💡 What Is the Technical Specifications Policy?
Google has specific technical rules for every type of ad — the exact file size your image must be, the correct dimensions, the maximum number of characters in a headline, the video length limits, the URL format requirements, and so on. If your ad does not meet these technical requirements, it will be disapproved even if the content is completely fine. This checklist covers every major technical specification across all Google Ads formats so you can fix each issue step by step.
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Check that each of your ad headlines is within the character limit
Each headline in a Responsive Search Ad has a maximum character limit. If even one headline is too long, your entire ad will be disapproved. Count the characters in each headline — including spaces — and shorten any that exceed the limit.
Responsive Search Ads (RSA): Each headline = max 30 characters (including spaces)
Expanded Text Ads (legacy): Headline 1 & 2 = 30 chars each | Headline 3 = 30 chars
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Expanded Text Ads (legacy): Headline 1 & 2 = 30 chars each | Headline 3 = 30 chars
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Check that each description line is within the character limit
Descriptions that are too long will cause the ad to be disapproved. Count every character including spaces and punctuation in each description and trim anything that goes over the limit.
RSA descriptions: Max 90 characters each (you can add up to 4)
Legacy Expanded Text: Description 1 & 2 = 90 characters each
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Legacy Expanded Text: Description 1 & 2 = 90 characters each
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Make sure your Display URL path fields are within the character limit
The two optional "Path" fields that appear after your domain in the Display URL (e.g. yoursite.com/path1/path2) also have limits. Keep each path field short and descriptive — do not try to stuff long keywords into them.
Display URL path fields: Each path = max 15 characters | Total URL shown ≤ 35 characters
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Check the character limits of all your ad extensions too
Ad extensions — sitelinks, callouts, structured snippets, and others — all have their own character limits. Go through every extension attached to your campaigns and check each text field is within its limit.
Sitelink link text: Max 25 characters
Sitelink descriptions: Max 35 characters each
Callout extensions: Max 25 characters each
Structured snippets header: Pre-set from Google's list | Values: max 25 chars each
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Sitelink descriptions: Max 35 characters each
Callout extensions: Max 25 characters each
Structured snippets header: Pre-set from Google's list | Values: max 25 chars each
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Use Google's built-in character counter when writing ads to stay within limits in real time
Google Ads' ad editor shows a live character count as you type. If the count turns red or shows a warning, your text is over the limit — shorten it before saving. Never ignore a red character count warning thinking Google will accept it — it will not.
Tip: The ad preview panel in Google Ads turns grey when a field exceeds its limit. Always write directly in Google Ads — not in a separate document — to see limits in real time.
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Confirm your image dimensions match one of Google's accepted sizes exactly
Google does not accept custom or unusual image sizes. Your image must match one of the exact pixel dimensions from Google's approved list. Resize your image in any image editor (Canva, Photoshop, or free tools like remove.bg or Squoosh) to one of the accepted sizes.
Most common accepted sizes (px):
Square: 250×250 | 200×200 | 300×300 | 336×280
Landscape: 468×60 | 728×90 | 970×90 | 970×250 | 980×120
Rectangle: 300×250 | 300×600 | 160×600 | 120×600
Mobile: 300×50 | 320×50 | 320×100
Responsive Display Ads — recommended: Landscape 1200×628 | Square 1200×1200 | Logo 1200×300
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Square: 250×250 | 200×200 | 300×300 | 336×280
Landscape: 468×60 | 728×90 | 970×90 | 970×250 | 980×120
Rectangle: 300×250 | 300×600 | 160×600 | 120×600
Mobile: 300×50 | 320×50 | 320×100
Responsive Display Ads — recommended: Landscape 1200×628 | Square 1200×1200 | Logo 1200×300
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Make sure your image file size is within Google's maximum limit
Large image files are rejected even if the dimensions are correct. Compress your image before uploading — use tools like TinyPNG (tinypng.com) or Squoosh (squoosh.app) to reduce file size without visible quality loss.
