Reference
Every Google Ads disapproval and suspension reason, Business Profile suspension and tracking error, with what sets it off in practice and the order to fix it.
The reason in the Policy details column when an ad or asset is disapproved or limited.
Google Ads does not run abortion ads in the countries and territories its policy lists. An ad that targets only those places is disapproved, and one that also targets allowed places shows as Eligible (Limited). In the United States, United Kingdom and Ireland, queries about getting an abortion need certification. Remove the listed locations first, then edit the ad.
Google requires approval before ads for recovery-oriented drug and alcohol addiction services run. The scope is wider than treatment clinics. It includes sober living, mutual help groups, lead generators, referral services and crisis hotlines. Apply for approval at each location first, then edit the ads and save.
Google disapproves content made to look appropriate for families that contains adult themes, such as sex, violence, vulgarity, or children's characters shown in ways unsuitable for a general audience. The rule is about what the ad contains, not the audience the business wants. Edit the ad to remove the adult elements, or remove the ad, then save it for review.
Google limits alcohol ads by country, by age and by what the landing page shows. A campaign that targets only disallowed countries is disapproved. One that targets both kinds is limited to the allowed countries. Remove the disallowed targeting, show ABV on the landing page where required, and apply for certification where the policy asks.
The app or web store your ad promotes breaks that store's policies, so the destination is not allowed. Read the store's notice first, since the ad cannot resume until the store's issue is resolved. Then edit the ad in Google Ads to comply and save it. Appeal only when you believe the decision is wrong, and remove the ad if you cannot fix it.
An asset marked Approved (limited) can run, but not in every situation. Google marks it this way for policy restrictions such as trademark use or gambling-related content. Find the policy in the Policy details column, change the asset if the restriction is yours to change, and appeal only when you believe the label is wrong.
Google prohibits ads for binary options and similar products, including digital options, digital 100 and all-or-nothing options. The policy also covers brokers, signals or software for them with no other financial products, and educational sites about them. Disapproved ads stop serving, and a strike system applies. Remove the ad, or edit it and check the destination.
Google Ads restricts ads for birth control, fertility and testing in the countries its policy lists, and those locations are closed to these ads. The rule covers ads and destinations that promote these products. Remove the listed locations from targeting first, then edit the ad copy and the landing page, and check the status after review.
Google disapproves a business logo as Badly cropped, Blurry, Blank space (a single block of color) or Obscure (an inverted, upside-down or stretched mark). The logo must be square, in PNG or JPG, at least 128 by 128 pixels, and 1200 by 1200 is recommended. Replace the file with a sharp, corrected version, then save.
Google disapproves a business name asset when it is not the domain name or the legal name verified in advertiser verification. Find the legal name under Admin, Policy, Account, and set the asset to match. A different name is allowed only with an active trademark and brand verification. Also check that the name is clearly shown on the landing page.
Google Ads disapproves an ad when its business name is generic, location-based or promotional, or does not match your domain or verified name. Set the name to your domain or recognized business name, within 25 characters, and save. A legal name longer than 25 characters may need brand verification instead.
Google does not allow ads that promote call directory, call forwarding or call recording services, such as an ad that connects callers to another business or gives out another number. Directory sites, recording software and a business showing its own official number are allowed. Read the ad's lines, remove any offer of the connection, then edit and save. Appeal only when the ad does not promote one of these services.
Google Ads disapproves words typed in all caps, or with odd casing such as FlOwErS, when the capitals are used for emphasis rather than standard use. Change the flagged words to standard capitalization and save. Common abbreviations, coupon codes and brand names can be allowed, but only after a review request.
A click tracker in the tracking template can disapprove an ad three ways: a destination mismatch, an unsupported tracker, or a template that cannot be read. Compare the tracker's destination with the final URL, confirm every tracker is certified, and remove IP addresses or tel links from the template. Save the change, then appeal in Policy manager if the disapproval stays.
Google disapproves ads that use sensational text or imagery to pull clicks, such as a teaser line that withholds the point, and ads that frame a negative life event to push a purchase. Edit the wording, replace shocking images and save. Google warns at least 7 days before any suspension, and removing a flagged ad helps prevent repeat violations.
Google Ads restricts ads that recruit people for clinical trials. Most locations are closed to these ads, and the policy lists the places where they may run. Inside a permitted location, the ad cannot promote prescription drugs, create misleading expectations about the tested product or suggest that it is safe. Remove the locations not on the list, then edit the copy.
Google disapproves an image asset that combines several images into one through post-production, such as a montage assembled in a design tool. A photo of a naturally occurring collage, such as a scrapbook page, is allowed with limits. Replace the asset with a single photograph cropped to the required ratio, then edit and save it.
Google allows ads for CFDs, financial spread betting and rolling spot forex only in listed locations, and only for licensed providers that Google has certified. In the United States, only rolling spot forex is allowed, for providers licensed by the National Futures Association. Destinations with trading signals, tips or broker reviews are disapproved. Apply for certification under Policy in the Admin menu.
Google Ads disapproves ads whose landing page has been hacked or injected with code that steals data, installs malware, opens pop-ups or redirects visitors. Find the domains named in the reason, remove the injected code, and update the CMS and plugins. Clean the site, allow up to 72 hours for recrawling, then appeal.
Google can limit ads for a product when a consumer advisory or regulator action puts it at risk. The limit may apply in more places than the advisory names. Check the status first. Edit the ad only when its own wording is the problem, and appeal if you believe it complies. When the ad already complies, the limit sits on the category, and an edit will not lift it.
Google disapproves ads whose destination uses copyrighted content in a way that infringes copyright, including unauthorized streaming and copying sites and tools that remove copy protection. If you are authorized to use the content, apply for Google's certification. If you are not, remove the content from the destination or the ad, then save the ad so it is reviewed again.
Google disapproves ads that sell or promote counterfeit goods. The clearest trigger is a brand name used next to words such as knock off, replica, imitation, clone, faux or fake, to pass a product off as genuine. Google calls this egregious, and an account can be suspended on detection without warning. Check whether the product is genuine before you edit the wording or remove the ad.
Google prohibits ads for credit repair services, whether the advertiser offers them directly, generates leads for them, or connects consumers with third-party providers. The policy is strike-based: one warning, then up to three strikes, and the third strike suspends the account. The page names no certification, so edit the ad to comply or remove it.
Crypto exchanges, software wallets and coin trusts need Google certification and a local license before their ads serve. Businesses that only accept crypto as payment, sell mining hardware, or offer tax, legal or security services need no approval. Buying, selling or trading crypto is prohibited everywhere. Apply through Admin, then Policy, then Account, then Apply for certification in Google Ads.
Google disapproves ads that incite hatred or discrimination, harass or bully someone, threaten or incite harm, or promote violence, self-harm or terrorist groups. Singling someone out for abuse and sharing personal details to enable harassment are covered too. Remove the targeted language, then save the ad for review, or remove the ad.
Google disapproves ads for products it treats as dangerous, including explosives and fireworks, guns and gun parts, certain knives and weapons, recreational drugs, tobacco, and items under a consumer advisory or recall. Find the category the product sits in, then read its own page for the exception that applies. Edit the ad to remove the product, or remove the ad.
Dating ads need a Google certificate before they serve. General dating needs the General certificate, which covers Search, Display and Video. Restricted dating, including dating focused on sexual themes, needs the Restricted certificate, which covers Search only. Compensated companionship and deceptive AI profiles are prohibited, and the ads cannot serve in 18 listed countries.
Google allows debt settlement and debt management ads only in approved locations, and only after the advertiser completes an application for each location. Ads aimed at places off the approved list cannot run for these services. Apply through the link for each location, or edit the ad and remove the locations that are not on the list.
Google Ads disapproves landing pages that are hard to use: pop-ups that block the content, a back button that does not work, direct downloads, a mailto link as the destination, or redirects with no user action. Fix the flagged behavior, check the Ad Experience Report, then submit the site for re-review. A warning comes before any suspension.
Google followed the ad's link and ended up on a different domain than the ad shows, so the ad stops. Check the display URL, the final URL and every tracking template, at the ad, ad group, campaign and account levels. Fix the one that leads elsewhere, then appeal if the template sat above the ad, because that change is not reviewed again on its own.
