Google Is Automating Language Targeting in Search Ads, Removing Manual Control

Search Engine Land reports that Google Ads is eliminating manual language targeting from Search campaigns starting in late September 2026. Instead of advertisers selecting target languages, Google will automatically match ads based on the language of the ad creative and signals about what languages users understand—such as search terms, browser language, and user preferences. For Performance Max, the change applies only to Search placements; language settings will continue to guide delivery on YouTube, Display, Discover, and Gmail. Advertisers must now ensure their ad copy and landing pages are clearly structured in their intended languages, since those signals will become the primary driver of language matching, and API users will need to stop adding or updating language criteria in Search campaigns.