How do you set up Apple Business for Apple Maps?
Apple Business is Apple's free platform for managing how a business appears in Apple Maps and other Apple apps. It replaced Apple Business Connect in April 2026. This guide covers verification, the place card fields that matter and how to keep the listing accurate.
What is Apple Business, and why does it matter for local search?
Apple Business is Apple's free platform for businesses to manage their presence across Apple apps, including the place card people see in Apple Maps. Apple announced it in March 2026 and launched it on April 14, 2026 in more than 200 countries and regions. It replaced Apple Business Connect, Business Essentials and Business Manager.
According to Apple's announcement, a place card can show your brand name, logo, photos, location details, hours, Showcases and custom actions, and Apple Business includes location insights. Apple also described branding in Mail, Wallet and Tap to Pay, and said Maps ads would come to the US and Canada from summer 2026; check current availability before planning around them.
Which businesses need to manage their Apple Maps listing?
Any business with a physical location customers visit should claim its Apple Maps place card: shops, restaurants, clinics, offices, studios, workshops. People asking Siri or Apple Maps for directions use Apple's data, and if it is wrong they arrive at the wrong door or call a dead number.
Service-area businesses that do not receive customers at an address get less from Apple Maps than storefronts do, but it is still worth confirming that any existing place card is accurate. If you have several locations, plan the work by location so each card matches its own location page.
Apple Maps is also a separate source of truth from Google. A clinic that updated its Google hours for a holiday but not its Apple card will show two different answers to the same question, depending on which phone the customer holds. That is why Apple Business belongs in the same routine as your other listings, not in a one-off project.
How do you verify and claim a location in Apple Business?
Apple's verification guide describes three situations.
| Situation | What Apple asks for | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Your first location | Verify your organization | Done once, before adding locations |
| Your business already appears in Maps | Confirm by a phone call with a four-digit code | Call goes to the number on the listing, so fix access to that line first |
| Someone else manages the location | Request a transfer with documents such as a business licence or utility bill | Review can take up to five business days |
If the phone number on the existing listing is an old one, the phone call route will not reach you. Gather a business licence or a utility bill in the business name before you start, in case you need the document route.
Which Apple Maps fields should you complete?
Apple's location details guide lists the fields you can edit. Work through them in this order.
| Field | What to enter | Why it matters |
|---|---|---|
| Display name and alternate names | The name on your storefront; Apple says the display name must match it | The first thing people check |
| Address and map coordinates | Your master address; move the pin to the actual entrance | Directions land at the right door |
| Hours | Standard, special and temporary hours | Avoids "open" when you are closed |
| Phone and website | Main number; the right page for this location | Calls and visits go where they should |
| Category | What the business is | Helps Maps match searches |
| Logo, cover photo and photos | Clear brand logo and real photos; Apple reviews logos and covers | First impression on the card |
| About and Good to Know | Short description and attributes | Answers common questions |
| Actions, Showcases and app link | Booking, ordering or other actions; timely promotions | Gives people something to do |
Copy your master record, not your Google profile.
Enter Apple details from your own master record so a mistake on one platform does not spread to the other.
What does a complete Apple Maps place card look like?
Harbourview Physiotherapy, a fictional Halifax clinic, claimed its card after a patient said Maps had sent her to the old entrance around the corner.
| Field | Before claiming | After |
|---|---|---|
| Name | Harbourview Physio Clinic | Harbourview Physiotherapy, as on the sign |
| Pin | Centre of the building, side street | Barrington Street entrance |
| Hours | Weekdays only | Weekdays plus Saturday morning |
| Actions | Call only | Directions, call, book, website |
The clinic used the same master record as its business information on Google and Bing, so all three platforms agree on name, address, phone and hours.
What Apple Business mistakes should you avoid?
- Starting a new account when your Business Connect locations already moved to Apple Business.
- Adding a tagline to the display name. Apple says it must match the storefront.
- Leaving the pin on the building centre when the entrance is on another street.
- Forgetting holiday hours. Use special and temporary hours, as you would on Google.
- Letting it drift. Changes made on Google are not copied to Apple. Put Apple on the same quarterly checklist as Google and Bing.
- Uploading a busy or low-quality logo. Apple reviews logos and covers, so use a clean version of your real brand mark.
- Losing the phone line used for verification. If the listing still shows an old number, plan for the document route instead.
What should you measure in Apple Business?
| Measure | What it tells you | Where to find it |
|---|---|---|
| Place card matches master record | Accuracy | Apple Maps on an iPhone |
| Location insights | How people find and use your card | Apple Business |
| Taps on call, directions, website and actions | Whether the card drives action | Apple Business insights |
| Visits from Apple Maps | Website clicks from the card | Analytics, with a tagged website link |
Report Apple numbers next to Google's in your local SEO report.
Frequently asked questions
What happened to Apple Business Connect?
Apple replaced it with Apple Business, which launched on April 14, 2026. Apple says data from Business Connect moved to the new platform automatically.
Is Apple Business free?
Yes. Apple describes Apple Business as free.
How do I verify my business on Apple Maps?
Verify your organization first. For a location already in Maps you can confirm by a phone call with a four-digit code; if someone else manages it, you can request a transfer with documents.
How long does an Apple location transfer take?
Apple says review of a transfer request with documents can take up to five business days.
Can I put keywords in my Apple Maps business name?
No. Apple says the display name must match your storefront.
Can I advertise on Apple Maps in Canada?
Apple said Maps ads would come to the US and Canada from summer 2026. Check Apple Business for current availability in your area.
Does Apple Maps copy my Google Business Profile?
No. Apple keeps its own data, so update Apple Business separately whenever your details change.
Sources & further reading
Regulator rules, platform policies and local data change. These sources let you check the facts on this page, last checked October 7, 2026.