Google Ads disapproves ads whose landing page cannot be reached in the locations you target, or returns an error such as 404 or 403 to AdsBot. Check the page from the targeted country, check its HTTP status and robots.txt, and ask your developer to allow AdsBot-Google. Edit the ad and save once the page loads.
Google Ads disapproves an ad when AdsBot cannot crawl its landing page, because robots.txt blocks the site or the file cannot be read. Check the robots.txt file at your domain first, then allow AdsBot and confirm any click tracker is not limiting crawling. Edit the ad and save once the page can be crawled.
Google's crawler could not load the page the ad sends people to, so the ad stops. Hover over the disapproval to see which error it got, test the final URL as Google's crawler, fix the page or point the ad at one that works, then appeal so it is checked again. A page that opens fine in a browser can still fail for the crawler.
Google Ads disapproves ads and landing pages that hide the full price, fees or billing interval, or give a price that misleads. Show the total with taxes and fees, the payment model and any recurring cost on the page before purchase. Remove free claims that need payment, then edit the ad and save for review.
Google disapproves an image asset when the image is skewed or warped so the subject is hard to understand. One cause is stretching a photo into a frame of a different shape. Upload an undistorted photograph cropped to a square at 1x1, which is required, and to a landscape at 1.91x1, which is recommended, then edit and save the asset.
The ad meets Google's policies but may show only in some places, to some ages, on some devices or on some surfaces, so it runs to fewer people. Add the Policy details column to see which policy limits it. If that policy does not apply to the business, appeal. If it does, the limit stays, and only rewording the trigger can change it.
Google disapproves ads for products and services that help someone mislead others, gain unauthorized access, or track people without permission. Fake documents, essay generators, fake clicks and reviews, hacking tools and covert GPS or spyware are named. Private investigation services and products for parents monitoring underage children are exempt. Remove the ad, or change what it promotes.
Google disapproves ads whose landing pages use remarketing or conversion tracking for visitors in the European Economic Area or the UK without the right consent. Check that the banner shows to those visitors, that the tags wait for their choice, and that the banner links to how Google processes data. Fix the page first, then check the ad's status again.
Google disapproves ads that try to trick or get around its ad review. Its example is manipulating text, images, videos, a domain or a subdomain to avoid detection. Resubmitting a rejected ad with small changes is the case this page covers. Fix the policy reason the review gave rather than the wording, then edit the ad and save it.
Google allows ticket sale ads only after it confirms the business is eligible, and eligibility is set per account and domain. Resellers and aggregators must show a resale disclosure in the top 20% of the page, and a tax and fee breakdown before payment. Apply through the eligibility form, which is typically processed within 2 business days. Use official only with a legal agreement.
Google requires financial ads to show the business's physical address, all fees, and any third-party accreditation or endorsement it claims. The information must be visible on the landing page without a click or a hover. Add it where a visitor sees it first, then appeal from the account, or remove the ad if it cannot be fixed.
Google allows ads for free downloadable desktop software only from authoritative distribution sites that have completed an application. The site must be the official source, allow direct downloads and have no current or past violations. Cloud services are outside the policy. If another site is registered for the software, point the ad there; otherwise apply, then edit the ad and check its status.
Gambling ads need Google certification for each country they target, and online gambling is allowed only in listed countries that meet their criteria. Operators need a current license. Destination sites need an age warning, addiction resources and the licensee details. Social casino games need a legal-gambling-age disclaimer and no real-money claims. Remove or retarget the ad where you lack either.
This disapproval means a gambling ad is running without the Google certificate the policy requires. Apply for certification for each country through the Google Ads Help Center form, one application per country. A certificate covers only the website submitted, and free platforms and unrelated hosts cannot be certified. Until the certificate exists, the ad will not run.
Google disapproves a video ad when the video is not available in a country the ad targets. Check the video on YouTube in each targeted country, and confirm it still exists. Then either change the video's availability or remove that country from the ad's targeting. Edit the ad and save for re-review. Appeal only when the video plays everywhere the ad targets.
Google restricts ads that promote direct acquisition of government documents and services, such as passports, driver licenses and birth certificates. Only certified governments and authorized providers may run them. A non-government business needs a link from an official government website that names its service. Apply for certification or an exclusion, complete verification, then appeal existing disapprovals.
Google disapproves ads for functional firearms and for gun parts or components that are essential to a gun or enhance how it works. Ammunition, scopes, stocks, grips, silencers and bump stocks are named. The one exception is gun parts that make a firearm safer, such as trigger locks and chamber blocks. Edit the ad to remove the part, or remove the ad.
Google restricts ads for health and medical insurance in the United States to certified advertisers. Dental, vision and travel health insurance are not restricted. Apply for healthcare advertising certification first, with a separate application for each location group, then edit the ad or remove the locations the account is not certified for.
Google restricts many healthcare ads by country, and some need Google certification or LegitScript or NABP accreditation. Prohibited items are marked Not supported. Read the country row for every place you target, apply for certification where it is required, and remove content that is not allowed in those places.
Google does not allow US personal loan ads with an APR of 36% or above. The APR must be disclosed prominently and calculated consistently with the Truth in Lending Act. An ad that targets the United States alongside other locations shows as Eligible (limited). Lower the maximum APR below 36% and disclose it, or remove the ad.
In the UK and EU, Google restricts ads for high fat, sugar and salt food and drink on Display and YouTube. Advertisers must self-declare, and HFSS ads serve only to users declared 18 or older. Check each product against the nutrient thresholds. A self-declaration in an account that does not advertise food restricts serving to minors in some locations for every ad in the account, and that cannot be removed.
Google Ads does not allow ads for HIV home tests in most locations. Promotion is allowed with limits in four countries: the United States, where only FDA-approved tests may be promoted, and France, the Netherlands and the United Kingdom, where a test must meet local regulatory requirements. Remove other locations from targeting, check the test against each remaining country, then edit the ad.
Google limits audience targeting for housing, employment and consumer finance ads in the US and Canada. Gender, age, parental status, marital status and ZIP code targeting are not allowed. Remove any advertiser-curated audience, set the demographics to Enable, replace ZIP code targeting with city, country or a radius of at least 1 km, then save.
Google Ads disapproves images that are blurry, unclear, sideways, upside down, or full of illegible text, and images that flash or do not fill their frame. Re-crop or rotate the flagged image so it fills its frame and reads at a glance, then save. Google also accepts a different image in place of an edit.
Google Ads disapproves a destination that collects card numbers, bank details, national or tax IDs, or Social Security numbers over a page without a valid SSL certificate. Move the page to HTTPS, or stop collecting those details there, then edit the ad and save to resubmit it. Check every page that asks for them, not only the homepage.
Google disapproves an ad whose destination offers little unique value, such as a parked domain, a coming-soon page, a blank page, copied text or a page that only redirects. Load the final URL in a browser first. Add real content or change the final URL to a working page. Renew an expired domain if that is the cause, then edit the ad.
Google disapproves a lead form asset that has no link to a privacy policy, or that uses the personal information it collects in ways people have not agreed to. Link the business privacy policy when building the form, and use the answers only as the form says. A lead form cannot be used for restricted categories such as healthcare, alcohol or gambling.
Google disapproves ads and campaigns that break local law where they serve. Campaigns that target embargoed countries are marked Not allowed. An ad removed through a legal request is appealed with the legal appeal form sent by email or in the product. Check every targeted country first, and resolve any legal notice with the claimant directly.
Google limits how many times your ads show when it has not yet qualified the advertiser as trustworthy. The decision is made on the advertiser, not on one ad, so the ads do not have to break a policy for this to happen. Complete advertiser verification and fix the branding first. Use the appeal form only after both are in order, and expect no fixed timeline.
Google disapproves a sitelink whose link text matches another sitelink's, even when the two point to different pages. Rename each repeated sitelink so its text names its own destination, then save the edit. Check every sitelink in the account, not only the flagged ones, because a copied label is easy to miss in a long list.
