If your Google Business Profile (GBP) keeps getting overridden by Linkgraph, it usually means a data lock is still active on your reactivated Search Atlas account. This article explains how to confirm which email your account uses and how to unlock the GBP data lock so changes stop being pushed automatically.

🤔 What the GBP Data Lock Does

When you connect a Google Business Profile to Search Atlas, the platform can sync and update your profile details on your behalf. The data lock (internally tracked as the is_locked_on, or “lock-on”, setting) is the setting that controls whether the platform (referenced in some older accounts as Linkgraph) is allowed to push updates to your live GBP listing.

While the lock is active, any edits made through Search Atlas can override the information shown on your public Google Business Profile. Unlocking it stops these automatic overrides and returns full control to you.

📧 Confirming Your Account Email

Reactivated accounts are sometimes tied to an email you no longer use day to day, which is why settings can appear in the wrong place. To confirm which email your account is associated with:

1. Log in to Search Atlas with the credentials you used to reactivate.
2. Click your Avatar Menu (👤) in the top-right corner of the dashboard.
3. Select Account Settings or Profile.
4. Review the Email field shown on the profile page. This is the email your account and connected GBP integrations are linked to.

If the email shown is not the one you expected, your GBP may have been connected under a different account. Make sure you are logged in to the correct account before changing any settings.

🔓 Unlocking the GBP Data Lock

Once you have confirmed you are in the correct account, follow these steps to remove the lock:

1. From the left sidebar, open Local (GBP Projects).
2. Select the Google Business Profile you want to manage.
3. On the GBP / Local SEO Overview dashboard, find the GBP Data Locked card, just to the right of the Heatmap / Keyword table. It shows a green toggle switch with a padlock icon and the word "Protected" underneath.
4. Click the green toggle switch to change it to Unlocked / Off.
5. Once the toggle is off, you can disconnect or edit the Google Business Profile.

After the lock is disabled, Search Atlas will no longer push updates to your live listing, and any changes you make directly in Google Business Profile will remain in place.

✅ Verifying the Override Has Stopped

To make sure the data lock is fully released:

• Make a small edit directly in your Google Business Profile.
• Wait a few hours and check that the edit is still showing.
• Confirm the Data Lock toggle in Search Atlas remains off.

If your edit stays in place, the override has stopped successfully.

🛠️ Known Issues (Resolved)

Several data lock issues were reported and have since been fixed by our engineering team. If you experienced any of the following, they should no longer occur:

• The data lock toggle could occasionally appear stuck or unresponsive due to a frontend state issue. This has been resolved; if the toggle does not respond, refresh the page and try again.
• Opening a location's page could previously change the lock state on load without any action on your part (the page would silently send is_locked_on=false). This automatic toggling behavior has also been fixed.
• The lock state could previously be auto-locked or unlocked as a side effect of platform deployments. This deployment-based auto lock/unlock logic has been removed, so your lock setting now stays as you left it.
• With the lock enabled, profile updates could sometimes fail with an HTTP 400 error. This has been fixed.
• Enabling the lock could previously return “Update Failed — Error on GBP: READ\_ONLY\_ADDRESS\_COMPONENTS”. This error has been resolved.

💡 Tips to Avoid Future Conflicts

• Always log in with the confirmed account email before adjusting GBP settings.
• Keep auto-sync off if you prefer to manage your profile manually.
• Disconnect any duplicate GBP connections if the same listing was added under more than one account.
• Document which email manages each Google Business Profile for easy reference.

Why does Search Atlas say I must disable the lock before I can disconnect a Google Business Profile?

The Project Lock / Location Lock feature is designed to prevent accidental automated syncs, scheduled social posts or unauthorized edits from changing your Google Business Profile data. While it is on, you need to turn it off before you can disconnect or edit the profile.

I cannot find the lock. Where is the GBP Data Locked toggle?

Open your location on the GBP / Local SEO Overview dashboard. The toggle is on a card labeled GBP Data Locked (with "Protected" underneath), just to the right of the Heatmap / Keyword table. It has a green toggle switch with a padlock icon. Click the switch to turn it off. If you still cannot see it, contact us through live chat and share a screenshot of your screen.