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Google Ads · Status at source date: Newsletter archive

Google will stop new Smart Campaigns in the Ads API from 3 August

Written by Paid Media Collective
IN BRIEF

Google has announced on the Google Ads Developer Blog that, from 3 August 2026, advertisers will no longer be able to create new Smart Campaigns through the Google Ads API. Existing Smart Campaigns will continue to serve and can still be updated, but new ones must be built another way.

Google Ads: Google will stop new Smart Campaigns in the Ads API from 3 August
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This update uses a PMC cover because no suitable source image was available when checked on 8 Sept 2026. Available source and video links are retained.

What changed

Google recommends Performance Max as the automated alternative for advertisers who relied on Smart Campaigns for hands-off management.

THE COLLECTIVE PERSPECTIVE

Why it matters for advertisers

For you, this means any tooling or workflow that creates Smart Campaigns via the API will need to switch to another campaign type as of 3 August. Worth auditing integrations that depend on Smart Campaign creation and planning a move to Performance Max or an alternative before the deadline.

Perspective from the original PMC newsletter.

Sources & contributor credit

  1. Newsletter coverage · Paid Media Collective newsletter

    Original newsletter text, contributor labels and media for this update.

  2. Source referenced in newsletterGoogle Ads Developer Blog

    Linked from the original newsletter. The source publication date has not been independently confirmed.

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Attribution evidence and limitations

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Published on this site

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Explore the source reporting
Original newsletter text and archive evidence

Google will stop new Smart Campaigns in the Ads API from 3 August

Google has announced on the Google Ads Developer Blog that, from 3 August 2026, advertisers will no longer be able to create new Smart Campaigns through the Google Ads API. Existing Smart Campaigns will continue to serve and can still be updated, but new ones must be built another way. Google recommends Performance Max as the automated alternative for advertisers who relied on Smart Campaigns for hands-off management.

For you, this means any tooling or workflow that creates Smart Campaigns via the API will need to switch to another campaign type as of 3 August. Worth auditing integrations that depend on Smart Campaign creation and planning a move to Performance Max or an alternative before the deadline.

Source captured . No explicit first-contributor label was provided for this update.

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