How to Add Your Business to Apple Maps: Step-by-Step Guide

If you own a local business, getting your business listed accurately on Apple Maps can make it easier for customers to find your location, phone number, website, hours and other important information.

Apple provides Apple Business, which allows businesses to manage how their brand and locations appear across Apple services, including Apple Maps. The platform was previously known as Apple Business Connect.

In this guide, you'll learn how to add your business to Apple Maps step by step, verify your organization, add your business location and optimize your listing with useful information and photos.

What Is Apple Business?

Apple Business is Apple's platform for businesses to manage their brand and location information across Apple services.

For local businesses, one of the important uses is managing the information customers can see through Apple Maps. Businesses can provide details such as their address, phone number, website, business category, hours, photos and other place-card information.

This information can also appear in other parts of the Apple ecosystem, including Siri, Messages and Calendar.

How to Add Your Business to Apple Maps

The process can be divided into a few main steps:

• Create or access your Apple Business account
• Add your organization information
• Verify your organization
• Add or claim your business location
• Set the correct business category
• Add contact details and opening hours
• Add your website and social profiles
• Upload photos and branding
• Review and maintain your listing

Let's go through each step.

Step 1: Go to Apple Business

Start by visiting Apple's official Apple Business website.

Apple Business

Select Sign up now and follow the registration process.

Apple asks for information such as your organization name, website, location and address. You also need to provide the name and contact details of the person enrolling the organization.

Tip: Use your real business information rather than adding promotional keywords to the business name.

Step 2: Create Your Organization

After starting the registration process, enter your organization details.

You may need to provide:

• Organization name
• Website
• Business location and address
• Country or region
• Your name
• Phone number
• Email address

Apple sends verification codes to your email address and phone number during registration.

Step 3: Verify Your Business With Apple

Verification is an important part of setting up your Apple Business account.

Apple currently states that organizations have 60 days to verify their organization after signing up. Verification can require two verification methods and may take several working days.

Depending on your organization and eligibility, Apple may provide verification methods such as:

• Business ID
• Domain validation
• App Store Connect
• Business documents such as a licence, permit, lease or utility bill

Apple reviews the submitted information before verification is completed.

Important

Make sure the business information you submit is accurate and consistent with your official business records and website.

Step 4: Add Your Business Location

Once your organization is ready, go to:

Brands → Locations → Add

Apple allows you to add a new location or locate an existing business location.

If you're adding a new location, enter your business name and select the option to add a new location.

Then enter your business address.

Check the map carefully

This is an important step for local businesses.

After entering your address, check where Apple places the location marker. If the marker is in the wrong place, you can move the map or enter the appropriate coordinates. Apple recommends placing the coordinates over the building rather than on a nearby road or intersection.

Step 5: Choose the Correct Business Category

Apple asks you to select a primary category for your business.

Choose the category that most accurately describes your main business activity.

For example:

• Restaurant
• Indian Restaurant
• Hair Salon
• Supermarket
• Hotel
• Clothing Store

Apple says categories are updated regularly and businesses can also add additional categories where appropriate. You can select one primary category and up to four additional categories.

SEO tip

Don't try to put keywords into your business name to manipulate local search.

Instead, provide accurate business information and select the category that genuinely represents the business.

Step 6: Add Your Business Phone Number

Add the phone number customers use to contact your business.

Apple specifies that the phone number should be associated with the location and include the appropriate country code.

For example:

+91 1234567890

For an Indian business, using the correct +91 country code keeps the information clear and consistent.

Step 7: Add Your Website

Next, add your official business website.

Apple recommends using a specific location URL when one is available. It also allows certain social profile URLs such as Facebook, Instagram or TikTok.

For example:

Website: https://example.com/

If you operate multiple branches, a location-specific page can be useful.

Example:

https://example.com/lucknow/

Step 8: Add Your Business Hours

Enter your regular opening and closing hours.

Make sure these hours are accurate because customers may use the information shown through Apple services to decide when to visit.

You can set the operating hours during the location setup process.

