Photographs change the numbers, and which ones
The specification is short and mostly ignored. Google accepts JPG or PNG between 10 KB and 5 MB, recommends 720 by 720 pixels with a minimum of 250 by 250, and asks for photos that are in focus, well lit and without significant alteration or excessive filters. Most bad profile photos fail the last part, not the first.
The specification, in full
It fits in three lines. Format: JPG or PNG. File size: between 10 KB and 5 MB. Resolution: recommended 720 by 720 pixels, minimum 250 by 250.
Then the qualitative half, which is where most profiles fail. Google asks for photos that are in focus and well lit, with no significant alterations and no excessive use of filters. The reason is stated in the same breath: the pictures should show what a customer will actually encounter.
That rules out the two most common mistakes at once. A heavily processed interior that flatters the room is an alteration. A stock photograph of a different place is not your business at all.
What photographs are actually for
They answer questions that text answers badly: what the entrance looks like, where to park, whether the place suits the occasion. Those are the questions that decide whether a visit happens after the decision to visit has been made.
The comparison matters too. Consumers consult an average of six sources, so a profile with 0 photographs sits next to five with pictures, and reads as abandoned rather than modest. A handful is enough: the entrance, the room, the work, and one that shows scale.
Keep them current. 74 percent of consumers look for reviews from the last three months, and a profile whose pictures show a shopfront that changed two years ago carries the same problem in a different form. A photograph session of 30 minutes once a year covers a small business entirely.
| Property | Value | Note |
|---|---|---|
| Format | JPG or PNG | No other formats named |
| File size | 10 KB to 5 MB | A phone photo fits easily |
| Recommended resolution | 720 by 720 px | Square reference |
| Minimum resolution | 250 by 250 px | Below this it is rejected |
| Quality | In focus, well lit, unaltered | The part most profiles fail |
How to take them without a photographer
Daylight, no flash, and the camera held still. That covers in focus and well lit without any equipment, and it produces files comfortably inside the 10 KB to 5 MB range.
Then resist editing. The filter that makes the room look warmer is the alteration Google asks you not to make, and the customer who arrives to find something different is the reviewer you did not want.
And name the files before uploading them. A photograph called shopfront-entrance is easier to find again in a year than one called IMG 4471, and you will be looking for it when a listing asks for the same picture.
Questions and answers
What size should a profile photo be?
Can I use stock photographs?
Are filters allowed?
How many photographs do I need?
Sources
- Google Business Profile Help, Add photos Formats, file size range, resolutions and quality guidance
- BrightLocal, Local Consumer Review Survey 2026 The six source average and recency expectations
