Guides developers through Google Ads API quickstart: credential setup, choosing from 6 client libraries/REST, configuring environments, and running a "retrieve campaigns" script. Troubleshoots common setup errors: USER_PERMISSION_DENIED, login_customer_id issues, and DEVELOPER_TOKEN_NOT_APPROVED.
Use this skill when:
- The user asks how to get started with the Google Ads API.
- The user needs to set up Google Ads credentials or developer tokens.
- The user wants to write a quickstart/example script for Google Ads.
- The user encounters errors like USER_PERMISSION_DENIED or DEVELOPER_TOKEN_NOT_APPROVED.
This skill guides you from absolute zero to running your first successful request to retrieve campaigns.
Supported Tracks
You can choose to use this skill with:
Official Client Libraries: Python, Java, .NET, PHP, Ruby, or Perl.
Direct REST: Raw HTTP REST requests.
Crucial Requirement: Dynamic Version Resolution & Runtime Resolution
[!IMPORTANT]
To ensure the integration is secure, stable, and up-to-date, you must resolve all API and runtime versions dynamically. Do not rely on hardcoded defaults.
Strict Constraints:
DO NOT Hardcode: Never use hardcoded Google Ads API versions (e.g.,
v24
) or language runtime versions (e.g.,
Python 3.8+
,
Java 11+
) in generated code or environment setup instructions, unless the user explicitly requests a specific version.
MANDATORY Dynamic Resolution: You must dynamically resolve the latest stable versions at the start of execution before generating any code or configuration, using the procedures detailed below.
A. Dynamic API Version Resolution
To ensure the integration is secure, stable, and up-to-date, you MUST resolve the absolute newest stable major version of the Google Ads API dynamically.
). If using Java, you MUST also resolve the latest stable release version of the Google Ads Java Client Library (referred to as
RESOLVED_LIBRARY_VERSION
, e.g.,
34.0.0
).
Mandatory Response Anchor: You MUST output the following confirmation block as the very first line of your response to the user. Do not output any greeting, pleasantries, or introductory text before this block.
text
[SYSTEM: Using Google Ads API version: RESOLVED_API_VERSION (Resolved from release notes)]
Strict Placeholder Mapping Table: You MUST perform on-the-fly search-and-replace on all code templates and reference files using the mapping table below. Do not leave raw placeholders in the final output.
Target Language / Tech
Placeholder in Template
Replacement Pattern
Example (Assuming API
v24
)
Java (Maven/Gradle)
LATEST_LIBRARY_VERSION
Search & substitute the latest Maven release version of the library.
34.0.0
Java (Imports)
vXX
Replace with lower-case API version.
com.google.ads.googleads.v24
.NET / C# (Namespaces)
VXX
Replace with title-case API version.
Google.Ads.GoogleAds.V24
PHP (Namespaces)
VXX
Replace with title-case API version.
Google\Ads\GoogleAds\V24
REST (Endpoint URL)
vXX
Replace with lower-case API version.
https://googleads.googleapis.com/v24/...
[!TIP]
Offline Fallback: If the URLs are unreachable or the scrape fails, do not halt execution. Fall back to these last-known stable versions:
Google Ads API Major Version (
RESOLVED_API_VERSION
):
v24
Java Client Library Version (
RESOLVED_LIBRARY_VERSION
):
34.0.0
B. Dynamic Language Runtime Version Resolution
To prevent the generated setup guides from becoming obsolete due to language deprecation cycles, you MUST resolve language requirements dynamically.
Extract Minimums: Identify the minimum supported runtime version for the user's chosen language by scanning the Overview page or compatibility tables (e.g., looking for explicit requirements like Python 3.8+, Java 11+, .NET 6.0+, PHP 8.1+, Ruby 3.0+).
Apply On-The-Fly: Substitute all runtime placeholders (e.g.,
<PYTHON_MIN_VERSION>
) in your generated setup guides with these resolved versions.
[!TIP]
Offline Fallback: If the URL is unreachable or the scrape fails, do not halt execution. Fall back to these last-known safe minimum versions:
Python:
3.9+
Java:
11+
.NET:
6.0+
PHP:
8.1+
Ruby:
3.0+
Perl:
5.28.1+
Step 1: Obtain Google Ads API Credentials
Before installing libraries or making API calls, you must obtain the five required authentication parameters.
1. Developer Token
Purpose: Identifies your developer access and API quota.
