Work from home – How do you get your house blurred on Google Maps?
This blog post is the result of a client who was a small sole trader working from a back room in their home wanting to know if they could hide the view of their home on Google Maps.
If you’re working from home and don’t want strangers showing up, you’re not alone. More and more sole traders are running businesses from spare rooms, kitchen tables, or sheds at the bottom of the garden. But what happens when someone Googles your business and spots your home address on Street View? Awkward, right? The good news is: you can ask Google to blur your house, and it’s easier than you might think.
Why would you want to blur your house?
Let’s be honest, nobody wants unexpected visitors when they’re halfway through lunch, in their slippers, or knee-deep in invoices. If you’re a sole trader working from home – maybe a copywriter, web designer, dog groomer, or even an online seller – your house is your office. But you don’t want it becoming a showroom or customer drop-in spot. Blurring your house on Google Maps makes sure your private life stays private.
Imagine you run an Etsy shop selling handmade jewellery. You’re great with beads and charms, but you don’t want people knowing where you live. Or picture a self-employed accountant who uses their home address for registration but doesn’t want random folks knocking on the door with receipts in a Tesco bag. Blurring keeps you safe, comfortable, and professional.
How does Street View actually work?
Street View is part of Google Maps, where Google cars drive around with cameras on top and snap pictures of streets. These pictures are stitched together so you can explore neighbourhoods as if you were standing right there. It’s useful for finding shops, planning travel, or just being nosy about what places look like.
The catch? It also shows homes. And unless you do something about it, your front door, driveway, and even your car might all be visible to anyone searching. Not ideal when your home is your office.
The step-by-step guide: Blurring your house
Now for the simple bit. Here’s how you can ask Google to blur your home on Street View. You don’t need technical skills, just a few clicks.
- Open Google Maps. On your computer, go to Google Maps.
- Search for your address. Type in your home address and press enter.
- Go into Street View. Drag the little yellow “Pegman” in the bottom right onto your road. You’ll now see the street-level view.
- Find your house. Move around until your house is clearly visible.
- Click “Report a problem.” This is usually in the bottom right-hand corner of the Street View screen.
- Select “My home.” Google will ask what you want to blur. Pick “My home” (there are also options for car, face, etc.).
- Adjust the red box. A red box will appear over the picture. Drag and resize it so it covers your entire house.
- Submit your request. Fill in a quick form, explain that it’s your home and you’d like it blurred for privacy reasons, then send it off.
That’s it! Once approved, Google will blur your house permanently. You can’t reverse it, so make sure you really want it hidden before you click submit.
How long does it take?
Google doesn’t do it instantly, but usually within a few days to a couple of weeks your house will be blurred. You’ll get an email confirming the request, and once live, your house will look like a smudge of pixels to anyone browsing Street View. Job done.
A real-life example: The cautious sole trader
Take Sarah, a freelance graphic designer. She’s built a good client base online but works entirely from her dining room in Leicester. One day, a new client she hadn’t even met before turned up at her door after finding her business address online. It wasn’t dangerous, but it was uncomfortable. Sarah quickly realised she needed to protect her personal space. She requested her house be blurred, and now nobody can recognise her home on Street View. She still lists her town for business credibility, but her exact home stays private.
But wait, does it affect business credibility?
This is a fair question. Some sole traders worry that if their house is blurred, it might make them look untrustworthy. In reality, most customers don’t care what your house looks like. They’re interested in your skills, your prices, and your customer service. If anything, showing you take privacy seriously makes you look more professional, not less.
Other tips to keep your home private
Blurring your house is just one part of keeping work and personal life separate. Here are a few other tips:
- Use a virtual office address. Many services let you rent a business address without renting an actual office. Mail is forwarded to your home, but nobody knows your real location.
- Set up a PO Box. Royal Mail still offers PO Boxes, and they’re handy for protecting your address.
- Don’t overshare online. It’s tempting to post pictures of your home office or garden studio on social media, but check what’s visible in the background.
- Keep work and home phones separate. Even if you just get a cheap PAYG mobile, it stops strangers from having your personal number.
Is blurring just for houses?
Nope! You can also blur cars, faces, and even people who happen to be in the Street View photos. If you’ve parked your car outside and the number plate is showing, you might want to blur that too. Same goes if you or a family member appear in the image. Privacy first, always.
What if Google says no?
Sometimes Google won’t blur a home if the request isn’t clear or justified. The trick is to make your explanation simple: “This is my home, I run a business from here, and I’d like it blurred for privacy and safety reasons.” Keep it polite, and try again if needed. Once blurred, it stays blurred for good.
Why this matters more now than ever
Working from home used to be rare, but now it’s normal. Whether you’re freelancing, running an eBay shop, or providing consultancy, your home is your base. The line between personal and professional life is thinner, so protecting your privacy is key. Blurring your home on Google Maps is a quick, free step that helps you keep control.
Can you blur just part of your house?
Not really. It’s usually the whole property frontage or nothing. Google won’t blur just your front door or just your window. That’s why the red box covers a whole chunk. Better to hide more than less – you don’t want half your house still showing.
Final thoughts
If you’re a sole trader working from home, keeping your personal space private is crucial. Blurring your house on Google Maps is a small step that makes a big difference. It gives you peace of mind, makes you look professional, and stops strangers from treating your home like a business premises. You’ve got enough to do without answering the door to uninvited customers!
About John K Mitchell
John K Mitchell has been working on websites since 1997 – that’s even before Google itself launched. With a background in programming, John quickly realised he could look at search results and figure out, or at least make an educated guess, why certain pages were ranking higher than others. Since then, he has worked on thousands of websites, often achieving excellent results. Over the decades, he has seen search engines evolve from simple directories to the complex systems they are today, and he continues to share practical advice for businesses of all sizes.