Fixing Missing Attributes on Google Maps
Attributes are the short facts on a Google Maps listing that answer practical questions: is there a step-free entrance, is there parking, can I pay by card, is there outdoor seating, is it good for children.
They sit on the About tab of the Maps card, feed some of the filters people tap when searching, and drive the wheelchair icon that Maps can show beside places. When they are missing, you may drop out of filtered searches; when they are wrong, people arrive and find out the hard way. This guide covers checking attributes the way a Maps user sees them and correcting them.
Where attributes appear in Google Maps
In the profile manager, attributes are a list of tick boxes. In Maps they are spread around the listing, and a customer may meet them in several places without ever thinking of them as attributes:
| Place in Maps | What it shows | Why it matters |
|---|---|---|
| About tab on the card | Grouped features such as accessibility, amenities, payments, service options and parking. | The page people check just before visiting. |
| Short highlights on the overview | A few features, such as dine-in, takeaway or delivery, near the top of the card. | Seen without opening anything. |
| Accessible Places icon | A wheelchair symbol for places with a step-free entrance, when the user has switched the setting on. | Many wheelchair users and parents with buggies rely on it. |
| Search filters | Chips or options that narrow results by feature, where offered for that type of search. | If the attribute is not set, you may not appear in the filtered list. |
| Questions to visitors | Maps sometimes asks people who have visited to confirm features. | Their answers can add or change attributes you have not set. |
The set of attributes on offer depends on your category and country, and Google changes the list from time to time. What you see in Maps can therefore differ between two similar businesses. The Business Profile attributes guide explains the types of attribute and who controls each; this guide is about what actually shows in Maps and how to make it correct.
Why attributes go missing or wrong
- Never set. Attributes are optional and are easy to skip when a profile is first created, so many listings show only what Google has inferred or what visitors have reported.
- Answered by visitors. When Maps asks people whether a place has a feature, their answers can fill gaps. A few confused answers, for example about which entrance is step-free, can produce the wrong result.
- Category changed. Changing the primary category can change which attributes are available. Some previously set ones may stop showing.
- The premises changed. A new ramp, a removed car park or a switch to card-only payments is not reflected until someone updates it.
- Different wording. The feature exists but under a name you did not expect, such as "wheelchair-accessible entrance" rather than "disabled access".
The fix, step by step
Step 1
Open the About tab as a visitor
On a phone, open Google Maps without signing in to the business account, search for your business and open the About tab on the card. Write down every feature shown under each heading, and note anything that is missing or untrue. Also look at the highlights near the top of the overview. This is the version customers see, and it can differ from your own profile screen because visitor answers and Google's own information are mixed in.
Step 2
Turn on Accessible Places and check your pin
In the Maps app settings, open the accessibility section and switch on Accessible Places. Go back to the map and find your business. Check whether it shows the wheelchair icon, and open the card to see which accessibility details are listed. If you have a step-free entrance and the icon is missing, or the listing says there is no accessible entrance when there is one, note it for correction in step five.
Step 3
Search with the filters your customers use
Search Maps for your main service from nearby, then apply the feature filters Maps offers for that search, such as a wheelchair-accessible option or service choices like delivery. Check whether your pin stays in the list after each filter. Where you drop out but genuinely offer the feature, the attribute is missing or wrong. Filters vary by search type and change over time, so test the ones that actually appear for your searches.
Step 4
Walk the premises with the list
Take the list of attributes available for your category and walk the premises as a first-time customer would. Check the entrance for steps and door width, look for an accessible toilet, an accessible parking space, seating, baby changing, Wi-Fi, card and contactless payment, and outdoor space. Note only what is true every day, not what you could arrange on request. If something is only sometimes available, leave it unset and explain it in the description.
Step 5
Correct attributes in the profile
Signed in as an owner or manager, open the profile editor and find the attributes or more section. Set each feature that is true, and change any shown wrongly to the correct answer rather than leaving it blank, because a blank lets visitor answers stand. Start with accessibility and anything that decides whether someone can visit, then payments, parking and amenities. Save, and allow time for Google to review before checking Maps again.
Step 6
Show the key features in photos
Upload clear photos that prove the features people care about most: the step-free entrance taken from the pavement, the accessible toilet, the car park and its entrance, the outdoor seating and the baby changing room. Photos help visitors who are asked questions by Maps give accurate answers, and they reassure customers who are unsure whether a feature suits them. Caption or describe them plainly where the upload tool allows it.
Step 7
Recheck after the public adds answers
A month after the change, repeat the first three checks on a phone. Look for features that have appeared or changed without your edit, which usually means visitor answers or Google's own sources have been applied. Correct anything wrong in the profile again. If a wrong feature keeps returning, add a photo that shows the truth and a line in the description, and check your website does not say something different.
Getting accessibility right on Maps
Accessibility attributes deserve the most care because people plan journeys around them. A wheelchair user who arrives at a single step has wasted a trip, and a parent with a double buggy has the same problem. Useful rules of thumb:
- Step-free entrance means a customer can get from the street or car park into the main customer area without any step. A portable ramp that has to be requested is not the same thing; say so in the description instead.
