Key takeaways
- A Knowledge Panel is the information box Google shows for some people and organisations. Google creates it, and nobody can buy one.
- If a panel is about you, you can claim it by proving to Google that you are the person or organisation it describes.
- Even after claiming, you suggest changes and Google decides. Clear proof from official pages makes a big difference.
- A Knowledge Panel is not the same as a Google Business Profile, which local businesses create and manage themselves.
- The best way to keep a panel right is to keep the sources right: your website, your profiles, and trusted coverage.
When someone searches your name, a box of facts about you may appear next to the results. It might show an old job, the wrong photo, or even details about someone else with your name. It can feel strange to have Google describe you without asking.
This guide explains what that box is, who gets one, and how it is made. It then shows you how to claim it, how to suggest corrections, and how to keep it accurate over time.
What a Knowledge Panel is
A Knowledge Panel is an information box that appears when you search for some people, companies, and organisations on Google. On a computer, it usually sits to the right of the results. On a phone, it usually appears near the top.
It gives a quick summary, so people do not need to click anywhere. It can include:
- A name and a short description, often with a link to where it came from, such as Wikipedia.
- A photo or logo.
- Key facts, such as a job, a date of birth, a founding date, or a head office.
- Links to official profiles, such as a website or social media accounts.
- Related searches, such as people or companies often searched with you.
Google builds the panel automatically, from information it finds across the web. Nobody can buy a panel, or pay Google to change what it says.
Who gets a Knowledge Panel
Google decides who gets a panel. Panels usually appear for people and organisations that are well known, or that reliable sources have written about. Authors, artists, athletes, public officials, and established companies often have one.
There is no form to apply for a panel. If you do not have one, the honest path is to make clear, true information about you easy to find. That helps Google understand who you are, but it does not guarantee a panel.
Many people confuse a Knowledge Panel with a Google Business Profile. They look similar, but they work differently:
- A Knowledge Panel is about a person, an organisation, or a thing. Google creates it. You can claim it and suggest changes, but not create it.
- A Google Business Profile is for businesses that serve customers at a location or in an area, such as a shop, a clinic, or a plumber. You create and manage it yourself, including your hours, photos, and replies to reviews.
How to claim your Knowledge Panel
Claiming a panel means proving to Google that you are the person or organisation it describes. Once you are verified, you get a more direct way to suggest changes.
Find your panel
Search Google for your name or your organisation's name. Make sure the panel is about you, not someone else with the same name.
Choose to claim it
Look for the option to claim the panel, usually near the bottom of the panel. It is often called "Claim this knowledge panel".
Sign in to an official profile
Google asks you to sign in to a site or profile that officially belongs to you, such as your website, your YouTube channel, or another social profile.
Send extra proof if asked
If Google cannot confirm you that way, it may ask for more, such as a screenshot or a photo of your ID. Follow its instructions.
Wait for Google's answer
Google checks your request and tells you the result. It does not promise a time.
How to suggest changes
Even after you claim a panel, you cannot edit it directly. You suggest changes, and Google decides whether to make them.
- If you are verified: use the option to suggest edits on your panel. Choose the detail that is wrong, write the correct version, and add a link to a public page that shows it.
- If you are not verified: anyone can use the Feedback link at the bottom of a panel. Pick the part that is wrong and explain the correction.
- The main photo: verified people and organisations can usually suggest a different photo. Pick a clear, current one.
- Private details: if the panel shows something private, such as a home address, say so clearly in your feedback.
If Google says no, check whether the wrong detail still appears on other websites. Google often keeps showing a fact while many pages repeat it.
How to keep your panel correct
Your panel reflects what the web says about you. The best way to keep it accurate is to make sure its main sources are accurate.
- 01Fix sourcesCorrect your site and profiles.
- 02Stay consistentUse the same facts everywhere.
- 03Suggest editsPoint Google to the right facts.
- 04Check oftenSearch your name every few months.
- Keep an up-to-date About page on your website, with your full name, role, and key facts written plainly.
- Use the same details everywhere. Your name, job title, and company should match across your website, LinkedIn, and other profiles.
- Be careful with Wikipedia. It has strict rules for people who write about themselves or their own company. If an article about you is wrong, follow its process for suggesting changes, rather than editing it yourself.
- Earn real coverage. Trusted news and industry sites help Google understand who you are. Our guide on getting positive press coverage explains how.
AI tools often rely on the same sources, so this work also helps what they say about you. See how AI tools decide what to say about you.
This guide is general information. Google decides what appears in Knowledge Panels, and its tools and rules can change. Nobody outside Google can guarantee a panel or a change.