Write Anonymous Google Reviews

Google Maps recently introduced the option to choose a custom display name and picture for your user profile. While it allows users to leave anonymous reviews (or, more accurately, reviews under a pseudonym), it’s not quite the game-changer many were expecting.

Users can edit the custom name and image independently of one another, and can add an optional 200-character bio. Once it’s set up, users can toggle the custom identity on and off with a check box.

Your custom name appears wherever your contributions are publicly displayed on both Search & Maps. This includes Google Maps contributions—such as reviews, photo and video uploads, questions & answers, and photo updates—as well as TV or media reviews on Google Search.

Google Maps contributions that do not display your Google Account profile name—such as emoji reactions on a review and suggested edits—will not show your custom name. They remain nameless.

Custom names are not used on Google activities that are not publicly visible. Your actual Google Account profile name and picture are visible to recipients of private communications, such as when you share your location in Google Maps, use other Google products like Gmail, or, notably, message merchants in Google Maps or Search.

The custom display name would be a really useful feature if users could choose to display their actual Google Account profile name on some reviews and the custom name on others. It would allow users to leave anonymous reviews on businesses they might otherwise be reluctant to review. (e.g. a DUI lawyer, medical clinics and doctors, adult entertainment clubs, etc.)

However, that’s not how it works. When you enable your custom name, it appears across all your existing and future content. (i.e. your past reviews) When you disable your custom name by unchecking the box, all your contributions revert back to your actual Google Account profile name. You can’t use your custom name selectively on some reviews and not others.

So, who is this for?

Bad actors who want to hide behind a fake identity already create accounts with fake names and profile photos. Being able to add and display a second fake name doesn’t provide any additional anonymity. (Although don’t count out clever, malicious use I haven’t anticipated!)

For users who want to leave an honest review under a pseudonym, now they can, but then they must leave their custom name toggled on, causing ALL past and future reviews to appear under that pseudonym. Unfortunately, this feature does not allow you to leave reviews under two identities, as you might have expected and/or hoped.

This feature might be useful if you want to change your display name without running the risk of editing your actual Google Account profile name and raising red flags.

This feature was announced by Google on November 19, 2025.

For more details, see Choose how you appear publicly on Google Maps and Search