Maximum file size: 150 KB for all image ads
Responsive Display Ad images: Max 5 MB per image
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Responsive Display Ad images: Max 5 MB per image
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Save your image in one of Google's accepted file formats
Uploading an image in an unsupported format — such as TIFF, BMP, HEIC, or WebP in some contexts — will cause it to be rejected. Convert your image to one of the accepted formats before uploading.
Accepted formats: GIF (non-animated for standard image ads) | JPEG / JPG | PNG
Animated format: GIF only — no HTML5 animation files
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Animated format: GIF only — no HTML5 animation files
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Ensure text overlaid on your image does not cover more than 20% of the image area
Google's Display Network policy restricts the amount of text that can be overlaid on an image. If more than 20% of your image is covered by text, the ad will be rejected. Move text to the ad headline and description fields instead of overlaying it on the image itself.
Text overlay limit: Maximum 20% of total image area
Tip: Use Google's free Image Ad preview tool to check text coverage before uploading
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Tip: Use Google's free Image Ad preview tool to check text coverage before uploading
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Make sure your logo image meets the requirements for Responsive Display Ads
If you are uploading a logo for Responsive Display Ads, it has its own specific requirements separate from regular images. Your logo must be a certain minimum size and aspect ratio to be accepted.
Logo requirements: Minimum 128×128 px | Recommended 1200×1200 px (square) or 1200×300 px (landscape)
Aspect ratio: 1:1 (square) or 4:1 (landscape) | Max file size: 5 MB | Formats: PNG or JPG
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Aspect ratio: 1:1 (square) or 4:1 (landscape) | Max file size: 5 MB | Formats: PNG or JPG
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Check that animated GIF ads meet the animation duration and loop limits
If you are using an animated GIF as a display ad, the animation length and number of loops are restricted. Animations that run too long or loop too many times will be rejected.
Animated GIF rules: Max animation duration = 30 seconds | Max loop count = 3 (animation must stop after 3 loops) | Animation speed: no flashing faster than 3 times per second
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Upload your video in one of Google's accepted video formats
Google requires specific video file formats for YouTube and video campaigns. If your video is in an unsupported format (such as .mov on some platforms, .wmv, or .avi), convert it before uploading.
Accepted video formats: MP4 (recommended) | MOV | AVI | WMV | FLV | MPEG | 3GPP
Recommended codec: H.264 for video | AAC for audio
For YouTube uploads: MP4 with H.264 is strongly preferred
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Recommended codec: H.264 for video | AAC for audio
For YouTube uploads: MP4 with H.264 is strongly preferred
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Confirm your video meets the minimum and maximum length requirements for its ad format
Different video ad formats have different length rules. A video that is too short or too long for its format will be rejected.
Skippable in-stream ads: Minimum 12 seconds | No maximum (recommended: 15–30 sec)
Non-skippable in-stream ads: Maximum 15 seconds (some regions allow 20 sec)
Bumper ads: Exactly 6 seconds or less
In-feed video ads: No strict length limit | Recommended: 30 sec – 3 min
Outstream ads: Minimum 1 second
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Non-skippable in-stream ads: Maximum 15 seconds (some regions allow 20 sec)
Bumper ads: Exactly 6 seconds or less
In-feed video ads: No strict length limit | Recommended: 30 sec – 3 min
Outstream ads: Minimum 1 second
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Ensure your video resolution and aspect ratio meet Google's requirements
Low-resolution or incorrectly proportioned videos may be rejected or display poorly. Export your video at the correct resolution and aspect ratio for the format you are using.
Standard horizontal (YouTube): 1920×1080 px (Full HD) | Aspect ratio: 16:9
Vertical (mobile-first): 1080×1920 px | Aspect ratio: 9:16
Square: 1080×1080 px | Aspect ratio: 1:1
Minimum resolution accepted: 426×240 px (240p) — but 1080p recommended
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Vertical (mobile-first): 1080×1920 px | Aspect ratio: 9:16
Square: 1080×1080 px | Aspect ratio: 1:1
Minimum resolution accepted: 426×240 px (240p) — but 1080p recommended
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Keep your video file size within the upload limit
Very large video files may fail to upload or be rejected by Google's systems. Use a video compression tool (such as HandBrake — free at handbrake.fr) to reduce your file size while maintaining quality.