Google disapproves loan modification ads that guarantee a modification or foreclosure prevention, charge upfront fees, ask for property titles, offer below-market home purchases, route payments around the lender, or discourage contact with lenders and counselors. The one named exception is an upfront fee charged by a law firm. Fix the ad and its landing page together, then save for review.
Google Ads limits or stops ads for some local service categories in certain countries. In the United States and Canada, restricted categories need advanced verification. In several European countries, the listed categories cannot run at all. Check the country you target against the list before you edit the ad.
Google disapproves a Local Services Ads profile or photo that breaks its rules, such as false information about a license or insurance, a phone number or street address in a photo, or another business's watermark. Correct the detail or replace the photo, then follow the emailed instructions or appeal in your Policy Manager.
Google disapproves a location asset when it lists a business location without the owner's explicit approval, when the location is unrecognized or permanently closed, or when the product or service is not sold or found there. Get the owner's explicit approval, or replace the location with one that is recognized, open and matches the business. Then save the asset and check its status.
In Australia, Google requires verification before any financial services ad shows, including to Australian users who appear to be seeking financial services. Start with G2RS verification, with business details matching the ASIC register exactly. Then confirm advertiser verification and submit the code through the Financial Services Verification form.
Google Ads disapproves ads that make it hard to tell they are ads, such as image ads styled as system warnings or dialog boxes, download buttons that do nothing, or standalone buttons with no context. Make the ad look like an ad, keep every button working and save the edit. Mock animations are allowed only when they work or their purpose is on the landing page.
Google Ads disapproves ads and destinations that misstate your identity, affiliation or qualifications, or that give callers an inaccurate business name. Remove any claim about a license, certification or endorsement you cannot show, and correct the name used on calls. Edit the ad and save for review.
Google disapproves an ad or asset that uses a feature for something other than its purpose, such as a URL field carrying a line of ad text, or a ValueTrack tag showing in the copy. Find the element the policy names, move its content into the field it was built for, and save. Google warns at least 7 days before any suspension.
Google disapproves ads that use personal information in ways users did not agree to, including ad text that addresses a reader by name or job position or claims to know their financial status or political affiliations. Rewrite each flagged line so it describes the offer, not the reader's private situation. Save the edit, then check the status again after the review.
Google disapproves an ad group whose ads or keywords point to more than one website, and it counts paused ads too. Make every display URL and keyword URL in the group share one domain, move the other site's ads or keywords to a new ad group or campaign, then request a review once the group holds one site.
Google disapproves ads for knives and other products designed or promoted to injure an opponent in sport, self-defense or combat. Tasers, pepper spray, brass knuckles and throwing stars are named, along with instructions for making them. The ad's wording counts as well as the product. Edit the ad to remove the combat framing, or remove the ad.
Google Ads allows personal loan ads only when the loan must be fully repaid in 61 days or longer, and the landing page discloses the repayment terms, the maximum APR and a representative cost example. Payday, auto title, pawn and cash advance loans are covered, while mortgages, car loans and student loans are not. Repeat violations lead to suspension, so fix the page and the ad together.
Pharmaceutical manufacturers can advertise on Google Ads only in specific countries, and only after Google certifies them. Prescription drugs are allowed in Canada, New Zealand and the United States, and prescription opioid painkillers are not allowed. Apply for certification at the child account level with the certified domain, target only certified locations, then edit or remove the ad.
Google disapproves any ad or asset with a phone number typed into its text. Take the number out of every headline, description and asset, and show it with a call asset instead. Check assets as well as ads: a number in an asset, even a lead form's thank-you message, can save without any error and be disapproved after the review.
Election ads in some regions run only after Google verifies the advertiser there, and they must disclose who paid. Rules differ by country and by US state group, and the page lists separate limits for Brazil, Canada, the EU, Japan and others. Synthetic or digitally altered election content must be flagged in campaign settings. Complete the verification, or remove the ad.
Google disapproves an image asset when a crop hides the subject, so it is hard to tell what the picture shows. A square at 1x1 is required, and a landscape at 1.91x1 is optional. Keep the most important content in the center 80% of the image. Crop the picture square, check the subject is whole, then edit and save.
Prediction market ads run only in the United States, excluding Connecticut, Michigan, Nevada, New York and Ohio, and only for certified, licensed providers. The advertiser must be a CFTC-authorized Designated Contract Market or an NFA-authorized brokerage. Binary options, online gambling and trading-signal sites are prohibited. Each location needs its own application.
Google Ads prohibits ads for prescription opioid painkillers. The one product exception is medication-assisted treatment for opioid use disorder, and a few advertisers may run other ads where local law permits. Google treats violations as egregious and can suspend the account on detection. Remove the mention from every ad, then check the destination pages.
Google disapproves a price asset when its header or description carries price information, unless a local law requires a price qualification, or carries promotional text such as Sale or Free shipping. Each header must name only what its asset type allows. Remove the offending words, check the header against its type, then edit and save the asset.
Google disapproves a promotion asset when its promo code field holds anything other than a promo code, such as a product description, a phone number or a promotional statement. Put only the code in that field. Check that the offer is easy to find at the ad's destination and priced as the ad says, then edit and save the asset.
Google Ads disapproves ads and assets with repeated or gimmicky punctuation, decorative symbols, emoji or letters swapped for digits. Edit the flagged text to standard punctuation and save. A few symbols, such as a star-rating asterisk, are allowed only after a review request.
Google disapproves a callout that uses punctuation or symbols that serve no purpose other than to draw attention, or that repeats text found in another callout, ad text or sitelinks in the same ad group, campaign or account. Remove the marks and rewrite any repeated line. Then edit and save the callout. Check the account-level callouts for the repeat.
Google disapproves a sitelink whose link text or description uses punctuation or symbols that serve no purpose other than to draw attention to the ad. Exclamation marks, punctuation at the start of the text and a ► symbol are the examples. Remove them from the text and description, then edit and save the sitelink. Check the other sitelinks, callouts and ad text for the same marks.
Google disapproves ads for substances used to alter mental state for recreation, products marketed for drug use, drug instructions, and pill presses and encapsulating machines. Topical, hemp-derived CBD at 0.3% THC or less is allowed, but the advertiser must apply first and can target only California, Colorado and Puerto Rico. Remove the ad, or complete the application before editing it.
Google Ads disapproves a word or phrase repeated without a reason, such as the business name in every headline, or asset text that repeats words already used in the ad or in another asset in the same ad group, campaign or account. Edit the repeated text in each flagged asset, then save. Google's page states no exceptions.
Google disapproves a video ad or asset when its YouTube video is restricted: age-gated by YouTube, subject to an IP claim from YouTube or the content owner, or under YouTube content restrictions. Find which restriction applies on the video. Then edit the ad to use a compliant video and save it, or appeal from the account if the policy does not apply. If neither works, remove the ad.
Google restricts prescription drug names in ads, landing pages and keywords. In Canada, New Zealand and the US, the terms can be used without certification, but keyword targeting needs it. Elsewhere they cannot appear in ads or landing pages. Target only locations that allow them, apply at the child account, then edit and save.
Google disapproves ads that use a sensitive interest category, such as health, alcohol or religious beliefs, together with advertiser-curated audiences like customer lists or lookalikes. Remove those audiences from the ad groups, asset groups and campaigns first, then change any sensitive content. Predefined Google audiences and location targeting still work.
Google disapproves ads that exploit, dismiss or condone a sensitive event, such as a natural disaster, a public health emergency, terrorism, conflict or mass violence. Price gouging on vital supplies during an event is covered, and so is using event keywords to draw extra traffic. Remove the event keywords and wording, then save the ad for review, or remove the ad.
Google strongly restricts nudity and moderately restricts partial nudity, sexual merchandise, sexual entertainment and suggestive content. Restricted ads serve only within limits on age, local law and search, and some formats and networks do not carry them at all. A violation brings a warning first. Edit the ad to remove the nudity or suggestion, or remove the ad.
Google suspends the account upon detection and without prior warning for sexually explicit content. That covers graphic sexual acts intended to arouse, content promoting underage, non-consensual or illegal sexual themes, and deepfake pornography, including sites or apps that make it or explain how. Google calls these violations egregious, and reinstatement only happens in compelling circumstances.
