Google Ads API shifts to monthly releases starting January 2026

Google announced on Thursday, September 4, 2025, a significant acceleration of its Google Ads API release schedule, introducing monthly releases beginning January 2026. The announcement came through a post by Cory Liseno, Staff Developer Relations Engineer and Manager at Google, on LinkedIn, alongside a detailed blog post on the Google Ads Developer Blog.

"We've heard your feedback! Starting January 2026, Google Ads API will move to monthly releases," Liseno stated in his LinkedIn announcement. The change responds to developer requests for faster access to features available in the Google Ads user interface.

Release frequency increases substantially

The new schedule represents a substantial shift from Google's current release pattern. Google will increase major releases from three per year to four annually. All remaining releases will be minor versions containing only incremental, non-breaking feature additions.

Each major API version will remain supported for one full year after release, according to the September 4 announcement. This extension provides developers additional time for integration and testing while ensuring compatibility across multiple versions simultaneously.

"This means faster access to more features through the API," Liseno explained. "Major API versions will be live for 1 year after launch, and minor versions will be non-breaking additive changes to provide extra benefit to your teams' integrations."

Detailed 2026 release schedule emerges

The announcement included a comprehensive release schedule for 2026, outlining specific versions and projected launch dates. Version 23 launches as the first major release in January 2026, followed by two minor updates in February and March.

Version 24 arrives in April 2026, continuing the pattern with V24.1 and V24.2 following in May and June respectively. The July launch introduces Version 25, with minor releases scheduled for August and September. October brings Version 26, concluding with an optional November minor release designated for the holiday season.

All projected dates remain estimates and subject to change, according to the documentation. Google reserves the right to add, remove, or modify version classifications between major and minor releases based on development requirements.

The March 25, 2026 release date for V23.2 stands as the only specific date provided beyond monthly approximations. This precision suggests advanced planning for specific feature implementations within that version.

Sunset schedules accommodate longer support periods

The extended one-year support window necessitates adjustments to version retirement schedules. Google provided sunset projections for existing API versions throughout 2026, beginning with V19 deprecation in February 2026.

Version 20 reaches end-of-life status in June 2026, followed by V21 in August and V22 in October. This staggered approach prevents overwhelming developers with simultaneous version migrations while maintaining security and feature consistency.

Major releases receive sunset dates exactly one year after launch. V23 faces retirement in February 2027, while V24 expires in May 2027. The pattern continues with V25 and V26 following twelve-month lifecycles through 2027.

Minor versions share sunset schedules with their parent major releases. V23.1 and V23.2 both retire alongside V23 in February 2027, simplifying version management for development teams.

Technical implementation details surface

Google's announcement emphasizes the non-breaking nature of minor version updates. Developers can adopt new minor versions without modifying existing integrations, reducing implementation overhead and testing requirements.

The monthly release cadence excludes the end-of-year holiday period, recognizing reduced development activity during November and December. This consideration addresses practical constraints faced by development teams during traditional holiday seasons.

Version numbering follows Google's established pattern with decimal notation for minor releases. The V26.1 designation represents the first minor update to major version 26, maintaining consistency with current API versioning conventions.

Support documentation and migration guides will accompany each release through existing channels. Google directs developers to Release Notes and Deprecation Schedule pages for detailed implementation guidance.

Development community engagement expands

The announcement coincides with Google's broader initiative to enhance developer relations for advertising APIs. Google launched a Discord community server in July 2025 specifically for advertising and measurement API discussions.

Google provides Discord server access for real-time discussions about the release schedule changes. The company's developer relations team maintains active presence on the platform for feedback collection and technical support.

The September 4 blog post includes direct links to the Discord community alongside traditional support channels. This multi-platform approach reflects Google's commitment to accessible developer communication across various forums.

Industry context drives acceleration

The announcement occurs within a broader context of rapid API development across Google's advertising platform. Google Ads API v21 introduced AI Max features and enhanced transparency tools in August 2025, demonstrating accelerating feature development cycles.

Recent API updates have consistently emphasized automation capabilities and programmatic campaign management. Version 19.1, released in April 2025, introduced expanded Demand Gen capabilities and improved planning services, reflecting the platform's trajectory toward sophisticated automation tools.

The monthly release schedule aligns with industry trends toward continuous integration and deployment practices. Marketing technology vendors require rapid access to new features for competitive positioning in the programmatic advertising marketplace.