YouTube upload limit: Max 256 GB or 12 hours (whichever is smaller)
Google Ads direct video upload: Max 2 GB per file
Recommended bitrate for 1080p: 8–12 Mbps for standard video | 35–45 Mbps for high-motion video
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Google Ads direct video upload: Max 2 GB per file
Recommended bitrate for 1080p: 8–12 Mbps for standard video | 35–45 Mbps for high-motion video
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For YouTube video ads, make sure your video is hosted on YouTube — not an external platform
Google video campaigns use YouTube-hosted videos. You cannot run a video ad in Google Ads using a video hosted on Vimeo, your own server, or any other platform. Upload your video to YouTube first, then link it in your Google Ads campaign.
Required: Video must be uploaded to YouTube (can be set to "Unlisted" if you don't want it publicly findable)
Not accepted: Vimeo, Wistia, Dailymotion, self-hosted video URLs
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Not accepted: Vimeo, Wistia, Dailymotion, self-hosted video URLs
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Make sure your Final URL starts with "https://" — not "http://"
Google requires that all Final URLs (the real destination URLs) use a secure HTTPS connection. If your website still uses plain HTTP, your ads will be disapproved. Contact your web hosting provider to install an SSL certificate — most providers offer this for free or at low cost.
Required format: https://yourwebsite.com/page
Not accepted: http://yourwebsite.com/page
Check: Open your URL in a browser — it must show a padlock icon and "https" in the address bar
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Not accepted: http://yourwebsite.com/page
Check: Open your URL in a browser — it must show a padlock icon and "https" in the address bar
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Ensure your landing page loads successfully and does not return any error code
Google's crawlers test your landing page URL when reviewing your ad. If the page returns a "404 Not Found," "500 Server Error," "403 Forbidden," or any other error code, your ad will be automatically disapproved. Test your exact landing page URL in an incognito browser window right now.
Required: Page must return HTTP status code 200 (OK)
Will cause disapproval: 404 (Not Found) | 500 (Server Error) | 403 (Forbidden) | 503 (Service Unavailable) | Blank page | Redirect loop
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Will cause disapproval: 404 (Not Found) | 500 (Server Error) | 403 (Forbidden) | 503 (Service Unavailable) | Blank page | Redirect loop
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Ensure your Final URL domain matches your Display URL domain exactly
The domain shown in your Display URL and the actual domain your Final URL goes to must be the same. If your Display URL shows "example.com" but your Final URL goes to "other-site.com" — even a subdomain mismatch — the ad will be disapproved.
Allowed: Display URL = example.com | Final URL = https://www.example.com/shop (same root domain)
Not allowed: Display URL = example.com | Final URL = https://store.differentdomain.com
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Not allowed: Display URL = example.com | Final URL = https://store.differentdomain.com
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Remove any special characters or spaces from your Final URL that make it technically invalid
A URL that contains spaces, unencoded special characters, or formatting errors will not work correctly and will cause the ad to be rejected. Your Final URL must be a clean, valid web address.
Valid URL example: https://www.example.com/sale-items?category=shoes
Invalid (spaces/bad chars): https://www.example.com/sale items | https://www.example.com/sale^items
Check: Paste your URL into a browser — if it does not load correctly, the URL is invalid
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Invalid (spaces/bad chars): https://www.example.com/sale items | https://www.example.com/sale^items
Check: Paste your URL into a browser — if it does not load correctly, the URL is invalid
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Confirm your landing page loads within a reasonable time on mobile — ideally under 3 seconds
A slow-loading landing page negatively affects your Quality Score and can cause Google to penalise or disapprove your ad. Use Google's free PageSpeed Insights tool (pagespeed.web.dev) to test your landing page speed and follow its recommendations to speed it up.
