Google Ads Removes Campaign Language Targeting From Search

What changed, and when

Google announced the change to advertisers in August 2026. It was reported by Search Engine Land on 13 August and Search Engine Roundtable on 14 August. Google also published technical details on the Google Ads Developer Blog. The removal took effect from late September 2026. The reports we checked give no exact switch-over day.

The reported changes:

• Search and AI Max for Search: the campaign language setting is removed. Ads match based on the language of the ads themselves, plus signals about the languages a user understands.
• Performance Max: language settings no longer apply to ads served on Google Search, which now work like standard Search campaigns. The settings still guide delivery on YouTube, Display, Discover and Gmail. Shopping ads within Performance Max are not affected.
• Language exclusions were not supported before and are not supported now.
• Google does not translate your ads. If you want to appear in Arabic, you still need Arabic ads.
• No restructuring is required. Single-language campaign structures keep working. Google's email said no action is required.

Google says its system looks beyond the browser's interface language. Signals include the language of the search term, the user's language settings and other preferences. Search Engine Land's example: someone whose browser is in Spanish but who usually searches in English could see ads in either language. When several of your campaigns or ad groups are eligible, Google's ad group prioritisation picks the one whose language best fits the user.

For developers, adding or updating a language criterion on a Search campaign through the API now returns an error. Existing language criteria can stay, but they no longer affect targeting.

Who this affects

• Every advertiser running Search campaigns, and Performance Max on Search inventory.
• Most of all, advertisers in multilingual markets who split campaigns by language. The UAE is a clear example, with English and Arabic campaigns and sometimes Russian, Hindi or other languages for specific patient groups.

What clinics and healthcare advertisers in the UAE should do now

1. Check that every ad is fully in one language. An "Arabic" ad group with English headlines, or English ads pointing to an Arabic page, now sends mixed signals. Google uses ad and landing page language to decide who sees what.
2. Match landing pages to ad language. Arabic ads should land on Arabic pages with right-to-left layout and Arabic booking forms. English ads should land on English pages. Don't send Arabic searchers to an English homepage.
3. Write Arabic ads in Arabic. Google won't translate them, and keyword matching works across languages only if the system thinks the user understands your ad and page.
4. Review search terms by language. Over the next few weeks, check whether your English campaigns are picking up Arabic queries, or the other way round. Add negatives or adjust keywords where the language doesn't fit.
5. Don't over-split. If you created separate campaigns only to use the language setting, check whether each still has enough conversions for Smart Bidding. Merging small campaigns can help, as long as ads and pages stay language-specific at ad group level.
6. Watch Quality Score. Ad relevance and landing page experience depend on matching the searcher's intent, and language is part of that. Our Quality Score guide covers how to check.
7. Remember September's other changes. Google also began converting some Search campaigns to AI Max from 1 September 2026, PPC Land noted. If your September numbers moved, check both changes before drawing conclusions.

What sources don't say

None of the reports name a UAE-specific rollout date. They also don't list which "other preferences" Google uses to infer a user's languages. Treat third-party claims beyond what Google has stated with caution.

Running bilingual campaigns for a clinic and want a language audit? Access One can review your setup.

Frequently asked questions

Can I still target Arabic speakers only in Google Ads Search?

Not with a campaign setting. Google now uses the language of your ads and landing pages, plus user signals. Writing ads and pages only in Arabic is the way to reach Arabic searchers.

Do I need to restructure my English and Arabic campaigns?

Google says no action is required, and single-language campaign structures keep working. Check that each campaign's ads and landing pages are clearly in its intended language.

Does this affect YouTube or Display?

For Performance Max, language settings still guide delivery on YouTube, Display, Discover and Gmail. The removal applies to Search campaigns and to Performance Max ads on Google Search.

Will Google translate my ads automatically?

No. Google said it does not translate ad creatives, including AI Max text customisation.

Sources

• Google Ads Developer Blog: language targeting changes (August 2026)
• Google Ads Help: language matching
• Google Ads Help: AI-driven ad group and asset prioritization
• Search Engine Land: Google Ads is removing language targeting from Search campaigns (13 August 2026)
• Search Engine Roundtable: Google Ads language targeting update (14 August 2026)
• PPC Land: Google Ads drops language targeting in September

Published 18 Oct 2026 · Access One