How to blur your home on maps services
Optery offers an optional privacy setting that allows you to request the blurring of your home on map services such as Google Maps and Apple Maps.
Blurring your home address with Optery is an opt-in only feature that we provide to our Extended and Ultimate plan customers. To use this feature, you must own or otherwise have legal authority over the home to request that Optery support your request to blur a house from map services.
What Does “Blur Your Home on Maps” Do?
When enabled, Optery will submit requests to supported map services to blur your home in publicly visible street-level imagery.
Key things to know:
- This setting is disabled by default
- Requests are sent only after you opt-in to the feature via your Account page settings
- The request applies to the Primary Home Address on your profile
- Once you enable this opt-in preference setting in Optery, the action is irreversible after the request is processed
- Google Maps requires a verified proof-of-address document before it will process your blur request — Apple Maps does not
Which Services Are Affected?
This setting applies only to Google Maps and Apple Maps at this time.
These services are handled separately from standard data broker removals and are provided only after you explicitly opt-in to the feature via your Account Settings.
To enable Google Maps, a verified proof-of-address document is required on file before it will act on the request — "verified" means the address on the document matches your Primary Home Address on file. See "How to Enable Map Blurring" below.
Who Can Enable This Feature?
- Available on Extended and Ultimate plans
- Not available on Free Basic or Core plans
How to Enable Map Blurring
Available for Extended & Ultimate Plans
- Go to your Account page.
- Navigate to Maps Preferences.
- Locate the option: “Blur your home on maps sites (Google, Apple)”
- Click the checkbox to enable it.
- A confirmation modal will appear:“Removing your home from map services cannot be reversed. Please confirm to continue.”
- Confirm to proceed.
- Select a document showing your home address. Accepted documents: Utility bills: electricity, gas, water, internet, or phone; Bank statements; Official letters from government agencies or financial institutions; Lease agreements; Homeowners insurance documents; Property tax records — issued within the last 6 months (lease agreements are exempt from the 6-month limit). Accepted formats: PDF, JPG, or PNG, up to 10MB.
- Before uploading, remove or cover any sensitive information (account numbers, payment amounts, etc.) that isn't needed to verify your address. Your name, home address, and the document's date must remain visible — these are required for verification.
- Optery validates the document. This can take a few seconds. You don't need to refresh the page.
- If accepted, your document is verified and locked in — Optery submits your Google Maps blur request. If rejected — for example, the address doesn't match your profile, the document is expired, or it's the wrong type — you'll see the reason and can upload a different document to try again.
Important: This Action Is Irreversible
Once you enable this setting:
- The processed request cannot be undone
- Optery cannot reverse or cancel requests once they are submitted
This applies to the blur request itself, once it has been submitted to Google or Apple — it has nothing to do with your proof-of-address document, which is a separate, reversible step (see FAQ below).
What You’ll See After Enabling the Setting
After opting in:
- Map services will appear in your Data Brokers table
- They will be visible like other supported services
- Automation will only run because you explicitly enabled it
- For Google Maps, your status reflects where you are in the proof-of-address process: awaiting document, submitted for verification, verified (request sent), or rejected (needs a new document)
If you do not opt in:
- Map services remain hidden
- No requests are sent to map services (e.g. Google Maps and Apple Maps)
FAQ
Why is this feature opt-in only? Map services require explicit user consent to perform the request because they are irreversible.
Can I turn this off after enabling it? Yes. But once enabled, the processed request is irreversible.
What address is used for the blur request? The request applies to the Primary Home Address listed in your profile.
Will map services appear if I don't opt in? No. They remain hidden and are not processed unless you enable the setting.
Can Optery restore my home image later? No. This is irreversible and Optery is not able to restore images of your home.
Can I use this feature if I'm renting my home? No. Only persons with legal ownership rights to the home may enable this feature. A lease agreement can be submitted as your proof-of-address document for the Google Maps verification step, but it does not by itself establish the legal ownership this feature requires.
Do I need to provide anything besides opting in? For Yes — you'll need to upload a proof-of-address document (utility bill, bank statement, official government or financial institution letter, or lease agreement) before Optery can submit your request to Google Maps. Apple Maps has no such requirement.
What documents are accepted as proof of address? Utility bills: electricity, gas, water, internet, or phone; Bank statements; Official letters from government agencies or financial institutions; Lease agreements; Homeowners insurance documents; Property tax records, showing your home address. Documents must be issued within the last 6 months, except lease agreements.
Should I hide any information on my document before uploading? Yes — cover or remove account numbers, payment amounts, and other sensitive information not needed to verify your address. Your name, home address, and the document's date must stay visible, or we won't be able to verify the document.
What if my document is rejected? You'll see the reason for the rejection and can upload a different document to try again. Your Google Maps request stays unsubmitted until a document is verified.
Can I change my proof-of-address document after it's verified? Yes, you can turn off the feature and start the process again. If you need to update it — for example, you moved, or the wrong document was submitted — contact Optery Support.
Is Apple Maps affected by the proof-of-address requirement? No. Only Google Maps requires a verified document. Apple Maps processes your blur request as soon as you confirm the opt-in, regardless of document status.
Updated on: 19/08/2026
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