Google disapproves ads and destinations that show violent or gruesome material, obscene or profane language, or content likely to shock or scare. Misspelled or masked profanity still counts. Edit the ad and the page it links to, save, and wait for the review. Appeal only if you believe the flag is wrong.
Google allows ads that solicit donations only for a politician, a political party or a tax-exempt charity. The destination must state that donations are tax-exempt, or show a charity or tax exemption number. Declare the status on the page or donation form, or point the ad at a page that does not ask for funds, then save for review.
Google disapproves an ad whose destination was removed from Google Search for spam, or breaks the Spam policies for Google Web Search through keyword stuffing, cloaking, sneaky redirects or doorway pages. Check Search Console for a manual action on the site first, fix the page, then edit the ad. Google warns at least 7 days before any suspension.
Google prohibits ads for speculative or experimental treatments and restricts cell and gene therapy ads, including stem cell and platelet rich plasma (PRP) therapies. In the US, an ad is allowed only for a product with FDA license or approval, run by the license holder. Purely educational content is allowed. Remove the promotion, keep the education, and save.
Google disapproves a structured snippet when a value repeats within the same header or across headers, when a value holds promotional text or a punctuation mark that only draws attention, or when one value holds several items. Put one item in each value field, and remove repeats and promotional words. Then edit and save the asset.
Google Ads disapproves ad text with misspelled or ungrammatical words, text cut off mid-sentence, generic calls to action such as click here, or bullet points and numbered lists. Correct the spelling, finish each sentence, replace the generic call to action and save. A trademark spelled non-standardly needs a review request first.
Google disapproves an image asset when text, a graphic or a logo sits over the picture, and it also disapproves a logo used as the image itself. Remove the overlay and upload a clean version. Performance Max is the one place overlays are allowed, and only if at least one image without an overlay is supplied for each aspect ratio.
Google does not allow ads that promote technical help for consumer technology from third-party providers. That covers troubleshooting, repair, software installation, password resets and similar services. Selling consumer technology is allowed, and so is support provided only to businesses. Remove the support wording from the ad and the landing page, then edit the ad and check its status.
Google disapproves a sitelink whose URL points to a different domain from the ad's final URL. The exceptions are a few named sites, such as select online retailers, a Facebook page, a YouTube video, a LinkedIn profile or an Instagram account. Point the sitelink at your own domain, or keep the link and write its text with the full domain name. Then edit and save the sitelink.
Google disapproves ads for tobacco products, parts of tobacco products, and products or services that enable or promote tobacco use. Rolling papers, pipes, hookah lounges and cigar bars are named, and so are products that imitate smoking, such as e-cigarettes. The page states no exceptions. Edit the ad to remove the product or service, or remove the ad.
Google Ads cannot be used by or for sanctioned parties, and Google says egregious local-law violations can suspend the account. The page names Crimea, Cuba, the so-called Donetsk and Luhansk People's Republics, Iran and North Korea as embargoed locations, and bars campaigns for businesses located there. New accounts can be suspended at setup, and related accounts can be suspended permanently. Check the business's location and the account owner's location first.
A trademark owner complained to Google, and Google now restricts that term in ad text from your domain, so those ads are limited or stopped. Take the term out of the ad, or, if you sell the genuine product or a compatible one, make the landing page show prices and a way to buy, then appeal. The owner can also authorize you.
Google disapproves an HTML5 ad that does not work or appears blank. Run the ad through the Google Ads HTML5 Validator first, since it shows what breaks the ad. The page lists blocked resources, non-Google fonts, audio or video tags and 404 errors as causes. Fix what the validator reports, upload the ad again, then edit and save it. Appeal only when the ad works.
Google does not allow personally identifiable information, such as an email address, to reach it through remarketing tags, conversion tags or product feeds. Its example is an email address in a URL that a remarketing tag reads. Use the URLs in Google's breach notice email to find the source, take the detail out of those URLs, then tell Google through its response form.
Google Ads disapproves call ads and call assets whose phone number is inactive, a fax line, a premium-rate number, a vanity number, or a number not local to the targeted area. Confirm the number rings the business, then replace it with a local working one and save. Brazil requires a carrier code, and toll-free and shared-cost numbers are exempt.
Unacceptable script is about Google Ads scripts, the automation code in the account, not ad text. Google flags scripts that get around limits, use unsupported access, send excessive requests or disrupt Google Ads. List every script that runs, find the one doing the volume, fix or pause it, and act within 2 business days of the email, before Google suspends all scripts or cuts rate limits.
Google Ads disapproves ad text with spaces left out, such as no space after a comma, or spaces added for effect, such as a word spaced letter by letter. Insert the missing space and restore the normal word in each flagged asset, then save. A trademark with non-standard spacing needs a review request first.
Google disapproves an ad whose URL does not follow standard syntax, uses an IP address as the display URL, or includes characters Google does not accept, such as an exclamation mark, asterisk, hash, underscore or at sign. Replace the display URL with the domain, remove the characters, and save. Google warns at least 7 days before any suspension.
Google disapproves a video ad when the uploaded file is in a format that Google Ads or YouTube does not support. The page's example is a DVD project file, which is not a video. Check the file against the supported formats list, export the finished video in a listed format and replace the file on the ad. Appeal only when the file is in a listed format.
Google does not allow ads for unapproved pharmaceuticals and supplements, whatever their legal status. CBD ads need certification and can target only California, Colorado and Puerto Rico. Target only places where the product is allowed and you are certified, or point the ad at a compliant landing page, then edit and save.
Google Ads does not allow ads that offer prescription drugs without a prescription, or that target places where the seller is not licensed. Google treats this as egregious, so the account can be suspended on detection with no warning. Check the ads, the sales pages they link to and the location targets first, then apply for approval if the business qualifies.
Google Ads disapproves ads that promise a product, service, price or deal the landing page does not show, such as an ended sale or a price the site does not list. Check each offer in headlines, descriptions, sitelinks and callouts against the page, then remove any offer that cannot be found there. Save the edit for review.
Google disapproves a video ad when the linked YouTube video becomes private, deleted, a live premiere or members only after the ad was submitted, or when the video shows the Unavailable video label. Open the video in YouTube Studio and set its visibility to Public or Unlisted. The disapproval clears on its own. If the label stays, delete the ad and upload the video again.
Google Ads disapproves ads whose headlines or content do not relate to the landing page or the offer, including keyword insertion with no clear default and overly general keywords. Make each headline match what the destination offers, and give keyword insertion a plain default. Edit the flagged ad and save for review.
Google has not finished checking the ad or asset. Most reviews finish within one business day, and some formats take up to 7. Do not edit while it waits, because any change restarts the review. If it is still under review after 7 full business days, check the account for billing or verification holds, then make one small edit to start a new review.
Google disapproves ads that try to gain an unfair traffic advantage in the auction. Its examples are showing more than one ad for one business in a single ad location, and promoting near-identical products and prices across related sites. Keep one ad per location, give each destination distinct content, remove the duplicates, then save and let the review run.
Google Ads disapproves ads and destinations that do not make clear which business, product or service is advertised. Show the name in the ad, and in the final frame of an animated ad. Lead forms are checked too, so the name has to be visible in the form, not only in the account. Edit each flagged asset, then save.
Google cannot recognize the app your ad links to. Its policy lists three cases: a malformed App ID, incomplete or malformed store information, and an app deleted or suspended in the store. Check the App ID as typed in the ad, then confirm the listing is live and complete. Correct the ad to match the live listing, then save it.
Google stops ads, and the pages they link to, that promise improbable results or make claims that are not accurate. Find the exact line, then take it out or back it up the way Google asks: a guarantee needs a clear refund policy, and a testimonial with specific results needs a visible note that results vary. Then save so it is reviewed again.
Google could not confirm that the number in a call asset, call-only ad or location asset belongs to the business, so it stops showing. Put the number as plain text on the website the ad links to, or, if a script swaps numbers on the page, link Search Console and add a Google Ads tag so Google can verify the domain instead.
