TL;DR Summary:
Passkey Required: Starting August 5, new Google Ads API OAuth 2.0 refresh tokens will require a passkey for authentication, with the rollout reaching users over the following weeks.Existing Tokens Safe: Existing refresh tokens keep working, and service accounts are not affected, so current integrations should not be interrupted.Plan Ahead Now: Teams that onboard new users should set up passkeys early and account for a possible seven-day trust delay to avoid launch delays.Do you need a passkey to use the Google Ads API? Starting August 5, the answer is yes for anyone generating new OAuth 2.0 refresh tokens through the Google Ads API. Google is rolling out this change to strengthen account security, and if you build or manage Google Ads integrations, you need to know what changes before the rollout reaches your account.
Why Google Ads API Passkeys Are Becoming Mandatory
Google is requiring passkey authentication for anyone generating new OAuth 2.0 refresh tokens through the Google Ads API. A passkey is a login method tied to your device, such as your fingerprint, face scan, or a PIN, instead of a password you type in. The rollout begins on August 5 and expands to all users over the following weeks. Google Ads API passkeys will replace password-only logins and older two-factor methods like SMS codes and time-based one-time passwords for this specific workflow.
What Happens When You Don’t Have a Passkey Set Up
If you try to generate a new refresh token without a passkey, the system prompts you to create one during authentication. A newly created passkey can face a seven-day delay before it becomes fully trusted. This means you should not wait until the last minute to set up Google Ads API passkeys for your team or your clients. Google recommends creating a passkey ahead of time to avoid delays when new authentication is required.
Existing Integrations Stay Untouched
Existing OAuth refresh tokens continue to work and do not need reauthorization. If your integration already has a valid token, this change does not interrupt your workflow. Applications using service accounts for automated processes are also unaffected by the Google Ads API passkeys requirement. The change targets new token generation, not accounts already running.
Google Ads API Passkeys Reach Beyond the API Itself
The passkey requirement extends to other Google Ads products built on the Google Ads API. These include Google Ads Editor, Google Ads Scripts, BigQuery Data Transfer Service, and Looker Studio. If you access any of these tools without a passkey, you get the same prompt to create one. Anyone managing accounts across multiple tools should expect the same setup step in each place.
Who Needs to Prepare Before August 5
Most advertisers running standard campaigns will not notice this change. Developers, agencies, and SaaS platforms that generate OAuth refresh tokens for Google Ads users need to prepare their onboarding process now. If you onboard new users after the rollout starts, factor in the passkey setup step and the possible seven-day trust period. Skipping this planning step could delay a client launch or a new integration going live. Agencies handling several client accounts at once often feel this kind of change most acutely, since every integration in the pipeline needs the same setup step repeated. Consolidating prospecting and account management with a platform like LeadRocks can reduce the operational load elsewhere, giving your team more bandwidth to handle passkey setup and onboarding changes without falling behind schedule. Skipping this planning step could delay a client launch or a new integration going live.
The one thing to act on now is setting up passkeys before August 5, rather than waiting for the prompt to appear. If you manage onboarding for new Google Ads API users, build the passkey step and the seven-day trust delay into your timeline. Watch for the rollout reaching your account over the following weeks, and confirm your existing refresh tokens still work without any action from you. If your agency is already juggling multiple client integrations and onboarding workflows, consolidating your prospecting and account data with a tool like LeadRocks can free up time to focus on critical setup steps like Google Ads API passkey preparation before the August 5 rollout.
