Updated 25 October 2026 with Google's current photo specs and steps.
When someone finds your business on Google, photos are one of the first things they see. Your cover photo is the one you'd most like them to see. It's your chance to show what your business is really like.
But setting a cover photo doesn't always mean Google shows it first. Here's how to set one, what size to use, and how to give it the best chance.
Google Business Profile cover photo size and format
Google's photo requirements for Business Profiles are:
| What | Google's guidance |
|---|---|
| Format | JPG or PNG |
| File size | 10 KB to 5 MB |
| Recommended | 720 px tall by 720 px wide |
| Minimum | 250 px tall by 250 px wide |
| Look and style | In focus and well lit |
Google also says photos should look like the real business, without big alterations or heavy filters.
Our tip: go bigger than the minimum. Photos are shown in different shapes on phones, computers and Maps, so keep the important part of the picture in the middle where it won't get cropped.
How to set your cover photo
- On a computer, search Google or Maps for your business name and city.
- Select Photos.
- Select Add a cover photo and upload your image.
To change it later, select Change cover. Your logo is set the same way: select Add a logo.
Photos only appear publicly once your Business Profile is verified.
Why Google may not show your cover photo first
Google is upfront about this. Setting a cover photo doesn't mean it will always be the first image people see.
If your cover photo is low quality, or Google thinks another photo shows your business better, it may show a different one. That might be a photo a customer took.
Often it's simply a better photo. If you upload your logo as your cover photo, and a customer uploads a bright, clear shot of your shopfront, Google may prefer theirs.
How to give your cover photo the best chance
There's no trick that forces Google's hand. But you can make your photo the obvious choice.
- Show the real business. A photo of your shopfront, dining room, showroom or team says more than a logo or a stock image.
- Make it sharp and bright. Natural light and a steady hand go a long way.
- Skip the text and filters. Words on top of a photo are hard to read on a phone, and heavy filters break Google's guidelines.
- Keep it current. If you've renovated or rebranded, update your cover photo.
- Add more good photos. Upload a steady stream of real photos: inside, outside, products, team and work in progress. The better your own photos, the less often a customer's photo wins.
Cover photo examples by business type
Not sure what to use? Here are ideas that suit different kinds of businesses.
- Cafes and restaurants: your best table, a signature dish, or the room when it's busy.
- Retail: your shopfront, or well-stocked aisles and displays.
- Gyms: the main training floor, clean and well lit.
- Hotels: your best room, or the view people come for.
- Childcare and schools: a bright classroom or playground, with no children's faces.
- Trades and service area businesses: a branded vehicle, your team on a job, or a finished piece of work.
- Professional services: your reception area or your team.
Keeping photos right across many locations
When you have many locations, it's easy to lose track of which ones have a good cover photo, and which ones Google is showing a customer's blurry snap for.
Local Intelligence on Premium keeps photos in sync across Google, Apple, Bing and Facebook from one console. With the Fix add-on, the DigitalMaas team sets up your logos and photos from media you supply. See pricing or read how we help multi-location brands.