelp's automated 'recommendation software' frequently moves reviews to a 'not currently recommended' section — separate from the main reviews shown. Reviews from newer accounts or accounts with little Yelp activity are especially prone to this. The review hasn't been deleted; it's just hidden from the main listing.
Open the review on your Yelp business page, click the flag icon or three-dot menu, and select 'Report review'. Choose the reason that best describes the violation — spam, fake, or conflict of interest. Yelp's moderation team will review the report.
Yelp typically responds to review flags within a few days to a few weeks. There is no guaranteed timeline. Reviews that clearly violate Yelp's guidelines — obvious spam, competitor posts, or reviews about the wrong business — are more likely to be acted on quickly.
To delete your Yelp account, you must submit an account closure request through Yelp's website. Go to your Account Settings, select 'Account Closure,' and follow the instructions. Deleting your account is permanent and will remove all your public contributions, including your reviews. This action cannot be undone.
It costs nothing to remove a Yelp review. Customers can delete their own reviews for free. Businesses can report violating reviews for free. Any third-party service claiming they can remove Yelp reviews for a fee is likely a scam and violates Yelp's Terms of Service. Yelp does not offer a paid service for review removal.
While a business can technically sue for defamation if a review contains verifiably false statements of fact (not opinions), it is a costly, complex, and public process. Most negative reviews are expressions of opinion and are legally protected speech. Consulting with a legal professional is necessary for specific advice.
On Yelp, only the original author can delete their review. Businesses can only flag reviews for removal. On Google Business Profile, the process is similar, but Google's enforcement and criteria can differ. Both platforms prohibit businesses from deleting negative reviews directly.
When you edit a Yelp review, the original post date is retained, but an 'Updated' timestamp appears. You can change the star rating, text, and photos. Editing is a good option if a business has resolved your issue and you want your review to reflect the new experience.
If you want to remove all your contributions from Yelp, not just a single review, you can delete your entire account. This action is permanent and cannot be reversed.
Log into the Yelp account you wish to close.
Navigate directly to the Account Closure page in Yelp's support center.
Enter a reason for closing your account and click "Send Request". Yelp will send a verification email to your registered email address.
Open the email and click the confirmation link to finalize the account deletion process. Your account and all associated reviews will be permanently removed.
When reporting a review, you must specify how it violates Yelp's Content Guidelines. Yelp moderators will not remove a review simply because it is negative. The review must contain prohibited content, such as:
Reviews based on a genuine, firsthand negative opinion, even if strongly worded, are generally not considered a violation and will not be removed.
Building a large base of authentic reviews is the most effective way to counterbalance negative feedback. Saint Aura guides customers to leave authentic reviews on Yelp, Google, and 64+ other platforms after every positive experience.