Recommended load time: Under 3 seconds on mobile (3G network simulation)
Test tool: pagespeed.web.dev — enter your landing page URL and fix any issues rated "Poor" or "Needs Improvement"
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Test tool: pagespeed.web.dev — enter your landing page URL and fix any issues rated "Poor" or "Needs Improvement"
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Ensure your Responsive Display Ad short headline is within the character limit
The short headline is the most prominent text in many Responsive Display Ad layouts. Keep each short headline tight and within the character limit.
Short headlines: Max 30 characters each | You can add up to 5 short headlines
Long headline: Max 90 characters | Used as the sole headline in some layouts
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Long headline: Max 90 characters | Used as the sole headline in some layouts
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Confirm your business name field is correctly filled in and within the character limit
The business name field in Responsive Display Ads is shown to users as the brand identifier. This must be your actual business name — not a keyword or promotional phrase.
Business name: Max 25 characters
Required: Must be the actual name of the advertised business — promotional text like "Best Deals" is not permitted here
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Required: Must be the actual name of the advertised business — promotional text like "Best Deals" is not permitted here
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Upload the minimum required number of images and headlines for RDA
Google requires a minimum number of assets to create a valid Responsive Display Ad. If you provide fewer assets than the minimum, the ad cannot be created.
Minimum required assets:
Images: At least 1 landscape image (1.91:1 ratio) + 1 square image (1:1 ratio)
Headlines: At least 1 short headline + 1 long headline
Descriptions: At least 1 description
Recommended for best performance: 5 headlines | 5 images | 1 logo | 5 descriptions
Critical
Images: At least 1 landscape image (1.91:1 ratio) + 1 square image (1:1 ratio)
Headlines: At least 1 short headline + 1 long headline
Descriptions: At least 1 description
Recommended for best performance: 5 headlines | 5 images | 1 logo | 5 descriptions
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Check that your RDA description is within the character limit
The description in Responsive Display Ads accompanies your headline and image. Each description must be within the limit — longer descriptions will be cut off or rejected.
RDA description: Max 90 characters each | You can add up to 5 descriptions
Note: Google may not always show the description depending on ad placement — keep descriptions clear and impactful within the limit
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Note: Google may not always show the description depending on ad placement — keep descriptions clear and impactful within the limit
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Confirm your uploaded images have the correct aspect ratio for Responsive Display Ads
Google uses different image crops for different placements. Uploading images with the correct aspect ratios ensures your ad looks good across all placements.
Landscape image: Aspect ratio 1.91:1 | Recommended size: 1200×628 px | Min: 600×314 px
Square image: Aspect ratio 1:1 | Recommended: 1200×1200 px | Min: 300×300 px
Portrait image (optional): Aspect ratio 4:5 | Recommended: 960×1200 px
Important
Square image: Aspect ratio 1:1 | Recommended: 1200×1200 px | Min: 300×300 px
Portrait image (optional): Aspect ratio 4:5 | Recommended: 960×1200 px
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Ensure your product feed images meet Google Merchant Center's image requirements
Shopping ads pull images from your Google Merchant Center product feed. If your product images are too small, the wrong format, or contain watermarks or overlaid text, your Shopping ads will be disapproved.
Minimum image size: 100×100 px for non-apparel | 250×250 px for apparel
Recommended: 800×800 px or larger
Max file size: 16 MB
Formats: JPEG, PNG, GIF, BMP, TIFF
Not allowed: Watermarks | Promotional text overlays | Placeholder images | Borders
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Recommended: 800×800 px or larger
Max file size: 16 MB
Formats: JPEG, PNG, GIF, BMP, TIFF
Not allowed: Watermarks | Promotional text overlays | Placeholder images | Borders
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Confirm your product feed data attributes meet Merchant Center's formatting requirements
Each product in your feed must have required attributes formatted correctly. Missing or incorrectly formatted required attributes will cause individual products — or your entire feed — to be disapproved.
