Google Ads scripts remove legacy ad customizers from July 14
Google terminates ad customizers for expanded text ads and legacy extensions in scripts, ending three-year sunset.
Google implemented changes to its Google Ads Scripts platform on July 14, 2025, removing functionality for ad customizers on expanded text ads and legacy ad extension entities. The update marks the final step in a multi-year deprecation process that began in 2022.
According to Google's official announcement on June 25, 2025, the changes affect two primary areas of advertiser functionality. Ad customizer entities, including AdsApp.AdCustomizerSource and AdsApp.newAdCustomizerSourceBuilder, now return sunset errors when accessed through the scripts platform. Feed-based ad extensions simultaneously lost support through the removal of withOnlyLegacy() methods across various selectors.
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Summary
Who: Google Ads Scripts platform, affecting advertisers using ad customizers for expanded text ads and legacy ad extensions through API access.
What: Complete removal of ad customizer entities (AdsApp.AdCustomizerSource, AdsApp.newAdCustomizerSourceBuilder) and legacy ad extension methods (withOnlyLegacy()) from Google Ads Scripts, causing sunset errors when accessed.
When: July 14, 2025, following a three-year deprecation timeline that began June 30, 2022, with final ad serving ending May 31, 2024.
Where: Google Ads Scripts platform globally, affecting all advertiser accounts with scripts containing deprecated ad customizer or legacy extension functionality.
Why: Completion of Google's transition from expanded text ads to responsive search ads, eliminating deprecated functionality that was read-only since 2022 and fully removed from Google Ads API version 19.
The technical modifications impact advertisers who maintained scripts relying on these deprecated features. Ad customizers for expanded text ads had operated in read-only mode since their initial deprecation in 2022. These entities stopped serving on advertisements entirely in May 2024, preceding their complete removal from the Google Ads API version 19 release.
Google's approach to the sunset followed a structured timeline spanning three years. Initial restrictions began on June 30, 2022, when Google prohibited creation and editing of ad customizers for expanded text ads. The policy change coincided with Google's discontinuation of expanded text ad creation, directing advertisers toward responsive search ads as the preferred alternative.
The customization technology previously allowed advertisers to automatically adjust ad text based on targeting parameters and business data. According to Google's documentation, customizers enabled tailored messaging by adapting content to specific searches or viewer contexts. A single text ad could generate hundreds of variations through dynamic content insertion, displaying the most relevant version to each potential customer.
Technical implementation required advertisers to upload business data through spreadsheets or manual entry. Customizers used curly bracket notation to indicate dynamic content locations within ad text. The system supported customization across all ad components except URLs, with responsive search ads receiving additional VisURL path customization for business data and location customizers.
Feed-based ad extensions faced similar timeline restrictions. According to the documentation, these extensions were sunset in 2022 to prioritize asset-based alternatives. Users received migration assistance or automatic transitions to upgraded formats, while retaining access to legacy functionality through withOnlyLegacy() methods until the July 14 termination.
The withOnlyUpgraded() methods remain operational but will generate warning messages. These notifications indicate the redundancy of specifying asset-based extensions when they represent the only available option. Google's systematic approach ensures continued functionality for advertisers who completed migrations while removing deprecated pathways.
Performance tracking represented a significant advantage of the customizer system. According to Google's technical specifications, automatic text updates triggered by ad serving did not reset accumulated performance data. This continuity enabled advertisers to maintain historical insights while benefiting from dynamic content optimization.
The timing aligns with broader changes across Google's advertising platform. Google's recent deprecation of Enhanced CPC bidding demonstrates the company's strategy of eliminating hybrid automation features in favor of fully automated solutions. The shift toward AI-powered campaign management reflects industry trends toward machine learning optimization.
Marketing professionals have adapted their strategies in response to the extended sunset timeline. Analysis of over one million Google Ads revealed performance differences between expanded text ads and responsive search ads, challenging traditional optimization assumptions. Research indicated that responsive search ads require different approaches compared to their text-based predecessors.
Industry experts noted the transition challenges during the deprecation period. Harrison Jack Hepp, a Google Ads consultant, observed that many marketers struggled to adjust optimization strategies for responsive search ads despite their dominance for over a year. The performance characteristics differed significantly from expanded text ads regardless of formatting approaches.
The July 14 implementation affects scripts across all advertiser accounts simultaneously. Google's documentation emphasizes that sunset errors will appear immediately when attempting to access deprecated entities. Advertisers maintaining scripts with ad customizer functionality must remove related code to prevent operational disruptions.
Asset-based extensions now represent the exclusive option for enhancing ad content beyond basic text. These extensions integrate with Google's automated systems to display relevant information based on search context and advertiser goals. The transition supports Google's emphasis on machine learning optimization while maintaining advertiser control over extension content.
Development teams managing large-scale Google Ads operations may require code audits to identify deprecated functionality. The sunset errors provide specific identification of problematic entities, enabling targeted remediation. Recent Google Ads API updates continue expanding automation capabilities while maintaining developer access to core advertising functions.
Business data feeds remain operational for supported advertising formats. Advertisers can continue uploading inventory information, pricing data, and promotional details through Google's business data system. However, integration with expanded text ads through customizers is no longer supported across any platform interface.
The change impacts advertising workflows that relied on customizer-driven content variation. Large retailers and businesses with extensive product catalogs may need alternative approaches for dynamic ad content. Responsive search ads offer built-in variation capabilities through Google's machine learning systems, though with different control mechanisms compared to manual customizers.
Google's support documentation recommends transitioning remaining expanded text ad campaigns to responsive search ads. The migration enables access to current optimization features while ensuring compatibility with ongoing platform development. Responsive search ads support up to 15 headlines and four descriptions, providing extensive content variation possibilities.
Script developers can access updated examples and best practices through Google's developer resources. The documentation includes migration guides for common customizer use cases and alternative implementation approaches. Google maintains active support forums for technical questions during the transition period.
The July 14 implementation represents the conclusion of Google's most significant advertising format transition in recent years. The broader shift from text-based to responsive advertising fundamentally changed how advertisers approach campaign creation and optimization. Current Google Ads functionality emphasizes automated optimization while providing advertisers with strategic control over campaign objectives and targeting parameters.
Timeline
- June 30, 2022: Google discontinued creation and editing of ad customizers for expanded text ads
- 2022: Feed-based ad extensions sunset in favor of asset-based alternatives
- May 31, 2024: Existing ad customizers for expanded text ads stopped serving completely
- June 25, 2025: Google announced July 14 termination date for scripts functionality
- July 14, 2025: Google Ads scripts began returning sunset errors for ad customizer entities and legacy extension methods
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