ReferenceGoogle Ads disapproval
Restricted access video
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.
At a glance
- Where it shows
- The Status column on the Ads page, under the Campaigns menu, as Disapproved under this policy.
- What stops
- The ad stops serving while the restriction stands.
- 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 a saved change is re-reviewed, which typically takes 24 to 48 hours.
What it means
A restricted access video can stay on YouTube and still be blocked from serving. The policy names three conditions: age-gating, which limits the video to adult viewers; an IP claim from YouTube or the content owner; and YouTube's own content restrictions. In each case the video stays on YouTube.
The policy page names the conditions but not the setting that causes each one, so the restriction has to be read from the video itself before the ad is changed.
What actually triggers it
An age-gated video
YouTube age-gates the video, which limits it to adult viewers, and the ad is disapproved as a result.
An IP claim on the video
A claim from YouTube or the content owner on material in the video is a listed restriction. The ad stops serving while the claim stands, even though the video is still on YouTube.
A YouTube content restriction
A video under YouTube's content restrictions is listed as restricted access. Read the restriction from the video's status on YouTube before editing the ad.
Fix it in this order
- Open the linked video on YouTube and find which restriction applies: age-gating, an IP claim or a content restriction.
- If the video can be changed to comply, change it. Then open Ads under the Campaigns menu, hover over the ad or asset, select Edit, make the change and select Save.
- If the restriction cannot be lifted on the video, link a different video with no age-gate, claim or content restriction.
- Check the Status column on the Ads page after the save. A re-review typically takes 24 to 48 hours.
When to appeal
Appeal the policy decision from the Google Ads account when you believe the policy does not apply to the ad. An appeal does not lift the restriction on YouTube, so a video that is still age-gated or claimed comes back the same.
Often confused with
The video is private, deleted, a live premiere or members only, or it carries the Unavailable video label. Restricted access means the video is still there but limited for a reason. The fixes differ: a visibility change for the first, a changed or different video for this one.