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How to Fix ads.txt error message on Google AdSense account

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Does your adsense account has the same issue as the feature image of this post? If yes, then you are in the correct place as you need to take action otherwise your earnings is at risk. The post will show How to Fix ads.txt error message on Google AdSense account. 



Let’s get started 🙂  few things before moving to the steps needed..

What is ads.txt?

It is an IAB-approved text file that aims to prevent unauthorized inventory sales.  Ads.txt file protects publishers from ad fraud, and it can potentially increase your ad revenue. The initiative is supported by Google’s advertising platforms like Google Adsense, Doubleclick, and Ad Exchange.

How does it work?

Publishers drop a text file on their web servers that lists all of the companies that are authorized to sell the publishers’ inventory. This allows buyers to check the validity of the inventory they purchase.

Is it so important?

Of course, because it improves transparency in online advertisement by allowing publishers to declare who can sell their ad inventory.  Since this data is publicly available, it can be crawled, stored, and searched by advertisers, publishers, and resellers. If you are displaying ads on your website using Google Adsense, DoubleClick, or Ad Exchange, then adding Ads.txt file is recommended.

Let’s get over with it 😉

How to Fix ads.txt error message on Google AdSense account

Non – WordPress websites

Step 1 

Access your website via ftp and create a file ads.txt under the root directory

Step 2 

Copy and paste the code from your adsense account to the ads.txt

google.com, **pub-xxxxx, DIRECT, f08c47fec0942fa0

**Don’t forget to replace pub-xxxxx  with your own publisher ID.

Step 3

Make sure you save the file and verify that you have the file now by visiting www.yourwebsite.com/ads.txt

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WordPress Websites

Step 1 

Download and activate this plugin if you are using WordPress

Step2

Under Settings go to Ads.txt page to configure plugin settings.

Step3

Copy and paste the code from your adsense account to the ads.txt

google.com, **pub-xxxxx, DIRECT, f08c47fec0942fa0

**Don’t forget to replace pub-xxxxx  with your own publisher ID.

Step 4

Save changes and verify that it works by visiting www.yourwebsite.com/ads.txt

[alert type=red ]**For adsense please allow up to 24 hours to reflect the changes.**[/alert]

That’s it for now. 🙂

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31 Comments
  1. Hamera Ram says

    I like your content where you give details of ads.txt fix. I appreciate you for your work

    1. Panayiotis Georgiou says

      Thanks for your kind words

  2. Noman Ahmed says

    I’ve been seeing that error since the Fall, even though everything is proper with the ads.txt file. I’ve even removed and reapplied the ads.txt file, but it hasn’t mattered.

    And yes, I do see google.com, pub-****************, DIRECT, f08c47fec0942fa0 when I check it out at http://example.com/ads.txt.
    i have word press site

  3. manoj kumar says

    NICE CONTENT HOW TO ADD AND FIX

    1. Panayiotis Georgiou says

      Thanks a lot and appreciated make sure to follow me on Instagram and on my Youtube channel to receive the latest videos.

  4. devjaind20012001 says

    Great Content Bro,
    Thanks For The content. You are trying to do some best of peoples. I will share the contents with my friends. Once again thank you so much.

    1. Panayiotis Georgiou says

      Thanks a lot and appreciated make sure to follow me on Instagram and on my Youtube channel to receive the latest videos.

  5. anthonyatdcr says

    have done both methods you describe. In both cases, the file was when I typed domain.com/ads.txt. In both cases, Adsense still returned the error message that the file was missing, even weeks later. BTW, the publisher ID and all content of the file is correct. Mystified.

    1. Panayiotis Georgiou says

      Do you still see the ads appearing?

  6. Garnet Barcelo says

    Panayiotis,

    I think that some Blogger / Blogspot blogs ─ mine, anyway! ─ just can’t be fixed.

    I’ve been seeing that error since the Fall, even though everything is proper with the ads.txt file. I’ve even removed and reapplied the ads.txt file, but it hasn’t mattered.

    And yes, I do see google.com, pub-****************, DIRECT, f08c47fec0942fa0 when I check it out at http://example.com/ads.txt.

    I’m not seeking to draw attention to my rather personal blog, so I haven’t linked to the URL for all to see. I just wanted to lay out this possibility ─ i.e., some Blogger / Blogspot websites probably cannot be fixed.

    I have two hosted WordPress websites with Adsense that are perfectly fine. It’s my freebie Blogger / Blogspot blog that seems beyond salvaging.

    1. Panayiotis Georgiou says

      Hello Garnet,
      Thanks for the comment, I have to say it happened to my in the past with blogger. I agree that WordPress websites are perfectly fine.
      Can you test another thing on your website and let me know if it worked, do the following:
      1) on blogger go to settings -> basic
      2) On publishing section Blog address edit
      3) leave only your url website like this example.com no http or https
      Save and wait for few days for adsense to see if it picks it up.
      Thanks,
      P.

  7. Rashmi Roy says

    pls share about this post for blogger / blog spot

    1. Panayiotis Georgiou says

      What do you mean? How to integrate on blogger?

  8. shyammandir.com says

    Must read blog

    1. Panayiotis Georgiou says

      Thanks, really appreciated!

  9. shyam baba dham says

    Good content to read

    1. Panayiotis Georgiou says

      Thanks a lot!

  10. Vic says

    Hi I have the same problem. I fixed this before but now the error has reappeared. What do I need to do? I have already added the ads.txt file months ago.

    1. Panayiotis Georgiou says

      Try to generate again the txt file and re-upload it to your server.

  11. Fabio says

    Earnings at risk – You need to fix some ads.txt file issues to avoid severe impact to your revenue.

    It has been 3 weeks but this error is not resolved yet. I am going mad. Please help.

    1. Panayiotis Georgiou says

      Can you send me the link of your website?

  12. vidadeliya says

    It’s been 48 hours but I still have the same error despite following those steps for WordPress! 🙁 When I check the ads.txt webpage, it shows a 404 error. Yet when I access the ads.txt manager plugin, the code is already there with my unique publisher ID. Is this a case of waiting a little more 🙁

    1. Panayiotis Georgiou says

      Can you send me the link of your website?

  13. Joy Golder says

    It’s been two weeks since I updated ads.txt still the error shows up

    1. Panayiotis Georgiou says

      Hello, ok understood!
      When you visit http://example.com/ads.txt what do you get?

  14. Vipin says

    allso same problem iam update ads txt file and slove problem but after one day again come problem

    1. Panayiotis Georgiou says

      Perfect!
      Check out this 5 Beginner WordPress SEO Tasks

      Thanks,
      P.

  15. Soki says

    thanks for the helpful post. Had to wait about 48 hours too for the warning to disappear from my adsense after i uploaded

    1. Panayiotis Georgiou says

      Perfect thanks for sharing!

  16. ronaldkayongo says

    This was really helpful. The plugin is a life saver. I had struggled to rectify the ads.txt issue but in vain.
    Thanks man.

    1. Panayiotis Georgiou says

      No problem!
      Can you just share below what issue you had with ads.txt ?

      Thanks,
      P.

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