What is ads.txt (and why AdSense cares)?
A clear explanation of ads.txt, where it lives, and how it helps prevent ad fraud.
Read more →Two fast tools: check ads.txt or generate a clean file for AdSense.
A clear explanation of ads.txt, where it lives, and how it helps prevent ad fraud.
Read more →Learn the correct AdSense line and when DIRECT or RESELLER is used.
Read more →Fix typos, wrong pub IDs, bad formatting, and hosting the file in the wrong place.
Read more →ads.txt must be accessible at the root of your domain: https://yourdomain.com/ads.txt (not in a subfolder).
A common AdSense entry looks like: google.com, pub-XXXXXXXXXXXXXXX, DIRECT, f08c47fec0942fa0 (replace with your real pub ID).
Use DIRECT when you work directly with the ad platform (e.g., your own AdSense account). Use RESELLER only if a partner network sells inventory on your behalf.
After updating ads.txt, it can take hours (sometimes longer) for crawlers to refresh. Re-check the file and consider purging CDN cache.
404 means the file isn't in the correct place. 403 means it's blocked by server rules/WAF/CDN. Make sure the file is public and not protected.
If you serve ads on a subdomain, it should also have its own ads.txt at https://sub.yourdomain.com/ads.txt unless your setup intentionally consolidates inventory elsewhere.
app-ads.txt is for mobile apps. It is hosted on your developer website domain at https://yourdomain.com/app-ads.txt and helps verify authorized sellers for app inventory.