Google Business Profile Photo Size, Video Limits and Fixes

Google publishes three photo numbers: a file-size range, a recommended resolution and a minimum resolution. This table is read from Google’s help page on adding photos and videos (read 11 October 2026). The same page applies to what people call the Google My Business photo size limit, since the product was renamed.

Two details matter. The range has a floor as well as a ceiling: a file under 10 KB is outside it, and 5 MB against 10 KB is a spread of 500 to 1, so squeezing a small logo hard can miss the bottom. And 720 is a recommendation, not a ceiling. Google’s page does not say a larger photo is refused, so the practical rule is: stay inside 5 MB, do not drop below 250 pixels, and send something at least 720 on each side.

Videos can be up to 30 seconds long and up to 75 MB, at 720p or higher, per Google’s help page (read 11 October 2026). Google’s page does not list a file format, so we do not state one.

The two caps pull in different directions. Seventy-five megabytes over 30 seconds is an average of 20 megabits per second for everything in the file, so a clip that is short enough can still be too big, because phone video recorded in 4K is heavy. The fix is to trim to under 30 seconds first (QuickTime Player, Edit, Trim), then compress. In Smol, choose MP4 and H.264, keep the resolution at or above 720p, and read the output size. Smol sets codec, quality and resolution, not the final byte count, so check the file against 75 MB before you upload. If you also email the clip, Gmail’s personal-account attachment limit is 25 MB, and above it Gmail adds a Drive link instead, per Google’s Gmail help. Lower the resolution to 1080p or 720p if the 4K original is still over. The background is in compressing a video on Mac and getting video small enough to email.

Google does not publish a cover photo size. Its help page gives no dimensions for the cover photo or the logo, only the general photo limits above, so those apply (read 11 October 2026).

Pixel sizes for cover photos circulate on third-party guides, but Google’s page does not state any, so treat them as a design preference. The safe move is a sharp, well-lit image at least 720 pixels on its short side and under 5 MB, with the subject in the middle so a crop does not remove it.

Smol’s fit mode scales a photo inside a box without cropping. Its fill mode crops to the box and gives you no control over what is cut, so crop a cover photo yourself in Preview or Photos first, then use Smol to set size and quality.

Google says “Not approved” means the media is flagged and has violated policies, and “Pending” means it is in the upload or processing stage, or your profile is not verified. Its page also says it can take up to 24 to 48 hours for photos and videos to show (read 11 October 2026).

• Pending on an unverified profile. Google says Pending also applies if your profile is currently not verified. Verification is the fix, not a smaller file.
• Not approved. The page ties this to policy violations, and it does not list file size as a reason. If a photo is flagged, read Google’s photo and video policies before you re-export it.
• The upload itself fails. Check the format first (HEIC is not on the list), then size: over 5 MB or under 10 KB, or a side under 250 pixels.
• Quality. Google wants photos in focus, well lit and without significant alterations or excessive filters. A photo crushed to a tiny file looks bad too, so do not cut quality below what the photo needs.

Size can cause a failed upload; it is not the only cause of a missing photo. Fix the format and size, then wait for the 24 to 48 hours before deciding anything else is wrong.

Image defaults strip metadata, including GPS, and that can be switched off. For a public business address that matters less, but turn it off if you want the metadata kept. The clip settings for H.264 are covered in H.265 versus H.264. On 24 small test photos (768 × 512 high-quality JPEGs, default settings) Smol made the JPEGs 69.3% smaller; camera files will differ. See the benchmark page for the method.

Do I convert HEIC or compress it?

Compress, with the output format set to JPG. Convert to JPG ignores the quality setting and writes a large, high-quality file, which works against a 5 MB cap. Compress applies quality and size together. Or stop HEIC at the phone: Settings, Camera, Formats, Most Compatible, per Apple’s instructions. See why iPhone photos are HEIC and converting HEIC to JPG on Mac.

1. 1

   Gather the files in one folder

   Photos, a logo and the clip can go in together. Smol writes copies with a _compressed suffix and leaves originals untouched by default.

2. 2

   Trim the video to 30 seconds or less

   Use QuickTime Player (Edit, Trim). Smol compresses; it does not cut clips.

3. 3

   Drag the folder into Smol

   Mixed types are fine in one batch.

4. 4

   Set JPG, quality 75, maximum dimension 1200 for photos

   Use PNG for the logo. For the clip choose MP4, H.264 and keep at least 720p.

5. 5

   Run it and sort the outputs by size

   Smol shows each file’s result. Check photos sit between 10 KB and 5 MB and the clip is under 75 MB. Re-run any that miss at a different quality.

6. 6

   Upload and wait

   Add the files in your Business Profile, then allow 24 to 48 hours before assuming a problem.

The broader tool comparison is in compress images on Mac: every method compared. Businesses that also post to marketplaces will find the Facebook Marketplace page and the marketing teams page useful.

Your photos are already under 5 MB JPEGs. Check the Finder size column first. Compressing a photo that already meets the limit changes nothing Google asks for.

You need to crop a cover photo. Smol’s fill mode crops without letting you choose the framing. Use Preview or Photos, then Smol for size.

You need to trim video. Smol compresses and converts; it does not cut a clip down to 30 seconds. Use QuickTime Player first.

You need pixel-identical output. Smol always re-encodes images; there is no lossless mode.

You are not on a Mac. Smol is macOS only. A Windows front-desk PC or a phone alone cannot run it.

Smol is $29 once for one Mac. Team is $49 once for three Macs, and Enterprise is $20 a seat for 5 to 500 seats. A restaurant that also shares a menu PDF should read the restaurant menu page.