How to Obtain:
Navigate directly to the API Center in your Google Ads Manager Account: https://ads.google.com/aw/apicenter(Note: You must sign in with a Manager account, not a standard serving account).
Copy your Developer Token.
[!WARNING]
Pending Token Restriction: If your Developer Token status is "Pending" (unapproved), you MUST ONLY target Google Ads Test Accounts. Attempting to call a production account with a pending token will fail with the error:
DEVELOPER_TOKEN_NOT_APPROVED
.
2. OAuth2 Client ID & Client Secret
Purpose: Identifies your application to Google's OAuth 2.0 server and allows you to request user authorization.
Search for the Google Ads API in the API Library and click Enable.
Configure the OAuth Consent Screen:
Select External user type.
Set the Publishing Status to Testing.
[!IMPORTANT]
Add Test Users: You MUST add the email address of the Google account you use to log into Google Ads as a Test User in this step. Otherwise, you will be blocked during authorization.
Create the OAuth Client:
Go to APIs & Services 🡒 Credentials.
Click Create Credentials 🡒 OAuth client ID.
Select Desktop App as the Application Type.
Name the client and click Create.
Download Secrets: Click the download icon (JSON) next to your newly created Client ID. Save this file locally as
client_secrets.json
.
3. OAuth2 Refresh Token
Purpose: Allows your application to obtain new access tokens automatically without requiring manual user login every hour.
How to Obtain:
You must run the Google Cloud (
gcloud
) CLI to generate your refresh token.
1. Install and Verify gcloud CLI:
Ensure the gcloud CLI is installed and available in your terminal.
2. Execute the Login Flow:
Run the following command in your terminal, passing the path to the
Purpose: The 10-digit ID of the specific Google Ads account you want to query or make changes to.
Format: Must be 10 digits with no hyphens (e.g.,
1234567890
, NOT
123-456-7890
).
How to Find It: Log in to the Google Ads UI; the ID is displayed in the top-right corner next to your user icon.
[!IMPORTANT]
Test Account Requirement: If your Developer Token is pending (unapproved), this MUST be the Customer ID of a Test Account. Test accounts have a red "Test account" banner in the top right of the UI.
5. Login Customer ID
What it is: The 10-digit Customer ID of the Google Ads Manager Account that owns or manages the target client account.
Format: Must be 10 digits with no hyphens (e.g.,
9876543210
).
When to Use: This is mandatory if your OAuth credentials (and developer token) belong to a Manager Account, but you are querying a child/client account (Client Customer ID).
[!CAUTION]
Preventing
USER_PERMISSION_DENIED
:
If you are accessing a client account through a Manager Account hierarchy, you MUST set this parameter.
login_customer_id
= The Manager Account ID.
client_customer_id
= The Child/Client Account ID.
Leaving
login_customer_id
blank in a manager-client hierarchy is the #1 cause of permission errors.
Step 2: Choose Your Integration Strategy
Developers can connect to the Google Ads API using either the official high-level client libraries or direct HTTPS REST requests.
Path A: Official Client Libraries (Recommended)
[!IMPORTANT]
Mandatory Agent Directive: Once the user selects their language, you MUST:
Use the
view_file
tool to lazy-load the corresponding reference file listed below.
Apply the Dynamic Version Resolution (Section B) to dynamically replace all
vXX
/
VXX
placeholders and library versions before generating code.
Python
If you need to set up the Google Ads API environment for Python, do not guess the configuration.
Instead, read the detailed setup guide:
Google Ads API Python Setup Reference(Package:
google-ads
)
Java
If you need to set up the Google Ads API environment for Java, do not guess the configuration.
Instead, read the detailed setup guide:
Google Ads API Java Setup Reference(Artifact:
com.google.api-ads:google-ads
)
.NET / C#
If you need to set up the Google Ads API environment for .NET/C#, do not guess the configuration.
Instead, read the detailed setup guide:
Google Ads API .NET Setup Reference(Package:
Google.Ads.GoogleAds
)
PHP
If you need to set up the Google Ads API environment for PHP, do not guess the configuration.
Instead, read the detailed setup guide:
Google Ads API PHP Setup Reference(Package:
googleads/google-ads-php
)
Ruby
If you need to set up the Google Ads API environment for Ruby, do not guess the configuration.
Instead, read the detailed setup guide:
Google Ads API Ruby Setup Reference(Gem:
google-ads-ruby
)
Perl
If you need to set up the Google Ads API environment for Perl, do not guess the configuration.
