The official blog for information about the Google Ads, Google Ad Manager, Google Mobile Ads SDKs for AdMob and IMA SDKs, and other Google Advertising Platform developer tools.
You may be affected by this change, depending on the authentication workflow that your application uses.
Service account workflow: Service account workflows are not affected by this change, so no action is required. We strongly recommend using service account workflow for applications that require automated or offline workflows.
User authentication workflow: If your app generates OAuth 2.0 refresh tokens for users, you will be affected as follows:
Existing OAuth refresh tokens are not affected by this change. They will continue to work as usual, and you won’t be prompted for reauthorization when obtaining OAuth access tokens.
New users will be challenged with a second factor for authentication in addition to a username and password.
What other platforms are affected by this change?
If you use Google Ads Editor, Google Ads Scripts, BigQuery Data Transfer Service or Data Studio to manage Google Ads, you will start getting challenged with a second factor for authentication in addition to a username and password. If you don’t have 2-step verification enabled, you will be prompted to add a 2-step verification method.
How can users check and enable MFA?
Users can check whether MFA is enabled for their account by opening the Security tab of their Google Account settings page. The 2-Step Verification setting is displayed in the How you sign in to Google section. If MFA isn’t enabled, follow the on-screen steps displayed in this section.
If you don't see the 2-Step Verification option for your account, your administrator might have disabled it. Contact your administrator for assistance.
Troubleshooting
Q: When I navigate to the Google Account settings page, I don’t see the 2-Step Verification option for my account.
A: If you don't see the 2-Step Verification option for your account, your administrator might have disabled it. Contact your administrator for assistance.
Q: I don’t have a 2-step verification option enabled for my account. When I attempt to sign in, I get an error that "Google couldn’t verify this account belongs to you." and I am prompted to Recover account instead of prompting me to add a 2-step verification.
A: In certain situations, Google needs additional verification before letting you add a second factor to your account. To fix the issue, navigate to the Security tab of your Google Account settings page. The 2-Step Verification setting is displayed in the How you sign in to Google section. If 2-Step Verification isn’t enabled, follow the on-screen steps displayed in this section. Wait for a few minutes and attempt signing into the Google Ads API application again.
It’s an incredible time to be a developer in the advertising space. Innovation is moving at a breakneck pace, and we’re shifting from incremental API integrations to fundamental improvements in how technical users interact with our platforms. In the latest episode of Ads DevCast, I sat down with my colleague Matt Landers to discuss how AI is moving from "hype" to "utility," decreasing friction in development and delivering tangible business results.
The Power of Multi-Product Insights
One of the most exciting developments we’re seeing is the value of Advertising MCPs (Model Context Protocol) servers showing up. These open-standard tools allow your AI agents to interact directly with the Google Ads and Google Analytics APIs.
Historically, solving a problem like "why is my high-CTR ad not converting?" meant a lot of manual data joining between Ads and Analytics. By combining the Google Ads and Analytics MCPs, you can now perform this analysis in seconds using natural language. You can verify engagement rates, identify content mismatches on landing pages, and even suggest ROI improvements in the time it takes to brew a cup of coffee.
Efficiency and Speed with Natural Language
We’re also seeing AI make technical tasks more accessible. A great example is the recent update to our Sheets Report Builder add-on for Google Analytics 4. Previously, creating complex reports required manually adding dimensions, metrics, and filters in the UI. Now, with Gemini integrated directly into Sheets, you can simply ask, "What's my highest converting landing page?" and the tool automatically sets all the parameters in the UI, sends the API request, and imports the data for you.
The Senior Pair Programmer in Your CLI
For developers deep in the code, the Google Ads API Developer Assistant is a game-changer. Think of it as a senior pair programmer that has memorized the entire API schema and every possible error code. Whether you’re troubleshooting conversion uploads or finding hidden problems in your account, the assistant doesn’t just explain what’s wrong—it can generate, debug, and even run the fix directly in your environment.
Health, Diagnostics, and Seamless Migrations
Beyond AI-driven insights, we’re focused on improving the underlying health of your technical systems. The Data Manager API will soon feature integrated diagnostics in the UI, allowing you to track what went wrong with your integrations. Last but not least, for publishers, we’ve released a new migration skill for the AdMob SDK to help you transition between versions with the help of your coding agent.
Experiment, Fail Fast, and Build Great Things
The barrier to entry for building sophisticated, data-driven advertising solutions is dropping. By automating the busy work, you’re freed up to focus on high-impact projects that drive real business growth.