- Accessible toilet means a toilet designed for wheelchair users, not simply a toilet on the ground floor.
- Accessible parking means marked spaces for Blue Badge holders on your premises or directly serving them.
- Accessible seating means places where a wheelchair user can sit at a table or counter, not just space to wait.
If the accessible entrance is not the main entrance, say where it is in the description and show it in a photo. Your pin should still mark the main customer door, as described in the pin guide, but the description and photo should direct people to the step-free route.
Attributes worth checking by type of business
| Business type | Attributes customers most often filter or check |
|---|---|
| Café, pub or restaurant | Dine-in, takeaway, delivery, outdoor seating, good for children, dogs allowed where offered, step-free entrance, accessible toilet. |
| Shop | In-store shopping, click and collect, same-day delivery, card and contactless payments, step-free entrance, parking. |
| Health, beauty or clinic | Appointment required, online appointments, step-free entrance, accessible toilet, accessible parking. |
| Garage or trade counter | On-site services, parking, payment options, step-free entrance. |
| Hotel or venue | Wi-Fi, parking, step-free entrance, accessible rooms or seating where offered. |
Exact names differ by category and change over time, so treat this as a checklist of things to look for, not a list of fields guaranteed to exist. Restaurants have many extra food and service options, which the restaurant guide covers.
Edge cases
- An attribute you need does not exist. If Google offers nothing for a feature, put it in the description and show it in photos. Do not choose a near-miss attribute that says something different.
- A competitor shows an attribute you cannot find. They may be in a different category, in a different country, or have the attribute from visitor answers rather than their own setting.
- Attributes vanished after a category change. Some are tied to categories. Check the available list again and reset what still applies.
- A shared building. If you share an entrance, answer for the route your customers use, not the building as a whole.
- Temporary changes. If a lift is out of order for weeks, add a short post and a line in the description rather than changing the attribute back and forth.
Keeping attributes accurate
- After any building work, repeat the walk-round and update attributes the same week.
- After any category change, check the attribute list again.
- Twice a year, open the About tab on a phone and compare with reality.
- Keep the website in step. Your access and facilities page should say the same as the listing, in plain words.
1. Where do customers see my attributes on Google Maps?
Mostly on the About tab of your Maps listing, where features are grouped under headings such as accessibility, amenities, payments and service options. A few may also appear as highlights near the top of the card. Accessibility details can drive the wheelchair icon for people who have switched on Accessible Places, and some attributes feed the filters people use to narrow search results. Checking all of these on a phone gives you the customer view.
2. What is Accessible Places on Google Maps?
Accessible Places is a setting in the Google Maps app that, when switched on, shows a wheelchair icon for places with a step-free entrance and makes accessibility details easier to find on each listing. It is used by wheelchair users and others who need step-free access. The information comes from business owners, visitors who answer questions in Maps and Google itself. Turn it on yourself to see whether your listing shows the icon correctly.
3. Why does Google Maps say my business has no wheelchair access when it does?
The information may have come from visitors answering questions in Maps, from an older version of your premises, or from confusion over which entrance is step-free. Set the accessibility attributes correctly in your Business Profile, upload a clear photo of the step-free entrance from the pavement, and describe where it is if it is not the main door. Recheck in a few weeks, because further visitor answers can change the listing again.
4. Do attributes help my business appear in more Google Maps searches?
They can help you appear when people use filters or search for a feature, because a listing without the attribute has nothing to match. Google does not publish how much attributes weigh in ordinary ranking, so treat claims about that with caution. The clearer benefit is practical: customers can decide from the listing that you suit them, and fewer people arrive expecting something you do not offer, which means fewer disappointed reviews.
5. Can customers change the attributes on my listing?
Customers cannot edit your profile directly, but Google Maps asks people who have visited questions about places, such as whether there is outdoor seating or a step-free entrance. Their answers can be used to add or change the attributes shown, especially where you have not set them yourself. Setting every attribute you can, backed by photos, reduces the chance of wrong answers standing, and checking the About tab regularly lets you catch any that do.
6. Why can I not find a particular attribute to add?
The attributes available depend on your primary category and your country, and Google adds, renames and removes them over time. If an attribute is missing, check whether it sits under a different heading or name. If it genuinely is not offered for your category, mention the feature in your business description and show it in photos. Do not change your category just to unlock an attribute, because the category must describe your main business.
7. How long do attribute changes take to show on Google Maps?
Many attribute changes appear within a day or so, but some are reviewed first and can take longer. Visitor answers and Google's own information can also be applied at different times, so what you see may change more than once. Wait a few days before checking the About tab on a phone, and avoid repeatedly editing the same attribute while a change is pending. If a change never appears after a couple of weeks, contact support.
The Google Maps Audit checks attribute coverage along with pin accuracy, hours completeness, photo count and recency, category fit, review velocity and rating, services and products and post cadence.
Open Maps Audit Fixes →