Google disapproves ads for software that could be deceptive or hard to remove. The ad must name the product type and give an accurate one-line description. The landing page must say plainly what installing changes, and include the Terms of Service or End User License Agreement. Fix the ad first, then the landing page, then choose the appeal button that matches what changed.
Google disapproves an ad when its video was changed after the ad was created. The page lists two fixes: recreate the ad with the changed video, which it gives first, or edit the ad so it complies. Check the status after either one. Appeal only when the video was not changed, because the policy names exactly this case.
Google disapproves a video ad or asset that has illegible text, poor sound, or blurry, unclear or unrecognizable visuals. Edit the ad and save it, or upload a compliant video if the current one cannot be fixed. When the linked video itself has become unavailable, Google can disapprove the ad under a different category, so check that first.
A Warning is the first violation of a strike-based policy. Google sends one warning email and issues no strike. Fix the violating ads, then appeal if you think the warning was a mistake. A second violation of the same policy becomes a first strike, which holds the account for 3 days.
The reason given when the whole account stops serving.
A suspended Google Ads account stops every ad and becomes read-only, though reports and payments remain available. Read the reason in the notification first, because each reason has its own fix. Fix that cause, then send one appeal through Contact Us in the account. Do not open a new account while the appeal is open.
Advanced Verification is a separate Google Ads program for garage door services in the United States and locksmith services in the United States and Canada. Google checks licenses and registrations, holds a recorded video interview, and sets pricing and identity rules for ads and pages. Fix the site and ads before the review, because a denied application gets one appeal only.
Google selects some accounts to verify the business behind them. The tasks, such as questions or documents, carry a deadline in the notification. Until verification is complete, some ads can be restricted, and the account can be paused. Check the account page for each task. Status can take up to five business days to update, so finish early.
Google suspends a Google Ads account when the person who holds the Google Account appears to be under the minimum age. Google Ads requires the holder to be 18 or older, above the general minimum for a Google Account. Check who holds the account and what age it lists, and update it within the 14 days the page allows, or the account will be disabled.
Google suspends the whole account, without warning, when it decides the account tried to get around its review or enforcement: a new account after a suspension, disapproved ads sent back in slightly changed form, cloaking, or false verification details. Do not open another account. Find what Google could have read as evasion, fix it, then send one thorough, honest appeal.
Google suspends an account on detection, with no warning, when it finds coordinated deceptive practices: hiding who is behind political or social content across accounts or sites. The policy applies only to content about politics, social issues or matters of public concern. Check every linked site and account for content that hides its owner or origin, fix it, then appeal through the contact link in the suspension notice.
Google could not confirm who the advertiser is or how the business operates, usually because a name, country or license does not exactly match the documents. If the verification had a deadline, the account is paused until it passes. Match every name to the registration document and ID, add any license the industry needs, and resubmit carefully: attempts are limited.
Google sends an email shortly after payment method verification fails during a suspension appeal, and that email holds the steps to appeal the decision. Follow it first. Any new documents should use the same full name throughout, be unexpired and legible, and be color images showing all four corners. Submit one appeal at a time, after the correction.
Google suspends an account on detection, with no warning, when its ads, site or app distribute malicious software or link to it. That covers a download bundled with spyware, a forced redirect to an infected site, and credential-stealing ad formats. Check every download, redirect and third-party script you use, clean up what fails, then appeal through the contact link in the notice.
Google's business operations verification asks you to list every party in the value chain: marketing firms, domain owners and anyone who logs into the account. Each relationship needs proof, such as a signed agreement or a letter, or else an identifier and a website where it can be checked. Remove any third-party mention on the website that you cannot document.
This verification step asks which business delivers the goods or services to end customers. A reseller, affiliate or drop-shipper has to name that provider, with contact details and proof of the relationship. Put the provider's name and contact details on the form, upload the agreement or contract that links you to it, and remove any claim that you deliver the work yourself.
Google can suspend an account for selling promotional codes, or for using more than one promotional code on an account. These are Google Ads promotional offer codes for ad credit, entered under Billing, then Promotions, not codes shown in your ads. Review the terms for your country, check how many codes are in use, then submit one appeal.
Google can suspend an account when an advertiser asks a bank or card issuer to reverse a legitimate Google Ads charge, which the page calls requesting a chargeback. Make any changes the policy needs, then appeal the suspension once. The page gives no separate steps to lift this suspension.
Google limits what the account can spend, or suspends it, when payments look unauthorized or unclear: several new cards at once, declines, chargebacks, or a card whose owner is not obvious. Keep one payment method the business owns, complete any payment or advertiser verification Google asks for, then appeal once, explaining who owns the card and any declines.
A third strike for the same listed policy, within 90 days of the second, suspends the whole account. Strikes are counted per policy, so a violation of a different listed policy starts its own count. A hold ends when the violations are fixed and the acknowledgement form is filed, or when an appeal succeeds. Check which policy carries the strike before changing any ad.
Google suspends an account on detection when an ad or site hides or misstates the business, claims a brand or government affiliation it lacks, sells what it cannot deliver, or impersonates a business to collect money or details. Check every claim against what is true, remove the false ones, and appeal only with proof, because reinstatement needs compelling circumstances.
Google suspends the account temporarily when it detects an unauthorized user trying to access it, which can follow stolen sign-in details. Report the activity through the form Google's suspensions page links to, follow the preventive steps Google sends once it secures the account, then review who can still reach it. The appeal route on the same page is for suspensions believed to be an error.
Google pauses or suspends an account when a balance goes unpaid or declined payments make it doubt future payments. An admin on the account has to clear it: confirm the payment method or pay what is owed under Admin, Policy, Account. If the account is suspended rather than paused, appeal once the payment has gone through.
Why a Business Profile is suspended, disabled or restricted, and what the appeal needs.
The Get verified button returns when Google could not fully verify the business. If several verification options are offered, try a different one. Check that each document's business name and address match the profile before a second attempt. Verification reviews can take up to 5 business days. A Review issues notice is a different problem, about a video that was not accepted.
Google restricts the account that manages your profiles after repeated policy violations. Every Business Profile on that account is suspended, and content added from the account is rejected. Count the suspended profiles, list every earlier violation on the login, correct those items, and only then edit or post again.
Google's rules for authorized representatives, the firms and people who manage a profile they do not own, say a representative must never claim a profile without the owner's consent, never make false or unrealistic claims, and always transfer ownership immediately on request. Get ownership back into the owner's name, correct the claims the representative made, and keep the owner informed of every change.
Google's description rules say the profile description may not contain links of any type, and may not focus on promotions, prices or sales, and may not carry content that is irrelevant or low quality. Remove every link, offer and any text unrelated to what the business does, then rewrite the description as plain factual sentences about the business and its services.
Google disables a Business Profile when it decides the business does not exist at the location the profile claims. Check whether the business still operates at the listed address, and whether it moved or closed. Correct the address or the record first. Then reinstate the profile, because a disabled profile must be reinstated before anything else can be contributed to it.
Google wants the Business Profile name to be the business's real-world name, as on its signage, website and stationery, and nothing more. Services, towns, taglines, phone numbers or hours added to the name can get the profile suspended. Change it back to the real name, expect Google may ask for verification again, then appeal with proof if already suspended.
Google reviewed the verification video and could not confirm the business from it. The profile stays unverified until a new video passes. Tap Review issues, read the reasons, then record one live, unedited, continuous video of at least 30 seconds that shows everything from the first video plus what was missing: where the business is, that it exists, and that the person filming manages it.
Google's guidelines say to use as few categories as possible to describe the core business, and not to use a category solely as a keyword or to describe an attribute. Categories that pertain to nearby or related businesses are also not allowed. Keep the one or two categories that describe what the business does at its address, and remove keyword-only categories and any that belong to a neighboring business.
A co-working desk can host a Business Profile only when the office has clear signage, receives customers there during business hours, and is staffed by the business's own people during those hours. Hot desks and shared memberships can miss one of the three. Test each condition on a real visit. If one fails, change the address setup before appealing.
A disabled Business Profile is one Google has turned off, such as when it decides the business does not exist at the claimed location. Content and appeals sent while it is disabled are rejected, so the profile must be reinstated first. Check the address, the business name and whether the business operates there. Fix the profile before posting or appealing anything new.
