[GA4] Troubleshoot importing Google Analytics 4 or Firebase audiences into Google Ads

Use the following checklist to troubleshoot issues with importing your Google Analytics 4 or Firebase audiences into Google Ads.

Check if your Google Ads account is linked with your Google Analytics 4 property or Firebase project

Accounts must be linked for key events and audiences to be imported into Google Ads. Note that admin access is required in both platforms to link them.

In Admin, under Product Links, click Google Ads links

Check when your Google Ads account and your Google Analytics 4 property were linked

The system can take a few hours to propagate Google Analytics 4 audiences to the linked Google Ads accounts.

In Admin, under Product Links, click Google Ads links, then select Date linked.

Check if the personalized advertising audience sharing settings are enabled

This can be done from the Google Analytics or Firebase user interfaces. Changes to either will be reflected in the other user interface.

In Google Analytics:

1. In Admin, under Product Links, click Google Ads links.
2. Select the Google Ads link and check that the Enable Personalized Advertising option is enabled.

In Firebase, check the Enable audience checkbox when linking to Google Ads.

You can also complete this step in the following way:

1. Go to Project Settings > Integrations tab > Manage in Google Ads card.
2. Click the 3-dots of the Google Ads account row.
3. Check the option Share my audiences and key event data.

Check if the user data collection acknowledgment has been enabled

In Admin, under Data collection and modification, click Data Collection and make sure the I acknowledge button is checked.

Check if Google Signals is enabled

Google Signals must be enabled for all properties created after 2019 in order to populate audiences exported from Google Analytics 4 to Google Ads, whether they are app-only, hybrid, or web-only properties.

In Admin, under Data collection and modification, click Data Collection, then click Enable Google Signals data collection.

Check audience manager settings for your Google Ads manager account

This applies to manager accounts only. If you have linked your Google Analytics 4 property or Firebase project to a manager account and expect to see the Google Analytics 4 or Firebase audiences in the child account, check that the manager account is set as an audience manager for all sub-accounts.

1. In Google Ads (manager account), go to Manager account settings and select Add this manager as an audience manager for all sub-accounts.
2. In Google Ads (sub-account), go to Sub-account settings > Audience manager account and select This manager.