Lost Access to Your Google Business Profile? Hacked Account, Old Email, Ex-Employee or Agency — Recovery Steps

Quick answer: First try to recover the Google account itself (accounts.google.com/signin/recovery) using your phone number or recovery email. If someone else — an ex-employee, agency or unknown person — owns the profile, use Request access from the profile on Google Maps or Search; the current owner has a limited time to respond, and if they don't, you may be able to claim it. If the account was hacked, secure the Google account, then contact Google Business Profile support with proof of your business (signboard photos, GST/Shop Act/utility bill). Afterwards, keep a business-owned owner account with two-step verification and add others only as managers.

Losing control of your Google profile is scary: someone else could change your phone number, hours or even mark you closed. The good news is that legitimate owners can almost always get access back — it just takes the right sequence of steps.

Identify your situation

Situation	Go to
I forgot which Gmail owns the profile	Step 1
I know the Gmail but can't log in	Step 2
My account was hacked	Step 3
An ex-employee, relative or agency owns it	Step 4
An unknown person owns it	Step 4
I was removed as owner/manager	Step 5
The profile is suspended	Suspension fix

Step 1: Find which account owns the profile

• Search your old emails for messages from Google Business Profile ("Your business is live", performance reports).
• Check every Gmail you or staff used: personal, old business, shop email, the web designer's.
• On phones, look in Google Maps → profile icon → switch accounts → see which shows "Your business".
• Search your business on Google while signed into each account; the owner sees the management panel.

Step 2: Recover the Google account

1. Go to Google's account recovery page.
2. Enter the email and follow prompts — verification codes to your phone or recovery email, last password you remember, device you usually use.
3. Try from a device and location you've used before (your shop phone, home Wi-Fi) — it helps Google recognise you.
4. Once in, immediately update the password, recovery phone and recovery email.

If recovery fails, you can still request access to the profile from a new account (Step 4).

Step 3: If the account was hacked

1. Secure the account: recover it, change the password, sign out of all devices (Security → Your devices), remove unknown recovery options.
2. Turn on two-step verification.
3. Check the profile: users and managers list, name, phone, website, hours, categories. Undo unauthorised changes.
4. Remove unknown users from Business Profile settings → People and access.
5. Check for Google updates that may have been accepted.
6. Report to Google Business Profile support if the profile was altered, with screenshots and proof of the correct details.
7. Warn customers if the phone number was changed and people may have called a scammer — post an update and reply to related reviews.

Step 4: Request ownership from someone else

When someone else is the owner:

1. Create or use a business-owned Google account (e.g., a Workspace account — see business email).
2. Search your business on Google Maps and choose Claim this business / Own this business?
3. If it's already verified by someone else, choose Request access and fill in your details and access level.
4. The current owner receives an email and can approve or deny within a set period.
5. If they don't respond in that period, you may be shown options to verify and claim the profile yourself.
6. If they deny and you're the rightful owner, you can appeal with evidence.

Full details: request ownership guide and claim this business not showing.

Evidence that helps an appeal

• Photos of your signboard and shopfront matching the profile name.
• Business registration: GST certificate, Shop and Establishment certificate, Udyam, FSSAI, trade licence (registration as proof).
• Utility bill or rent agreement for the address.
• Website on your domain showing the same details.
• A short video verification showing signage, inside the business and proof you manage it.

Step 5: You were removed as owner

If a co-owner or manager removed you:

• Ask them to re-add you — often it's a mistake or a dispute.
• If they won't and you're the legal owner, request ownership with evidence (Step 4).
• For partner disputes, settle the business matter first; Google won't decide legal disputes but responds to evidence of who runs the business.

Agency or web designer holding your profile

Very common in India: an agency created the profile years ago under their Gmail.

1. Ask politely in writing to make your account the primary owner. They can transfer ownership from People and access.
2. Ask for your domain and website logins at the same time (domain safety).
3. If they refuse or disappeared, use Request access with your evidence.
4. In future agency contracts, state that the business is the primary owner and the agency is a manager (choosing an agency).

Lock it down: the access setup we recommend

Role	Who	Why
Primary owner	Business-controlled account (Workspace or dedicated Gmail) with 2-step verification	Continuity if people change
Owner (backup)	The business owner's personal account	Recovery if main account has issues
Managers	Staff, agency, tools	Can edit, can't remove owners

See adding managers and owners.

Also:

• Use a strong unique password and an authenticator app or security key.
• Keep recovery phone and email updated.
• Review People and access every quarter.
• Never share passwords — tools like Chamko connect through Google's official sign-in (OAuth), which you can revoke anytime in your Google account settings.
• Be wary of calls claiming to be "Google" asking for codes — Google doesn't cold-call for verification codes (scams).

While you're locked out

• Reviews: you can't reply, but customers can still see your profile.
• Wrong info: suggest edits as a regular user ("Suggest an edit") for urgent fixes like phone numbers.
• Duplicates: don't create a new profile at the same address — it creates a duplicate and can cause more trouble (duplicates).

Example: a clinic in Indore

A dental clinic's profile had been created by a former receptionist who left. The clinic used Request access from a new Workspace account. The ex-employee didn't respond within the waiting period, and the clinic was then able to verify by video, showing its signboard, reception and clinic registration certificate. The clinic made its Workspace account primary owner, added the doctor's personal Gmail as backup owner and the receptionist as manager.

Sources and further reading

• Google Account recovery: accounts.google.com/signin/recovery
• Google Business Profile Help — "Request ownership of a Business Profile" and "Manage users": support.google.com/business

Frequently asked questions

How long does an ownership request take?

The owner has a set response window (shown in your request confirmation). After that, you may get options to claim.

Can Google support just give me access?

Support can help when you provide strong evidence, but you'll usually need to go through the request and verification process.

Will I lose my reviews if I make a new profile?

Yes — a new profile starts with no reviews and may be a duplicate. Recover the existing profile instead.

What if the owner is a family member who passed away?

Request access with evidence that you now run the business; contact support with documents if needed.

Can a hacker delete my reviews?

Owners can't delete customer reviews, but a hacker could change details or mark the business closed. Secure the account and restore details quickly.