Where to Find the Review Option
You can leave a review on Airbnb through the app or website, but only after your checkout date has passed. Open the Airbnb app or go to airbnb.com, then tap or click the profile icon in the top right corner. Select Trips from the menu — this shows all your past and upcoming reservations.
Find the listing you want to review in your past trips. You will see a button that says Leave a review or Write a review next to the property name. This button only appears after you have checked out. If you do not see it, scroll down on the listing details page — sometimes it appears lower on the screen.
Key Takeaways
- Reviews are only available to write after your checkout date, and you have 30 days from checkout to submit one.
- You can review the host, the listing itself, or both — the form asks separate questions about cleanliness, communication, and accuracy.
- Your review is private until the host writes one about you; once they do, both reviews become visible to other guests.
- You can edit or delete your review within 48 hours of posting, but after that it becomes permanent.
What Information the Review Form Asks For
When you click the review button, Airbnb shows you a form with several sections. The first asks you to rate the host on a scale of 1 to 5 stars, with specific categories: cleanliness, communication, accuracy of the listing description, check-in process, value for money, and location. You do not have to rate every category — you can skip any that do not explore.
Below the star ratings is a text box where you can write comments. This is optional, but a written review is more helpful to other guests than stars alone. You can write as much or as little as you want. Airbnb does not require a minimum number of words.
At the bottom of the form, you will see a checkbox asking whether you would recommend this listing to a friend. This is separate from your star rating and gives other guests a quick sense of your overall impression.
The 30-Day Window and What Happens If You Miss It
Airbnb gives you 30 days after checkout to leave a review. If you do not submit one within that window, you lose the ability to review that stay. The 30-day timer starts on your checkout date, not the date you book or arrive.
If you realize after 30 days that you want to leave a review, you cannot add one to that specific reservation. You can still contact the host directly through the Airbnb messaging system to share feedback, but it will not appear as a public review on the listing.
How Your Review Becomes Visible to Other Guests
When you submit your review, it does not appear on the listing right away. Your review stays private until the host writes a review about you. Once the host submits their review, both reviews become visible to other guests on the listing page and in the host's profile.
If the host does not write a review within 14 days of your checkout, your review will be published automatically. This means you do not have to wait indefinitely for your feedback to show up — Airbnb publishes it either when the host reviews you or after two weeks, whichever comes first.
Editing or Removing Your Review
You have 48 hours after posting your review to edit or delete it. To make changes, go back to your Trips, find the listing, and look for an option to edit or remove your review. Click that option and make your changes, then save.
After 48 hours, your review becomes permanent and cannot be changed or deleted. If you posted something you regret and the 48-hour window has closed, your only option is to contact Airbnb support and explain the situation. Airbnb may remove a review if it violates their review policy, but they do not remove reviews straightforward because you changed your mind.
What You Cannot Say in a Review
Airbnb has rules about what reviews can contain. You cannot include personal information like phone numbers, email addresses, or social media handles. You cannot post contact information for other services or ask guests to book elsewhere. You also cannot include links or promotional content.
Reviews that contain threats, harassment, discrimination, or hate speech will be removed. If your review breaks these rules, Airbnb will take it down and may send you a notice explaining why. If you believe your review was removed by mistake, you can appeal to Airbnb support.
Reviewing the Host Versus Reviewing the Listing
Your review covers both the host and the property, but different parts of the form address each one. When you rate cleanliness, accuracy, and value, you are evaluating the listing itself — the condition of the space, whether the photos matched reality, and whether the price felt fair. When you rate communication and check-in, you are evaluating the host's behavior and responsiveness.
A host can improve communication and check-in speed, but they cannot change the location or the building itself. Keeping this distinction in mind helps you give feedback that is actually useful. If the neighborhood was noisy but the host was excellent, your review should reflect that difference.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I leave a review before I check out?
No. Airbnb does not let you write a review until after your checkout date has passed. The review button will not appear until that date arrives. This prevents guests from posting reviews before they have experienced the full stay.
What if the host never writes a review about me?
Your review will be published automatically 14 days after your checkout, even if the host has not reviewed you yet. You do not need to wait for the host to move first — Airbnb publishes your feedback on its own schedule to make sure guest reviews appear in a reasonable timeframe.
Can I leave a review on behalf of someone else who stayed with me?
No. Only the person whose name is on the reservation can write the review for that stay. If multiple people stayed in the listing, each one can log into their own Airbnb account and leave a separate review if they were the guest of record on different bookings.
Will the host know who wrote a negative review?
Yes. The host can see your name and profile when they read your review. They cannot see your review before they write theirs, but once both reviews are published, they will know exactly what you said about them. Keep this in mind when writing critical feedback.
What happens if I leave a review and then cancel my stay?
If you cancel before checkout, you cannot leave a review because you did not complete the stay. Airbnb only allows reviews from guests who actually checked out. If you cancel and then change your mind, you cannot go back and review that reservation.