ReferenceGoogle Ads disapproval
Unacceptable HTML5 ad
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.
At a glance
- Where it shows
- The Status column on the Ads & assets page, as Disapproved under this policy.
- What stops
- The HTML5 ad stops serving until it works and is re-reviewed.
- 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 re-review after an edit typically takes 24 to 48 hours.
What it means
Under its technical requirements, Google requires HTML5 ads to function and not appear blank. An ad that fails to load for review, or loads with parts missing, is disapproved as unacceptable.
A broken ad can look fine in your own browser. The review runs Google's crawler, AdsBot, against the ad's files, so a check that passes in a browser does not prove the ad passes the review.
What actually triggers it
Resources loaded from unapproved third-party sources
The ad pulls scripts, images or other files from a source the policy does not approve. The page lists this among the causes, so check every file the ad loads.
Non-Google fonts
The page lists non-Google fonts as a cause on their own. Replace the font with one the policy allows, then run the validator again.
Assets in child frames, and added audio or video tags
The page lists assets embedded in child frames and audio or video tags that were added to the ad as causes. Both can stop the ad from working in the review.
A 404 error or a robots.txt block on the ad's files
The page names 404 (Not found) errors and robots.txt errors that block Google AdsBot as causes. A file that loads for you can still fail the review when robots.txt blocks the crawler.
Fix it in this order
- Run the ad through the Google Ads HTML5 Validator. It names what breaks the ad, and the page's first step is to use it.
- Remove or replace each item the validator reports, and correct any file that returns a 404 error.
- Upload the corrected ad, then hover over it on the Ads & assets page, select Edit, make it comply and select Save.
- Check the Status column after the re-review.
When to appeal
Appeal when the validator finds no fault, the ad loads correctly, and the disapproval still stands.
Do not appeal a file the validator still flags. The appeal does not repair the ad.
Often confused with
A landing page blocked from Google's crawler. This page is about the ad's own files. Both involve the crawler being blocked, so check which file is the one blocked.