Google Ads API to stop supporting new Smart Campaign creation

Google is efficaciously closing the doorway connected creating caller Smart Campaigns done its API, suggesting a continued displacement toward newer automated run types specified arsenic Performance Max and distant from bequest automation products.

What’s happening. Google announced that developers will nary longer beryllium capable to create caller Smart Campaigns done the Google Ads API opening August 3rd.

Existing Smart Campaigns will not beryllium affected and will proceed serving ads. Advertisers and developers will besides clasp the expertise to update and negociate those campaigns done the API.

The alteration applies specifically to the creation of caller Smart Campaigns.

Why we care. Google is further steering advertisers toward newer AI-driven run types for illustration Performance Max. While existing Smart Campaigns will proceed running, businesses and level partners that trust connected API-based run creation will request to update their workflows earlier August 2026 aliases consequence disruptions erstwhile creating caller campaigns.

What Google recommends instead. As Smart Campaign creation is phased out, Google is encouraging advertisers to see replacement run types.

The institution specifically pointed to Performance Max, its AI-powered run type that runs crossed Google’s advertizing inventory, arsenic the superior alternative. Other options see Search campaigns and Demand Gen campaigns, depending connected an advertiser’s objectives.

A broader automation shift. The move reflects Google’s ongoing consolidation astir newer automated run formats.

Over the past respective years, Google has progressively prioritized AI-driven run types that automate bidding, targeting and imaginative optimization crossed aggregate channels.

Limiting the creation of caller Smart Campaigns suggests the institution sees Performance Max and different automation products arsenic the early of run management.

What developers request to know. Applications that presently create Smart Campaigns done the API should beryllium reviewed earlier the August deadline.

Developers tin place affected requests by looking for run creation operations where:

• advertising_channel_type is group to SMART
• advertising_channel_sub_type is group to SMART_CAMPAIGN

After August 3, attempts to create caller Smart Campaigns will fail.

In type 24 of the Google Ads API, developers will person a SmartCampaignError.CREATION_FAILED error.

In type 23 and earlier, requests will return an OperationAccessDeniedError.CREATE_OPERATION_NOT_PERMITTED error.

What to watch. While Google is not shutting down existing Smart Campaigns, removing API support for caller run creation is different motion that advertisers should hole for a early centered connected Performance Max and different AI-driven run types.

For agencies, package providers and advertisers pinch automated run creation workflows, now is the clip to measure migration plans earlier the August 2026 deadline.

Dig deeper. Changes to Support for Smart Campaigns successful the Google Ads API