Required attributes: id | title (max 150 chars) | description (max 5000 chars) | link | image_link | price (with currency, e.g. "29.99 GBP") | availability ("in stock" / "out of stock" / "preorder") | condition ("new" / "refurbished" / "used") | brand | gtin or mpn
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For App campaigns, confirm your app is published and available in the targeted app store
App campaigns drive installs or in-app actions from the Google Play Store or Apple App Store. Your app must be live and publicly available in the app store you are targeting before Google can approve your App campaign ads.
Android App campaigns: App must be live on Google Play Store (not in draft or unpublished state)
iOS App campaigns: App must be live on the Apple App Store
Required: Provide the correct app store URL or app ID when setting up the campaign
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iOS App campaigns: App must be live on the Apple App Store
Required: Provide the correct app store URL or app ID when setting up the campaign
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Ensure your App campaign creative assets meet the required dimensions and formats
App campaigns allow you to upload optional images, videos, and HTML5 assets to supplement the automatically generated ads. Any assets you upload must meet the technical specifications below.
Images: Landscape 1200×628 | Square 1200×1200 | Portrait 1200×1500 | Max file size: 5 MB | Formats: JPG, PNG
Videos: Landscape (16:9) | Square (1:1) | Portrait (2:3 or 9:16) | MP4 or MOV | Hosted on YouTube
HTML5: Must pass Google Web Designer validation | Max 40 files | Max 1 MB zipped
Important
Videos: Landscape (16:9) | Square (1:1) | Portrait (2:3 or 9:16) | MP4 or MOV | Hosted on YouTube
HTML5: Must pass Google Web Designer validation | Max 40 files | Max 1 MB zipped
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Check that your Merchant Center feed is linked correctly to your Google Ads account
Shopping campaigns require your Google Merchant Center account to be properly linked to your Google Ads account. If the link is broken or pending approval, your Shopping ads cannot run.
How to check: In Google Ads → Tools & Settings → Linked Accounts → Google Merchant Center. Status must show "Active" — not "Pending" or "Unlinked"
How to link: In Merchant Center → Settings → Linked Accounts → enter your Google Ads Customer ID
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How to link: In Merchant Center → Settings → Linked Accounts → enter your Google Ads Customer ID
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Provide all required asset types for Performance Max campaigns
Performance Max campaigns use all your assets — images, videos, headlines, descriptions, logos — to automatically create ads across all Google placements. Missing required asset types will limit where your ads can appear and may cause the campaign to underperform or fail to launch.
Required minimum for PMax:
Headlines: at least 3 (max 30 chars each) | Descriptions: at least 2 (max 90 chars each)
Images: 1 landscape (1.91:1) + 1 square (1:1) | Logo: 1 square (1:1)
Strongly recommended: 1 video (if not provided, Google auto-generates one — which may not represent your brand well)
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Headlines: at least 3 (max 30 chars each) | Descriptions: at least 2 (max 90 chars each)
Images: 1 landscape (1.91:1) + 1 square (1:1) | Logo: 1 square (1:1)
Strongly recommended: 1 video (if not provided, Google auto-generates one — which may not represent your brand well)
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Ensure all Performance Max image assets meet the minimum resolution requirements
PMax uses images across multiple formats and placements. Low-resolution images that do not meet the minimum pixel dimensions will be rejected or replaced by auto-generated alternatives.
Landscape image (1.91:1): Min 600×314 px | Recommended 1200×628 px
Square image (1:1): Min 300×300 px | Recommended 1200×1200 px
Portrait image (4:5) — optional: Min 480×600 px | Recommended 960×1200 px
Logo (1:1): Min 128×128 px | Recommended 1200×1200 px
All images: Max 5 MB | JPG or PNG
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Square image (1:1): Min 300×300 px | Recommended 1200×1200 px
Portrait image (4:5) — optional: Min 480×600 px | Recommended 960×1200 px
Logo (1:1): Min 128×128 px | Recommended 1200×1200 px
All images: Max 5 MB | JPG or PNG
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For Performance Max, provide a video asset or understand that Google will auto-generate one
If you do not upload a video to a PMax campaign, Google will automatically create a video from your other assets. Auto-generated videos may not look professional or represent your brand accurately. Upload your own video to maintain brand control.