A duplicate is a second profile for the same business, the same address, or one business split across profiles for different services. Google hides duplicates from Search and Maps. Check whether a verified profile already exists first. Then request ownership, claim an unverified profile, or remove your own mistaken copy. Duplicates on Maps are combined with a merge request.
Google removes reviews and ratings that are not based on a real experience, were paid for, or were posted from several accounts at one person's request. Stop the requests that caused it before you ask again. Google can restrict the profile afterwards, and account action can follow, from losing some account privileges to termination.
Google asks for additional information to re-verify a Business Profile when it sees that business details were recently updated. Google may request more details or ask you to update your information. Review which details changed recently, answer the request with what it asks for, and keep the details consistent with the records the business already holds. Then try to re-verify.
Google will not let a Business Profile be fixed while the Google Account that manages it is not in good standing. The account may be disabled, suspended or deleted. Fix the account first, because the profile cannot be reinstated or edited until the account is restored. Then return to the profile and deal with its own status, which may be a separate suspension or disablement.
Google can reject an edit that significantly changes what a business is, such as a major change to the name or category, because it can look like a different business at the same listing. If the business moved, or another business now occupies the location, mark the old profile permanently closed and create a new profile at the new location. If only the address is wrong, contact Google support.
Google's contribution policy says Google Maps must not be used to impersonate any person, group or organization. That covers content posted or shared to impersonate someone, and content that pretends to be a verified authoritative source. An alternative name is allowed when it does not try to mislead people. Check the name, photos and posts for any claim to be another business, a brand or an official body.
Google's page says a merchant who has not accessed the profile for a long period may lose access and have content removed, after adequate warning. The page gives no fix steps and does not say how the warning is delivered. Sign in to the profile from the owner account on a schedule, check that account's email for warnings, and respond before access is revoked.
Google lists lead generation agents or companies among the businesses not eligible for a Business Profile. A business whose product is collecting inquiries and passing or selling them to other businesses is in this group. A business that takes its own inquiries and serves its own customers is not. Describe what the business sells before changing anything, since the description is what the reviewer reads.
To qualify for a Business Profile, a business must make in-person contact with customers during its stated hours. A business that serves customers only by phone or online, while its listed hours describe an office nobody staffs, fails that test. Compare the hours on the profile with when customers actually meet staff in person, then change the hours or the setup to match.
Google lists brands, organizations, artists and other online-only businesses among those not eligible for a Business Profile. A business that sells only online, with no place where customers are met in person, falls under this rule. Check whether the business has a place that qualifies. If it does not, the website and the ad accounts are the right channels, not the profile.
Google rejects a booking, ordering or pickup link on a Business Profile when the link is malformed. The page lists spaces, symbols, backslashes and a duplicated protocol such as two http:// prefixes as causes. Copy the exact address, remove those problems, and test the corrected link in a browser. If the link was denied in error, use the contact link to request a review.
Google rejects edits that change the address of a venue business, such as a restaurant, hotel or entertainment venue, because its identity is tied to the place. If the business has moved, mark the old profile permanently closed and create a new one at the new address. If it has not moved and the address is wrong, contact Google instead of submitting the same edit again.
Google's contribution policy bars using Google Maps to mislead or deceive others. The listed examples include false or misleading accounts of the description or quality of a good or service, distorting or omitting facts to scam people, omitting information that could affect decisions, conflict-of-interest content, and content that tricks people into revealing confidential information. Check the profile's description and posts against what the business actually does.
After Google finds fake reviews, it can restrict a profile in three ways: no new reviews or ratings for a set period, existing reviews unpublished for a set period, or a public warning that fake reviews were removed. Google emails the owner before it applies a restriction. The page gives no length for any of them, so stop the requests that caused the findings first.
Not Approved is the appeals tool's result when Google turns down a reinstatement request. Appeals can be submitted only once. Google may run an additional review only with evidence the first appeal lacked. Before sending anything, match the business name and address on each document to the profile exactly, and use the additional-review request rather than a new appeal.
Google's page lists five reasons ownership may be revoked: no recent sign-in, the business confirming a manager is no longer authorized, unanswered emails, the profile being deleted, or the profile being created through another Google product that was suspended. Find which reason applies, then try to re-verify or request ownership through the owner-conflict article.
Google does not permit a Business Profile address that is a P.O. box, and a profile set to one can be suspended. Google's page gives no repair, so the work is in the address field. Find the physical place where the business operates and put that address on the profile. If there is no such place, the profile needs a different setup, such as a service-area profile.
Google's guidelines require the profile's phone number to be under the business's direct control and to connect to its location. Numbers and URLs that redirect or refer people to landing pages are not allowed, premium numbers are not acceptable, and a local number is preferred over a central call-center helpline. Check the phone and the link, then replace either with the business's own local number and page.
Google applies its prohibited and restricted content policies to Business Profile photos and videos, and they must also meet additional criteria in a separate Maps media page. Those criteria favor camera images where the place is the subject, and warn against stock photos, screenshots, collages, heavy filters, added text and blurry shots. Replace the removed image rather than appealing, since quality removals cannot be appealed.
Google's page says it may remove posts with unverified contact information, to avoid fraud or abuse. Phone numbers, email addresses or social handles typed into a post text can be removed on that basis. Keep the contact details in the profile's own fields, and write posts that point to the profile instead of carrying the details.
Google suspends a Business Profile that does not follow its guidelines. Appeals can only be submitted once, so gather the evidence first: registration, a business license, tax certificates or utility bills, with the name and address matching the profile. Do not create a new profile for the same business. Then appeal through the appeals tool.
A Business Profile can be suspended when a Google account for another product it depends on is restricted. The page says the restricted account must be reinstated before the profile can be. Do not appeal the profile first, because appeals and content can be rejected while the profile is suspended. Reinstate the other account, then return to the profile.
Google removes reviews prompted by an incentive, reviews a business gated, and reviews with a conflict of interest. Businesses may not pay, discount or give free goods for a review, or for removing a negative one. They may not discourage negative reviews or choose which customers to ask. Stop the offers and the selective asking, then change how requests are sent.
Google's guidelines exclude individual properties such as vacation homes, model homes and vacant apartments from Business Profile eligibility. A sales or leasing office for the same development can qualify, because it is a place where people do business. Decide whether the listing is the property or the office. Keep the office if it has staff and signage, and remove the property listing.
Google's guidelines say an ongoing service, class or meeting at a location that you don't own or have the authority to represent is not eligible for a Business Profile. Renting a hall or a room for sessions does not give you authority to list that room as your location. Check what authority you hold in writing. If you cannot show it, the profile should show only the place you control.
A business that goes to its customers, rather than receiving them at a staffed, signed address, should hide its address on its Business Profile and show a service area instead. Showing a home or unstaffed address breaks Google's guidelines and can get the profile suspended. Turn off Show business address to customers, set the service area, then appeal if already suspended.
Google's guidelines allow special characters and legal terms in a profile name only with real-world proof, such as signage or an invoice showing the same name. Terms such as LLC, LTD and INC are restricted when they are not part of the name the business is known by. Extra descriptive words are not permitted either. Make the name match the signage and the documents, then correct the profile.
A Business Profile shows Submission Error when Google cannot process content or an appeal. The message says to try again later. If the profile is disabled or suspended, content and appeals can be rejected until the profile is reinstated, so check its status first. Retry later once the profile is active, and contact Google Business Profile support if the error persists.
Google only allows a Business Profile address the business actually operates from, staffed during its hours. A rented mailing address, a virtual office, a P.O. box or a co-working desk without signage can get the profile suspended. Decide whether the business serves customers at an address or at their locations, change the profile to match, then send one appeal with documents.
Google revokes access for unauthorized users when it determines that another merchant is the authorized owner of the Business Profile. Google's page lists no fix steps for this case. Confirm who the business owner is and who holds access, then use the owner-conflict route, the Resolve owner conflicts article that Google's ownership page links to.
