Fix disapproved YouTube ads

YouTube videos used in ads go through a creative review process to check that they comply with our content requirements. If your ad is disapproved during creative review, it won’t serve.

There are a few ways that you can fix a disapproved YouTube ad depending on the changes needed:

• For issues with the content of the ad, or ad settings in Display & Video 360, you can edit the ad. After you save, a new review starts.
• For other issues, like the ad's landing page, certification status, or video settings in YouTube, you can fix them and then resubmit the ad for approval.
• For disapproval based on policy decisions, you can dispute the decision if you believe we’ve made an error.

Fix ad content disapprovals

If the ad content isn’t compliant with a policy, follow the steps below to edit the ad and restart the review process:

1. Go to an existing YouTube & partners line item.

2. Click the YouTube ad groups tab. On the page that loads, you'll find a table with your ad groups and the ads in each of them.

3. In the Status column, click the ad’s Disapproved status. To learn more about the policy that the ad doesn’t comply with, click Read the policy.

4. To fix issues with an ad, click its name to open it.

5. On the page that loads, find your ad in the Ads section, then click Edit .

   Editing an ad replaces it and removes its stats.

6. Click Edit ad.

7. Update the ad so that it complies with the policy, then click Done.

8. Save the ad group. Ad review starts automatically.

Review timeline

• When you edit a disapproved ad, the existing ad is removed and a new one is created.
• The new ad is automatically submitted for review. The “Status” column changes from “Disapproved” to “Under review.”
• Most ads are reviewed in 1 business day, but complex reviews might take longer. Please wait a full 24 hours before contacting support about your ad review status.

The duration for policy restrictions is permanent and the territorial restriction is global unless otherwise specified.

Fix other disapprovals

Your ad might be disapproved for reasons unrelated to the ad content or settings in Display & Video 360. Some common disapprovals are related to:

• Landing pages: If the ad’s landing page isn’t compliant with specific policies or wasn’t working at the time of initial review, you’ll need to update the landing page.
• Missing certifications: Your advertiser hasn’t been certified for serving ads for certain restricted products and services.
• Changes to the video in YouTube: Changes to the video in YouTube, like updating the thumbnail image or changing the video from private to public.

After you change an ad to comply with a policy, follow the steps below to re-submit the ad for review:

1. Go to an existing YouTube & partners line item.

2. Click the YouTube ad groups tab. On the page that loads, you’ll find a table with your ad groups and the ads in each of them.

3. In the Status column, click the ad’s Disapproved status. To learn more about the policy that the ad doesn’t comply with, click Read the policy.

4. Click Appeal.

5. On the page that loads, select “Made changes to comply with policy” as the reason for the appeal.

6. Select which ads you want to include in the appeal.

7. Click Submit.

The ad's status won't change once you’ve submitted it for a re-review. You can check the Status column on the YouTube ad groups tab to know whether an ad has been approved.

Dispute policy decisions

If you believe we’ve made an error with a policy decision, you can appeal the decision directly from Display & Video 360:

1. Go to an existing YouTube & partners line item.

2. Click the YouTube ad groups tab. On the page that loads, you'll find a table with your ad groups and the ads in each of them.

3. In the Status column, click the ad’s Disapproved status. To learn more about the policy that the ad doesn’t comply with, click Read the policy.

4. Click Appeal.

5. On the page that loads, find the policy labels you disagree with.

6. Under each policy label, below "Appeal the following", select which ads you want to include in the appeal.

7. Click Submit.

The ad's status won't change during the appeals process. To know whether the ad has been approved, check the Status column on the YouTube ad groups tab. You can also check the appeals history in the Appeal History page.

Check the status of your appeal

After you submit an appeal, it usually takes about 1 business day for the review. You can check the appeal status in Appeal History to find the result.