How to Fix Google Ads Policy Violations — Step-by-Step Guide

One or more of your ads have been disapproved for violating a specific Google Ads policy such as editorial standards, misleading content, or restricted content

Your entire ad group or campaign has been flagged due to repeated policy violations across multiple ads

You received a warning email from Google about policy compliance, indicating that continued violations may result in account suspension

Your account has limited serving due to policy violations, meaning your ads are running but with reduced reach

All ad copy must follow Google's editorial guidelines: correct grammar, no excessive capitalization, no misleading punctuation, and no prohibited phrases

Landing pages must be functional, load quickly, and contain the content promised in the ad — no broken pages, no placeholder text, no 'under construction' notices

Restricted products and services (alcohol, gambling, healthcare, financial services) must follow additional category-specific policies and may require certification

Trademarks in ad copy must be used in compliance with Google's trademark policy — you generally cannot use another company's trademark in your ad text unless you are an authorized reseller

Ad extensions and assets must be accurate and comply with the same policies as your ad text

Using superlative claims ('best', 'cheapest', '#1') in ad copy without third-party verification linked on the landing page

Writing ads with excessive capitalization (e.g., 'FREE SHIPPING on ALL ORDERS') — Google enforces editorial standards strictly

Using a competitor's brand name in your ad copy or keywords without being an authorized reseller or comparison advertiser

Linking to landing pages that are under construction, return error codes, or load too slowly (especially on mobile)

Not reviewing all ad extensions (sitelinks, callouts, structured snippets) for policy compliance — these are reviewed separately

Go to Google Ads > Ads & Assets > Ads and filter by 'Disapproved' to see all ads with policy violations, noting the specific policy cited for each

Click on the policy violation link next to each disapproved ad to read Google's specific policy documentation — understand exactly what is prohibited

Fix individual ads: edit the ad copy to remove the violating content, update the landing page URL if the destination was the issue, or pause and recreate the ad

Check your landing pages: ensure they load correctly, contain the promised content, have working navigation, and comply with Google's destination requirements

Review and fix all ad extensions: sitelinks, callouts, and structured snippets are reviewed separately and can cause violations even if the main ad is fine

Request a re-review: after fixing your ads, Google will automatically re-review them. For faster resolution, you can request an expedited review through Google Ads support

Set up a regular policy compliance audit: review the Policy Manager (Tools > Troubleshooting > Policy Manager) weekly to catch new violations early before they escalate