Google requires a business to be verified before its name and other information can be changed on its profile. Until verification is complete, the edit cannot go through. Check whether the profile shows as verified, complete the verification route Google offers, and confirm the status before attempting the change. Make the name change after verification, not before.
Conversion statuses, import errors and tag problems that make the numbers wrong.
Analytics shows (not set) when a report dimension has no value for that visit, such as the source, the landing page or the content group. Common causes are an unlinked Google Ads account or auto-tagging turned off, a session with no page view, and consent settings that drop the session start. Find the column that shows it, then fix that cause.
Google sees a consent rate of 0% in some regions, which means denied ad user data signals are sent outside the EEA. That suggests an EEA-only consent setup was applied to every visitor. Limit the denied default to EEA regions, leave other regions on their normal setup, then confirm the signal from a visitor outside the EEA.
Tag Diagnostics shows Additional domains detected for configuration when the Google tag runs on domains not listed in its settings. Open Monitored domains to see the auto-detected ones. Add each domain that belongs to the business under Configure your domains. Ignoring a domain only stops the alerts; the tag keeps running there, so fix any page that should not load it.
Google Ads recorded no conversions for that action in the last 7 days. Sometimes that is true: a new action, paused campaigns or little traffic. Often it is not: the form, the thank-you page or the import changed and nothing reported it. Compare against your own lead records, then send a real test conversion through Tag Assistant before trusting the zero.
Google Ads shows Check enhanced conversions when an alert may need attention. The status names no cause, so hover over it, select Go to diagnostics and read the alerts from the top. Accept the customer data terms first if they are not accepted, then fix the send the alert names. Recheck after a full day of new conversions.
Check permissions means an upload went to an account that does not own the conversion, or is not linked to the manager account used. Through a manager account, the receiving account must be linked to it. Without one, your own account must own the conversion actions. If the manager account created the action, upload with the manager account. Fix the link or the ownership, then upload again.
Google Ads says Click too recent when the upload came in less than six hours after the ad click. Wait six hours and send the row again. If your system uploads each lead as it arrives, add a hold so rows wait six hours before they are sent. A row sent straight away is the one that gets refused.
Tag Diagnostics reports that event commands run before the Google tag's config command, so events can be routed unexpectedly. Open the page source and find the first gtag call. If an event call comes first, move the config code so it sits right after the opening head tag, then publish the change and check the diagnostic again.
Google found data from EEA visitors that is not labeled with a consent state, so it cannot confirm that the tags are blocked for visitors who refused. Check that the consent banner passes the visitor's choice to the Google tags. Then confirm the data is labeled with consent in Tag Assistant's Consent tab. The message stays open until the labels appear.
Google Ads cannot detect Consent Mode on some pages of the site. Three causes are named: a page with no Google tag or conversion linker, a page that never sets an ad_storage consent state, and a page where consent is set after the tags have fired. Open Tag Assistant on each page and read the Consent tab, which shows which cause applies.
A Content Security Policy is a site setting that lists where scripts and requests may come from. Google says this one does not list the addresses the Google tag needs, so the tag may fail to load or send data. Check the tag in Tag Assistant to see which address is refused. Then ask whoever controls the site's headers to allow that address, and retest.
Google Ads says Conversion actions not active when no conversion type was defined when the click happened. Create at least one Import from clicks action before uploading, then send from that point on. Clicks from before the action existed will not be credited by a later upload, however often you resend them.
Conversions not processed is Google's heading for uploads that succeeded but are missing from reports. Check the date range by click time, the action's count setting and repeat rate, the spam discard and any month-end deadline first. Then check the action existed before the clicks and the uploads carried a click ID. Read the action's totals, not the upload summary.
The default consent state was set after tags had already fired, so those tags sent data before any consent setting existed. Google's guidance is to set the default before any tag or other code uses or updates consent. Put the default on a trigger that fires first, such as Consent Initialization, check that the banner loads before the Google tag, then publish the container.
This campaign status means the campaign is eligible but the website is missing a Google tag, which often means no biddable conversions were recorded in the last 28 days. Google's diagnostic asks for a Google tag for each measurement product in use, such as Google Ads, Google Analytics or Floodlight. Check each one on a live page, add what is missing, then watch the next 28 days of conversions.
This alert means the customer data terms have not been accepted, and enhanced conversions cannot be turned on until they are. Open Settings from the Goals menu, select Customer data terms, review and accept them, then click Save. Enhanced conversions send hashed first-party customer data, so the terms are the step that unlocks the matching.
Google Ads clicks and cost do not show in Analytics when the accounts are not linked, when auto-tagging is off, or when the landing page drops the gclid parameter. Link the accounts, wait at least 48 hours, turn on auto-tagging, then load a landing page with a test gclid to confirm the parameter survives.
Google Ads and Analytics count different things, so their clicks and sessions do not match. Some gap is expected. Invalid-click filtering and session grouping account for part of it. A gap with far fewer sessions than clicks points to a tracking problem: auto-tagging off, a redirect dropping the campaign parameters, or the tag missing on a landing page. Check those in that order before changing the campaign.
A Google forwarding number appears only on ads that showed on Google Search, on mobile or desktop, where reported calls are turned on for that ad, and for search terms with enough volume. If the number is missing, check those three in order: the placement first, then the reported calls setting for that ad, then the search volume. Calls to the number are reported only when it appears.
The Urgent status means a Google tag that was detected earlier has not been detected for 48 hours, so the data it sends has dropped to zero. Check the tag with Tag Assistant on the live site first, then the tag and its trigger in Tag Manager, comparing the live version rather than the workspace. Repair the tag, publish, and read the status again after another 48 hours of traffic.
Google Ads says Identifiers or iOS URL parameters are too old when the click ID is more than 90 days old or the conversion falls outside the window. Upload more often so each row lands inside 90 days. For a sale that closes later, upload an earlier stage that happens inside the window. Rows past 90 days cannot be credited by their click ID.
This alert means the uploads include only events that carry both user-provided data, such as email or phone, and a Google identifier such as a GCLID. Leads with user data and no GCLID are being left out. Import every event that has user-provided data, even without a GCLID, standardize the data before hashing, and set up the tag where it is missing.
Google Ads says Invalid conversion times when a conversion is timestamped before the ad click it should match. A time zone set wrong in the export, or a day and month swapped in a spreadsheet, is the cause to check first. Check the times against the click for the same lead first. Adding a day or two can clear the message, but it hides the error.
Google says it can take 48 hours for Google Ads data to appear in Analytics after the accounts are linked. An empty report during that wait is expected. Confirm the link is in place from both products and that auto-tagging is on, then check again once 48 hours have passed. If the data is still missing, the fault is in the setup, not the wait.
Google Ads reports match rate as NO_MATCHES, LOW, HIGH or INSUFFICIENT_VOLUME. NO_MATCHES means zero matches. LOW means 0 to 15 percent. Check the hashing first, then add the match keys the send is missing, email, address and phone. Do not act on INSUFFICIENT_VOLUME until enough valid sends have arrived.
Google Ads has detected that a conversion action stopped recording entirely, because of a setup error or a broken tag. Ads keep running, but bidding loses that action's results. Hover over the status for Google's restore steps, check the tag is still on every page that leads to the conversion, then send a real test conversion through Tag Assistant.
Tag Diagnostics reports a missing conversion linker when the Tag Manager container holds a Floodlight or Google Ads tag but no conversion linker. Without the linker, the click ID can be lost after the visitor leaves the landing page, so conversions are harder to match to the ad click. Add the tag, check when it fires, and publish the container.
A key event in Google Analytics does not reach Google Ads on its own. The accounts have to be linked with auto-tagging on, and a conversion created from the key event. One created from Analytics starts as secondary and steers no bidding. Data takes up to 24 hours to appear, and history from before the import never arrives.
Tag Manager has event tags, such as a conversion or form event, with no Google tag in the container to send them. Google's fix is to add a Google tag for each measurement product in use, such as Google Ads, Google Analytics or Floodlight. Add the tag, publish a new container version, then check Tag Assistant to see the events go through it.
The Google tag's configuration command is missing or wrong on the page, so automatic events are not measured. Google's fix is to place the configuration code immediately after the opening head tag on every page. Check for a second copy from a website builder or plugin, since two copies can double count page views. Then confirm in Tag Assistant that the command fires.
