Apple Business can now update thousands of Maps locations from one file
An October 8 update lets verified companies add or edit up to 10,000 locations per spreadsheet, with Apple review.
Workspace · Macfolio · 12 October 2026
Apple has added bulk location management to Apple Business, the free platform that replaced Apple Business Manager, Apple Business Essentials, and Apple Business Connect on April 14. Release notes dated October 8 say organizations can now add and edit multiple locations at once, instead of one place card at a time.
How the bulk upload works
Locations control what customers see on place cards in Apple Maps and other Apple apps, such as hours, categories, and an About description. In Brands > Locations, you download a ZIP file with a template prefilled with your brand details, an example file, and reference lists of valid values and error codes.
- Requirements: a verified organization with at least one brand
- Permissions: any role that can manage locations
- File limit: 10,000 rows per file
- Formats: .csv, .tsv, or .xlsx
- Bulk editing: needs five or more existing locations
- Review: Apple approves new locations, which can take up to five business days
The edit template can also mark a location temporarily or permanently closed, and it accepts temporary hours such as holiday closures. Hours are free text. If Apple cannot interpret them confidently, the rest of the row still updates and you get a warning to fix the hours manually. Logos, cover photos, showcases, and action links stay manual.
This does not mean changes go live instantly. Every file goes through Apple's review, and Apple Business will not process a file with errors until you fix it.
Who should care
Retail chains, franchises, clinics, and agencies that manage many branches gain the most. A single shop can keep using the web form. For multi-site teams, the edit file is the practical way to push one hours change to every branch before a holiday.
Our take: this is overdue plumbing rather than a headline feature, but it makes Apple Maps listings much easier to manage in-house. Export your locations before editing, keep the Brand ID and Location ID columns untouched, and submit holiday hours early to leave room for review.
Apple's documentation does not give a review time for bulk edits, and Apple Business features vary by country.