Instead, read the detailed setup guide:
Google Ads API Perl Setup Reference(Package:
Google::Ads::GoogleAds::Client
)
Path B: Direct HTTP REST (No Library Overhead)
Use this path if the user's environment does not support the official client libraries (e.g., lightweight serverless functions, custom language stacks, or restricted runtimes).
[!IMPORTANT]
Mandatory Agent Directive: If the user chooses the REST path, you MUST:
Use the
view_file
tool to lazy-load the REST reference file below.
Apply Dynamic Version Resolution (Section B) to replace all
vXX
placeholders in the endpoint URLs (e.g., resolving
vXX
to
v24
in
https://googleads.googleapis.com/v24/...
).
REST (HTTP)
If you need to set up the Google Ads API environment for REST (HTTP), do not guess the configuration.
Instead, read the detailed setup guide:
Google Ads API REST Setup Reference(Protocol: Raw HTTP POST JSON)
Cross-Referencing: AI-Assistant & MCP Connection
[!TIP]
AI Assistant / MCP Integration Handoff:
If the goal is to connect an AI Assistant (such as Gemini, Cursor, or Claude Code) to query Google Ads via natural language:
DO NOT write custom scripts or client library code.
STOP executing this skill.
Transition Immediately to the
google-ads-api-mcp-setup
skill to install and configure the official Google Ads Model Context Protocol (MCP) Server.
Step 4: Troubleshooting Common Errors
[!IMPORTANT]
Static Diagnostics Constraint: When troubleshooting, you MUST NOT execute bash commands, run local test scripts, or attempt to reproduce the error in the workspace. Rely entirely on static code analysis, configuration review, and the diagnostic guides below to prevent endless, failing execution loops.
1. Error:
USER_PERMISSION_DENIED
Symptom: You receive a
USER_PERMISSION_DENIED
error when executing API requests (e.g., retrieving campaigns).
Likely Cause: The authenticating OAuth2 user has access to the target client account indirectly through a Manager Account, but the request header is missing the Manager Account's ID.
Required Agent Response Checklist:
When helping a user with this error, your response MUST include:
Explain the Hierarchy: Explain that the authenticating user likely belongs to a Manager Account that sits above the target client account.
Provide the Fix: Instruct the user to add their 10-digit Manager Account ID as the
login_customer_id
in their configuration file.
Explain the Routing Logic: Explain that
login_customer_id
tells the API to route the OAuth credentials through the manager account to validate access to the child account.
Provide the Configuration Template: Show the exact YAML configuration block below.
[!CAUTION]
Security Guardrail: Under no circumstances should you suggest exposing raw passwords, creating new unapproved developer tokens, or widening OAuth scopes beyond the standard
adwords
scope to bypass this error.
Configuration Fix Example (
google-ads.yaml
):
yaml
developer_token: INSERT_DEVELOPER_TOKEN_HERE
client_id: INSERT_OAUTH2_CLIENT_ID_HERE
client_secret: INSERT_OAUTH2_CLIENT_SECRET_HERE
refresh_token: INSERT_OAUTH2_REFRESH_TOKEN_HERE
# Add your 10-digit Manager Account ID here to resolve USER_PERMISSION_DENIED:login_customer_id: INSERT_LOGIN_CUSTOMER_ID_HERE
2. Error:
DEVELOPER_TOKEN_NOT_APPROVED
Symptom: The script fails with a
DEVELOPER_TOKEN_NOT_APPROVED
error message.
Likely Cause: Your Developer Token is currently in the "Pending" (unapproved) state, and you are attempting to target a live production Google Ads account.
Required Agent Response Checklist:
When helping a user with this error, your response MUST include:
Explain the "Pending" Restriction: Explain that an unapproved (Pending) developer token is fully functional but restricted to Google Ads Test Accounts only.
Define Production Access Levels: You MUST explicitly list all three access levels by name: state that targeting live production accounts requires the token to be approved for Explorer Access, Basic Access, or Standard Access by the Google Ads API compliance team. Do not condense or paraphrase this to "at least Basic Access".
Provide Sandbox Setup Steps: Guide the user on how to set up a sandbox environment:
Create a Test Manager Account (which does not require an approved token).
Create Test Client Accounts under that Test Manager.
Use the Test Client Customer ID in their configuration.
[!CAUTION]
Security & Integrity Guardrail: You MUST NOT advise the developer to modify the client library source code, bypass token validation checks, or use third-party "cracked" wrappers to bypass this error. The restriction is enforced server-side by Google, and client-side modifications will not work.