For businesses with special holiday hours, regularly check your listing and update the information when necessary.

Step 9: Add Your Logo and Cover Photo

Once your basic location information is ready, you can improve the appearance of your Apple Maps place card with branding and photos.

Apple Business allows businesses to add a logo and cover photo to their place card. Apple reviews submitted imagery before it appears.

For example, a restaurant could upload:

• Exterior photo
• Interior photo
• Popular dishes
• Logo
• Cover image

A salon could add:

• Salon exterior
• Interior
• Hair styling work
• Treatment area
• Brand logo

Use genuine images of your business and keep them high quality.

Step 10: Add Additional Business Information

Apple Business allows you to provide additional information that can make your place card more useful.

Depending on your business, you may be able to add:

• Photos
• Categories
• Website
• Actions
• App information
• Promotional showcases

Apple describes Showcases as a way to highlight things such as new products, deals, sales or other promotional content with a call to action.

Step 11: What If Your Business Is Already on Apple Maps?

You don't necessarily need to create a completely new listing if your business already appears on Apple Maps.

During the location setup process, search for the existing location.

If the location is already managed by another organization, Apple provides a process for requesting a transfer of management. Supporting documentation may be required, and Apple says transfer reviews can take up to five business days.

Before creating a duplicate listing

Always check Apple Maps first.

A duplicate business listing can create confusion and make it harder to maintain accurate information.

Step 12: Keep Your Apple Maps Listing Updated

Creating the listing is only the beginning.

Business information can change over time, so regularly check:

• Business hours
• Phone number
• Website
• Address
• Categories
• Photos
• Promotional information
• Location marker

Apple recommends keeping location information updated so customers can see current information across Maps and other Apple services.

Apple Maps SEO Tips for Local Businesses

If you're using Apple Business as part of your local SEO strategy, focus on accuracy and completeness rather than keyword stuffing.

1. Keep NAP information consistent

Make sure your:

Name + Address + Phone number

are consistent across your website and major business directories.

2. Choose the correct category

Your primary category should accurately describe your main business activity.

3. Use a real business address

Don't use an unrelated address simply to appear in another location.

4. Add high-quality photos

Use genuine, relevant images that show customers what your business actually looks like.

5. Keep your website updated

Your Apple listing and website should provide consistent business information.

6. Don't keyword-stuff your business name

Use your actual business name rather than adding city names or extra keywords unless they are genuinely part of the official business name.

Apple Maps vs Google Maps: Are They the Same?

No. Apple Maps and Google Maps are separate platforms.

For local businesses, it can therefore be useful to maintain accurate business information across the major mapping and local-search ecosystems rather than relying on only one platform.

Your local SEO strategy can include:

• Google Business Profile
• Apple Business
• Website local landing pages
• Relevant business directories
• Social profiles
• Structured data/schema

Frequently Asked Questions

Is Apple Business free?

Apple describes Apple Business Connect, now integrated into Apple Business, as a free tool for managing business information across Apple services.

How long does Apple Business verification take?

Apple says organization verification can take multiple working days and may take longer during periods of high application volume.

Can I add my business to Apple Maps without a website?

Apple's location setup lists the website as optional, although having an official website can provide useful business information and support your overall local presence.

Can I add multiple business locations?

Yes. Apple Business supports organizations managing multiple locations, and Apple states that businesses can manage each location separately.

Can I add photos to my Apple Maps listing?

Yes. Businesses can add photos, including branding assets such as a logo and cover photo, subject to Apple's review and image guidelines.

What if someone else manages my business location?

If a location is already managed by another organization, Apple provides a process to request a transfer of management and may ask for supporting documentation.

Final Thoughts

Adding your business to Apple Maps is more than simply putting your address on a map. With Apple Business, you can manage important business information, categories, contact details, photos, website information and other place-card features that help customers understand your business.

For local businesses, the key is to keep the information accurate, complete and regularly updated. Combine your Apple Maps presence with a well-optimized website and other local SEO assets to create a consistent online presence.