Recommended video specs for PMax: Landscape (16:9) at 1920×1080 px | Square (1:1) at 1080×1080 px | Portrait (9:16) at 1080×1920 px
Min length: 10 seconds | Max: no strict limit but keep under 3 minutes for best performance
Must be hosted on YouTube
Important
Min length: 10 seconds | Max: no strict limit but keep under 3 minutes for best performance
Must be hosted on YouTube
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Check that your Smart Display campaign assets meet the required character limits and image specs
Smart Display campaigns (the automated display campaign type) use the same asset structure as Responsive Display Ads. All the same character limits and image specifications from Section 5 apply to Smart Display campaign assets.
Same as Responsive Display Ads: Short headline max 30 chars | Long headline max 90 chars | Description max 90 chars | Business name max 25 chars
Images: Landscape 1200×628 | Square 1200×1200 | Max 5 MB each
Important
Images: Landscape 1200×628 | Square 1200×1200 | Max 5 MB each
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Add audience signals to your Performance Max campaign to improve targeting and avoid policy flags from irrelevant placements
Audience signals are not technically mandatory but are strongly recommended. Without them, PMax may serve your ads in irrelevant or low-quality placements, which can lower your Quality Score and make it harder to pass ad review.
Recommended audience signals: Your own customer list (upload from CRM) | Website visitors (via Google Tag) | Interests & in-market segments relevant to your product | Similar audiences based on your converters
Recommended
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Use Google Ads' built-in ad preview to check how your ad looks before submitting
Google Ads has a built-in preview tool that shows how your ad will appear to users across different devices and placements. Always check the preview before submitting — a technically valid ad can still look broken or unprofessional if assets don't combine well.
How to access: In Google Ads → select your ad → click "Ad preview and diagnosis" (or the preview icon) → check Desktop, Mobile, and Tablet views
Also use: Google's Ad Preview and Diagnosis Tool at ads.google.com/aw/preview
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Also use: Google's Ad Preview and Diagnosis Tool at ads.google.com/aw/preview
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Review all disapproval notices in your account to identify the exact technical issue flagged
When Google disapproves an ad for a technical reason, the disapproval notice usually tells you exactly what the problem is. Read the notice carefully before making changes — fixing the wrong thing wastes time.
How to find disapproval reasons: Google Ads → Campaigns → Ads & Assets → look for the "Status" column → hover over "Disapproved" or click the speech bubble icon → read the specific reason given
Common technical disapproval codes: "Image quality" | "Destination not working" | "Malformed URL" | "Asset specs not met" | "Character limit exceeded"
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Common technical disapproval codes: "Image quality" | "Destination not working" | "Malformed URL" | "Asset specs not met" | "Character limit exceeded"
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After making technical fixes, save the updated ad — Google will automatically trigger a new review
For most technical specification violations, you do not need to submit a manual appeal. Simply edit the ad to fix the technical issue and save — Google will automatically re-review the ad within 1 business day.
Auto-review triggered by: Editing and saving any disapproved ad
Manual appeal needed for: Account-level suspensions | Policy violations beyond technical specs
Review time: Usually within 1 business day for technical fixes | Can take up to 3 business days during peak periods
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Manual appeal needed for: Account-level suspensions | Policy violations beyond technical specs
Review time: Usually within 1 business day for technical fixes | Can take up to 3 business days during peak periods
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If your ad keeps failing after fixing all technical specs, engage a Google Ads specialist
If you have checked every specification in this checklist and your ad is still being disapproved for a technical reason, there may be a subtle issue — such as a conflicting URL parameter, a tagging problem, or a Merchant Center data feed error — that is difficult to diagnose without experience. A Google Ads specialist can identify the root cause quickly and resolve it without extended trial and error.
When to escalate: Same technical disapproval after 3+ fix attempts | Disapproval with unclear error message | Account-level technical flags | Merchant Center feed errors you cannot diagnose
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