Google's accelerated timeline addresses feedback from agencies and enterprise advertisers managing complex campaign ecosystems. Faster feature availability enables quicker adoption of automation tools and enhanced reporting capabilities critical for large-scale advertising operations.

Documentation infrastructure receives upgrades

The increased release frequency necessitates robust documentation infrastructure to support rapid feature adoption. Google announced comprehensive documentation overhauls in August 2025, including unified reporting structures and enhanced implementation guides.

Client libraries require consistent updates to maintain compatibility with monthly releases. Google commits to publishing updated software development kits and code examples for each version release across multiple programming languages.

The documentation improvements complement the accelerated release schedule by reducing implementation barriers for new features. Enhanced guides and examples enable faster developer adoption of monthly updates without extensive research requirements.

Google's unified documentation structure addresses concerns about fragmented guidance across multiple API versions. Streamlined resources reduce development cycles for agencies and marketing technology vendors building integrations.

Marketing implications for automation strategies

The monthly release schedule impacts how marketing professionals approach API-based campaign management. Faster feature availability enables more agile testing of automation capabilities and performance optimization tools.

Agencies managing multiple client accounts can expect more frequent access to enhanced targeting options and reporting capabilities. The predictable monthly schedule allows for structured testing cycles and gradual feature rollouts across client portfolios.

Enterprise advertisers with complex campaign ecosystems benefit from shortened gaps between user interface features and API availability. This alignment reduces manual workarounds and enables consistent automation across all campaign management approaches.

Marketing technology vendors can accelerate product development cycles with reliable monthly feature additions. Predictable API updates enable better resource planning for integration development and quality assurance testing.

Implementation support mechanisms

Google provides multiple support channels for developers navigating the transition to monthly releases. The Discord community server offers real-time assistance from Google's developer relations team alongside peer-to-peer problem solving.

Traditional support mechanisms remain available through official documentation and developer forums. Google maintains comprehensive guides for version migration and feature implementation across all supported programming languages.

The company's commitment to non-breaking minor releases reduces migration complexity for existing integrations. Development teams can adopt new features without substantial refactoring of current implementations.

Enhanced client library support ensures compatibility across multiple programming environments. Google maintains software development kits for Python, Java, C#, PHP, and Ruby with each release cycle.

Strategic positioning within advertising ecosystem

The announcement positions Google's API development strategy within broader competition for developer mindshare across advertising platforms. Enhanced release frequency addresses developer demands for feature parity between API and user interface capabilities.

Meta and Amazon continue expanding their advertising API capabilities, creating competitive pressure for rapid feature development. Google's monthly schedule responds to this environment while maintaining stability through extended version support.

The accelerated timeline reflects Google's broader strategy of enabling third-party AI tool integration. Recent explorations of Model Context Protocol server implementations require comprehensive API capabilities for advanced integration possibilities.

Marketing professionals benefit from increased innovation velocity while maintaining access to stable, supported API versions for production implementations. This balance addresses both rapid experimentation needs and enterprise reliability requirements.

Timeline

• September 4, 2025: Google announces monthly Google Ads API releases starting January 2026
• January 2026: First monthly release (V23) launches under new schedule
• February 2026: V19 reaches end-of-life, V23.1 minor release
• March 25, 2026: V23.2 specific release date announced
• April 2026: V24 major release launches
• February 2027: V23 series reaches sunset after one-year support period
• July 2025: Google launches Discord community for advertising developers
• August 2025: Google Ads API documentation receives comprehensive overhaul
• August 2025: Google Ads API v21 introduces AI Max and campaign transparency tools
• July 2025: Google explores MCP server for Ads API integration

Summary

Who: Google Ads API Team led by Anash P. Oommen, announced by Cory Liseno, affecting developers, agencies, and advertisers using Google's advertising platform programmatically.

What: Google Ads API will transition to monthly releases starting January 2026, increasing major versions from 3 to 4 per year while extending version support from the current timeframe to exactly one year after launch.

When: The announcement was made September 4, 2025, with implementation beginning January 2026. The first release under the new schedule (V23) launches in January 2026.

Where: The changes apply globally to Google Ads API infrastructure, affecting all developers and integrations worldwide using Google's advertising platform APIs.

Why: Google responds to developer feedback requesting faster access to features available in the Google Ads user interface, addressing the gap between UI feature availability and API access while maintaining stability through extended version support periods.