ReferenceGoogle Ads disapproval
App or web store policy violation
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.
At a glance
- Where it shows
- The Status column on the Ads & assets page, as Disapproved under this policy.
- What stops
- The flagged ad stops serving until the store issue is resolved and the ad is reviewed again.
- How serious
- Low on its own. Google warns at least 7 days before any account suspension, but repeated violations can lead to one.
- How long
- Google says re-review typically takes 24 to 48 hours after an edit.
What it means
An ad that promotes an app or web store destination must follow that store's own policies, and Google's destination rules say the same. The disapproval reads: The destination in your ad violates Google app or web store policies. Google's examples name the Chrome Developer Program Policies for web store assets and the Google Play Policies for apps.
The ad is only where the problem shows. The store decided the violation, so its notice describes the problem more exactly than the ad's status does. Google's page sends you there first.
What actually triggers it
An app listing the store has flagged
The store has already flagged the app for a policy problem, and the ad's disapproval follows from that flag. The store's notification names the rule it cites.
A web store asset that breaks the Chrome Developer Program Policies
The promoted item is a web store asset that does not follow the Chrome Developer Program Policies, on the destination the ad links to.
Fix it in this order
- Read the notification from the app or web store for the specific reason and the details of the violation.
- Resolve the issue with the app or web store. The ad cannot resume serving until the store's issue is done.
- In Google Ads, go to Campaigns, then Ads, hover over the ad or asset, select Edit, change it to comply, and select Save.
- Check the Ads & assets page for the new status once the re-review is complete.
When to appeal
Appeal from your Google Ads account when you believe the decision is wrong, for example when the store has already cleared the issue. An appeal does not clear a problem that is still open in the store.
If you cannot fix the violation, or choose not to, remove the ad. Google's page says that helps prevent a suspension for repeated violations.
Often confused with
Google cannot recognize the app at all, because of a malformed App ID or a listing that is incomplete or removed. This one is about a store that has judged the app, so a corrected ID does not clear it.
The landing page fails to load for the review, which is a site problem. This message is about the store's rules, so a working website does not clear it.