Adding a business to Apple Maps: Apple Business Connect (now Apple Business) guide

Apple Business verification: Tax number, domain, and documents

Apple requires the organization to be verified using two different methods within 60 days after registration; the review may take up to five business days and longer during busy periods. If approval is not obtained within this period, the organization, its data, and Managed Apple Accounts are deleted.

According to the registration and verification page , the process starts through Settings › Organization › Verify Now . The available methods are:

• Business ID: Apple’s the list of accepted ID types includes the Tax Registration Number issued by the tax authority for Türkiye.
• Domain verification: A TXT record provided by Apple is added to the business domain’s DNS settings.
• App Store Connect: If the business has an app in the App Store, select the relevant app; this option is not available to third-party agencies.

After selecting a method, upload an official document; Apple’s list includes a business license, operating permits, lease or property agreement, and invoice. Repeat the process with a second method and submit using Send for Review. A cafe or furniture store with a tax number and its own domain can prepare these two methods without opening an additional account.

When claiming a location already in Maps, phone verification is sometimes offered: Apple’s registered number is called, and a four-digit code is entered. If the location is managed by another organization, use Request Transfer to send a transfer request and supporting documentation; this review may also take up to five business days.

How do you complete the place card? Name, address, hours, category, and photos

The place card is the most labor-intensive part of adding a business to Apple Maps; each field must match the business signage and official website. The sources of the rules are the location attributes page and photo and text standards.

• Display name: It must match the name on the signage or website. Descriptions, the ®, ©, and ™ symbols, and neighborhood names added to distinguish branches are not accepted.
• Address and coordinates: The address must be the official address written on the website; coordinates must sit directly over the building rather than indicating the sidewalk, road, or parking entrance.
• Hours: Temporary hours for holidays are entered alongside regular hours; hours are required to match those on the website.
• Phone and website: The phone is written with a country code. The website can be the business’s own website or its Facebook, Instagram, or TikTok page; third-party websites are not accepted.
• Category: Select a single primary category and up to 19 additional categories.
• Good to Know: Amenities such as card payments, parking, and electric vehicle charging are listed on the card with icons.

Photo rules are stricter. Up to 100 photos can be uploaded per location, and each photo undergoes an Apple review lasting up to three business days. Images with filters, collages, watermarks, added text or QR codes, stock photos, and AI-generated content are not accepted.

Maximum dimensions for all types are 4864 x 4864 pixels. A location-specific cover photo takes precedence over the brand’s general cover; a multi-branch furniture store can show each branch’s exterior separately.

What do Showcase, action buttons, and Insights do?

Showcase is a place card module announcing a new product, promotion, or event with a call-to-action button; action buttons bring ordering, reservation, or appointment links onto the card, while Insights reports how the card was found. Actions and showcases are added after the location is verified.

Apple’s showcase page states that a showcase includes a title of up to 38 characters, text of 100 characters, an image, and an action button; the default duration is 90 days and the maximum is 365 days. Because review takes up to three calendar days, submission at least three days before publication is recommended.

Action buttons vary by category; a cafe can add its menu, and a hairdresser its appointment page. Buttons appear in iOS 17.4 and later, and approval may take up to three business days. Insights becomes available no later than one hour after verification and answers these questions:

• Search taps: How many times was the location selected in search results?
• Search type: Did the user search for the business name, a category such as “cafe”, or a city or address?
• Place card interactions: How many taps occurred for directions, website, calls, sharing, and photos?
• Comparison with similar locations: Comparison with similar businesses by category, price level, and proximity.

Low values are shown as zero for privacy; for a small business, a monthly view is more meaningful.

Comparing Google Business Profile, Bing Places, and Apple Business

All three platforms are free and bring business information to maps and local search; differences appear in verification, importing, and category arrangements. The table includes only information read in official help pages and announcements; the Apple column shows where adding a business to Apple Maps differs from the other two platforms.

Google steps are explained in the adding a business to Google Mapsguide, and Microsoft steps in the adding a business to Bing Places guide. Writing the same name, address, phone, and hours in all three listings ensures customers see the same information regardless of which map they use.

Applebot and the website: Can Siri and Spotlight read the website?

Applebot is Apple’s web crawler, and the data it collects feeds search in Spotlight, Siri, and Safari; allowing Applebot in robots.txt enables website content to appear in these products’ search results. The place card comes from Apple Business, while the content of the website linked on the card comes from Applebot crawling.

Apple’s The Applebot page includes these details for website owners:

• If Applebot is not mentioned in robots.txt but there are rules for Googlebot, Applebot follows Googlebot rules.
• If JavaScript or CSS files are blocked through robots.txt, Applebot may be unable to render the page correctly.
• A page with a noindex tag is not indexed and does not appear in Spotlight or Siri Suggestions.
• Blocking Applebot-Extended excludes content only from training Apple’s generative AI models; pages remain in search results.

If the server blocks unknown bots collectively, Applebot traffic is verified using a reverse DNS query to applebot.apple.com and added to the allowlist. Actions for being cited in AI responses are discussed on the AI search optimization page.

Common mistakes, corrections made by Apple, and maintenance routine

Most problems with Apple Maps listings arise from outdated hours, a location left in another account, and a noncompliant name; Apple may also correct a listing based on user reports.

According to the information accuracy page , if a business shown as open turns out to be closed, a user can report this to Apple from the card. If Apple edits the name, status, or hours, administrators receive an email; if the change is correct, approve it with Looks Good; otherwise, edit and appeal. Common mistakes include:

• Leaving the location in an agency’s or former employee’s account: The location appears as “already managed” and requires a transfer request; opening the account with the business’s own email reduces this risk.
• Adding descriptions to the display name: Phrases such as “Most affordable” violate display name rules.
• Leaving a closed branch in the listing: If “permanently closed” is selected as the reason when removing a location, the place is also marked closed in Maps.
• Not entering holiday hours: The temporary hours field exists for this purpose and does not alter regular hours.

Adding a business to Apple Maps does not end at registration; every three months, open the place card on an iPhone and check hours, phone, photos, and showcase duration. For Google pin problems, see the Wrong location on Google Maps article. To contact Apple, use account icon › Support in Apple Business.