Google Ads account suspensions: What advertisers need to know

Account suspensions are essential to “maintain a healthy and sustainable digital advertising ecosystem, with user protection at its core,” according to Google Ads.

For advertisers, though, navigating the suspension process can be a minefield. Suspensions can happen suddenly, limit what you can do in your account, and, in some cases, affect related accounts as well.

Here’s what triggers account suspensions, the different types you might encounter, and what to do if your account is flagged or suspended.

Why do accounts get suspended?

Accounts get suspended when Google Ads finds a violation of one of its policies. The platform uses a combination of automated systems and manual reviews when detecting violations.

The process involves reviewing the account and other aspects, including your customer reviews, business practices, and website content.

In November 2025, Google addressed concerns that a large volume of accounts were being unfairly suspended by announcing that it had improved the accuracy of the system. 

Google says that, by using new processes and AI, it’s reduced incorrect suspensions by over 80% and improved resolution times by 70%, with 99% of suspensions now resolved within a 24-hour window.

How Google Ads suspends accounts and what happens next

Depending on the violation, accounts may be suspended immediately upon detection. In other cases, advertisers will be given a prior warning of at least seven days before the suspension takes place.

Advertisers will be notified via email, along with a red banner at the top of their Google Ads account. When an account is suspended:

• Ads will not run.
• You won’t be able to create any new content, such as ads, ad groups, or campaigns.
• You can, however, still access the account to review historical data and reports.

In some instances, accounts related or linked to the suspended account may also be suspended, such as linked Merchant Center accounts or those linked to the same manager account. These will be lifted if or when the original suspension is resolved.

Dig deeper: Google Ads’ three-strikes system: Managing warnings, strikes, and suspension

What are the different types of account suspensions?

Not all suspensions are the same. Google Ads groups them into a few main categories, each with different causes and outcomes.

Policy violations

These suspensions are due to violations of Google Ads policy or its terms and conditions. Common examples include: 

• Inappropriate or restricted content.
• Issues related to editorial requirements.
• Misuse of data. 

Egregious violations

These are suspensions that Google Ads deems unlawful or harmful. They typically reflect the overall practices of a business, not necessarily its campaigns or accounts. As such, it’s unlikely that the suspension will be overturned and will probably be permanent.

Common egregious violations include:

• Circumventing systems.
• Unacceptable business practices.
• Malicious software.
• Counterfeiting.
• Illegal activities.

Other suspensions

Other reasons why an account may be suspended include:

• Suspicious payment activity.
• Unpaid balance.
• Promotional code abuse.
• Unauthorized account activity.
• Failure to meet age requirements.

What to do if your account is suspended?

What you should do next depends on the type of suspension and what caused it.

Policy violations

If your account has been suspended for policy or terms and conditions violations, you must resolve the issue causing the suspension before submitting an appeal.

The Google Ads help guides contain detailed information on these policies, so make sure you read them thoroughly. Don’t submit an appeal until you’re certain that you’ve made the relevant changes.

For example, if you’ve been suspended for violating editorial requirements, review your ad copy to check for potential issues regarding capitalization, spacing, spelling, and symbols.

If you’re uncertain about the violations that caused the suspension and how to fix them, you can use the account troubleshooter beta to determine what steps need to be taken.

Egregious violations

Egregious violations are treated very seriously. In most cases, the suspension is permanent. However, if you genuinely believe that the suspension is baseless, then you can submit an appeal.

Make relevant changes to your account or business practices before you submit your appeal. This is important because egregious violations only get one chance to submit an appeal. Take the time to review your business practices honestly and make sure you’ve done all that you can to comply.

Unauthorized account activity

In the case of an “Unauthorized account activity” suspension, Google Ads has detected suspicious activity, and your account has been suspended to protect it.

This may be triggered due to recent changes to account access, an unusual increase in your ad spend, or if your ads are sending traffic to unfamiliar destinations.

You will need to:

• Change your Google account password immediately.
• Check for any unfamiliar devices signed in to your account.
• Submit a compromised account form.

Other suspensions

In many of these cases, billing issues cause suspension, so check the billing section of your account. Ensure that billing information is accurate, your payment method is up to date, and recent payments haven’t been declined.

If your account has been suspended for a billing or payment issue, you must fix this within 30 days. You may also be required to complete the advertiser verification program to confirm your identity or business operations.

Best practices for submitting an appeal

While the specific steps you need to take will depend on the type of suspension your account is under and what caused it, there are some best practices for submitting your appeal:

• Ensure that you’ve submitted your advertiser verification, as this will help the system verify your identity and business authenticity.
• If you recognize that you’ve made an error, for example, opening a new account for a business when there was already a dormant account created before you joined, be upfront and honest about this information.
• If you believe that the suspension has been made in error, then provide as much information, evidence, and context as possible.
• While you’ll have a minimum of six months to submit an appeal, try to resolve the issue and submit your appeal as soon as possible. It can be very tricky to return to an account that was suspended years ago and accurately recall the steps that led to the suspension in order to address them.

Dig deeper: Dealing with Google Ads frustrations: Poor support, suspensions, rising costs

What happens after you submit an appeal

Unfortunately, many advertisers are reporting long wait times to hear back about their appeal. This means that you’ll need to be patient and wait for a response via email.

In the meantime, don’t submit additional appeals. Doing so will not increase the speed at which your appeal is addressed and may result in the suspension of your appeal process for seven days.

If your appeal is accepted and your account is reinstated

You can resume running your campaigns via Google Ads as usual.

Be aware of violating the same policy again in the future. Depending on the type of policy infringement, you may face permanent suspension for repeat violations.

If your appeal is denied

You may be eligible to submit another appeal, but you must make the relevant changes before you do so.

While there is no limit on the number of appeals you can make, if too many appeals have been made, they may not be processed.

For egregious violations

If your appeal is denied and you’re permanently suspended, you’ve been banned from using Google Ads. Creating any new accounts will also result in suspensions.

If you still have funds in your account, you’ll need to cancel your account to receive a refund.

Making sense of Google Ads account suspensions

Account suspensions are designed to help keep advertisers and users safe. They help keep dangerous and malicious activities off the platform, improving the Google Ads experience.

While finding out your account is suspended is frustrating, in most cases, there are steps you can take to resolve the issues behind the violation and have your account reinstated.