Missing Primary Conversion appears on Performance Max and Smart campaigns even when other conversions are set up. Business Profile local actions, such as direction clicks and website visits, are created automatically and locked for standard reporting. Open the campaign settings, turn on campaign-specific goal settings, choose the primary actions you want, and exclude the locked local actions from bidding.
Needs attention is the yellow conversion tracking status for an action that is still recording but has items to fix, such as a tag missing from a new domain or thank-you page. Hover over the status and read its next steps. Then find every page without the tag, test one real conversion, and read the status again after about 30 minutes.
Google Ads says No attempted imports when the tag works on a lead form but no lead conversion has been uploaded. Find the system that sends leads back, such as a CRM, a spreadsheet or a call tracker. Check its last upload date and its sign-in. Since June 15, 2026, Google blocks these uploads in the Google Ads API and takes them through the Data Manager API.
Google Ads says No recent conversion data to process when no conversions have been recorded in the last seven days. Check that campaigns are running, that ads lead to a page with the tag, and that your own lead records show no leads for the same days. Only then look at the send, since a quiet week and a broken send look the same here.
Tag Diagnostics shows No recent data when Google has never detected the Google tag on the site. It is not the same as Google tag has stopped sending data, which means the tag was seen and then went quiet for 48 hours. Confirm the tag with Tag Assistant first, then check whether it sits in a Tag Manager container that was never published.
Google Ads says No user-provided data matches when the leads you upload match no data the form captured. The likely cause is hashing that does not follow Google's format, or a CRM that holds different details from the form. Hash email, phone, first name, last name and street address after trimming and lowercasing. Leave country, state, city and ZIP unhashed.
Google Ads shows The phone number isn't in a supported format when a caller's number in a call import file is not in one of Google's three supported formats. Rewrite the column as a plus sign, country code and number, such as +16505551234. Check numbers that passed through a spreadsheet first, since saving them as numbers drops the plus sign.
In Google Ads, a conversion action with the status Removed has been deleted or archived by hand and no longer tracks data. Anything still sent to it records nothing. Before you change anything, confirm which action your tags, imports and call uploads now send to, since the page does not say whether a removed action can be brought back.
Google Ads shows Setup issues detected when the enhanced conversions diagnostics found errors in the data sent. Each alert names one problem: missing address fields, an email or address hashed wrongly, or an order ID missing from the send. Fix them in that order, since the hashing rules apply to every field before the send.
Tag Diagnostics reports pages on the site that do not load the Google tag. Open the tag coverage summary, copy the page list, and start with ad landing pages, since a missing tag there leaves paid visits unmeasured. Fix the list, publish any Tag Manager change, then check the summary again to confirm the pages now show as tagged.
Google found that some pages on the site send data from EEA visitors without a consent label, while others are labeled. Google's Consent Mode troubleshooting guide describes one way consent goes missing on a page: it is set after the tags have fired. Test the suspect pages in Tag Assistant, move the consent default ahead of the tags, then confirm each page.
Tag Diagnostics found the Google tag placed far down the page, where it loads late and can miss visits that leave early. Find the tag's script in the page source and note how far down it sits. Move it up into the page head, or move the Tag Manager tag so it fires from the head. Use one loader only, then publish and check the diagnostic again.
Google Ads flags Tag is missing user-provided data when some lead conversions send no email, phone or name from the form. Check the same conversion page twice, once signed in and once signed out, with Tag Assistant. Then fix the selector or variable on any page that sends nothing, or set the tag up again by hand.
The Google tag is not capturing the details a website lead form submits, so lead matching has less to work with. Configure the tag to capture form submissions, with Google Tag Manager or the Google tag, then test one real submission in Tag Assistant or preview mode. Test the thank-you page too, because user data may not reach every conversion page.
Analytics reports an incorrect Google tag ID when the tag on the site sends to a different property from the one being checked. Copy the Measurement ID from Stream details under Data Streams, put it in the Google tag or the GA4 Configuration tag, then publish the container if Tag Manager holds the tag. Data goes to the property the ID belongs to.
Google's tag troubleshooting page uses this heading for a GA4 Configuration tag set up in Tag Manager but never published. Until someone clicks Submit, visitors do not get the change, and no data reaches Analytics. A tag that looks right in the workspace has not reached any visitor. Publish the change, then confirm data arrives in Analytics before checking the tag ID.
Google Ads says This conversion can't be imported when the click and the call fall outside the conversion window on the action. Remove or shorten the rows older than the window. If the window is too short for your calls, change the conversion window on the action itself, up to 90 days. Changing it affects every import into that action.
Analytics labels a session Unassigned when it cannot be placed in a default channel group. That happens when no default rule matches the source or medium, or when the session or user identity is missing. Fix identity first: load the tag early, keep one cookie prefix, and leave the client and session IDs alone. Then check the custom source and medium values.
Google Ads says Unknown clicks when a conversion cannot be tied to any Google Ads click. Some unknown rows are expected for lead uploads. If only some rows show it, ignore them. If every row shows it, or far fewer are attributed than expected, check that the site captures the click ID and the user data the form sends.
Unverified means Google has not confirmed that the conversion tag works on the site. Tag inactive gets the same steps. Open Tag Assistant, connect it to the site, complete a real conversion on the live page, then close it and refresh the conversions page. Verified actions update in the account after about 30 minutes.
Google Ads shows User-provided data not hashed when an email, phone or location column breaks Google's hashing rules. Clean the source first: lowercase emails with no spaces and a valid domain, phones in E.164. Hash email, phone, first name, last name and street address with SHA-256. Leave country and ZIP unhashed. Fix the source before you resend.
Tag Diagnostics found pages that still use Universal Analytics tags to load GA4 or other tags, which can block Google tag features such as Enhanced measurement. Open the live version of the container and list every Universal Analytics tag. Search the page source for any the container does not show. Replace each one with the Google tag or a GA4 tag, check it fires, then publish.
Google reports that ad_user_data is denied for every visitor, so the consent rate reads 0%. Check the consent default for ad_user_data and ad_personalization, check that the banner sends an update when a visitor accepts, and confirm a setup meant for the EEA is not applied everywhere. Then publish and read the rate again.
Google Ads says Waiting to receive enhanced conversion data when enhanced conversions is enabled but no data has arrived. The status can take up to 48 hours after data is received to change. Inside that window, wait. After it, make one real conversion, confirm the tag fired and the Ads API send ran with it, then recheck the setup against Google's API steps.
A redirect on the website is removing the GCLID, the click identifier Google Ads adds to every ad click, before the landing page loads. Conversions from those clicks cannot be tied back to the ad. Add ?gclid=TesTER-123 to each landing page address, load it, and fix every redirect where the parameter changes or disappears.
Google found EEA data with no ads personalization consent label. The message names two causes: consent mode v1 with auto-delegation, and consent mode v2 set up without a personalization choice. Google's fix is to upgrade to consent mode v2 with the personalization choice set. Then confirm the consent states in Tag Assistant on an EEA page.
Google Ads says Wrong Google Ads account for clicks when the account you upload to has no conversion action with the name in your file, or the action's source is not Import from clicks. Confirm the name matches exactly and the source is right in the account you are sending to. If you upload through a manager account, check that the account is linked and has cross-account conversion tracking on.
Fewer than 10% of transaction IDs matched between your sources over the past 2 days, so the same conversion may be counted more than once. Find the same lead in the website tag and in the offline or imported record. Make both carry one unique ID, make the form post that ID with the submission, and turn off any second source counting the same lead.
Google Ads lists Your Google forwarding numbers are not enabled as a reason imported calls are not counted: forwarding numbers must have been on for the call assets and call-only ads when the calls came in. Check that Call reporting is on in the account settings, then remove calls from the off period from the file, since they cannot be matched.
Analytics reports that the Google tag is not installed on the website when the property receives no tag data. The tag may be missing from the site, from some pages, or from a Tag Manager container that was never published. Confirm the tag on every page with Tag Assistant, publish the container, then check the tag's ID matches the property.
