Paid media
Google Ads preview tool
Preview a responsive search ad before it goes live: character counts against Google's limits, checks for text its policies name, and example layouts at phone and desktop widths.
Google's limits
Headlines, descriptions and paths counted against Google's own limits.
Policy flags
Text Google's editorial policies name, linked to each policy page.
Phone and desktop
Example combinations of your ad at both widths, in your browser.
Preview and check your Google ad
Free to use, no sign-up. It runs in your browser: nothing you type is sent to Convertica or to Google. The example ad is an illustration. The preview updates as you type.
Ad check
No problems found
5 headlines (3 to 15 allowed) and 2 descriptions (2 to 4).
Display URL: https://www.example.com/trail-shoes/waterproof
Longest headline: 27 of 30 characters.
Example combinations
Google assembles each ad itself, so these are examples of how your text may combine, not the live ad. Combination 1 uses your text in the order you entered it. Google may shorten text with "..." and adds assets such as sitelinks.
Enter a headline and a description to see the preview.
-
Combination 1
Ad https://www.example.com/trail-shoes/waterproof
Trail Running Shoes | Free Returns on Every Pair | Shop Waterproof Trail Shoes
Compare cushioning, drop and grip side by side, then pick the pair that suits your trail. Order by 3pm for same-day dispatch. Free returns within 30 days of delivery.
-
Combination 2
Ad https://www.example.com/trail-shoes/waterproof
Free Returns on Every Pair | Shop Waterproof Trail Shoes | Grip for Mud, Rock and Snow
Order by 3pm for same-day dispatch. Free returns within 30 days of delivery. Compare cushioning, drop and grip side by side, then pick the pair that suits your trail.
-
Combination 3
Ad https://www.example.com/trail-shoes/waterproof
Grip for Mud, Rock and Snow | Sizes 5 to 15 in Stock | Trail Running Shoes
Compare cushioning, drop and grip side by side, then pick the pair that suits your trail. Order by 3pm for same-day dispatch. Free returns within 30 days of delivery.
-
Combination 4
Ad https://www.example.com/trail-shoes/waterproof
Shop Waterproof Trail Shoes | Grip for Mud, Rock and Snow
Order by 3pm for same-day dispatch. Free returns within 30 days of delivery.
Every field, counted and checked
| Field | Text | Characters | Check |
|---|---|---|---|
| Headline 1 | Trail Running Shoes | 19 / 30 | OK |
| Headline 2 | Free Returns on Every Pair | 26 / 30 | OK |
| Headline 3 | Shop Waterproof Trail Shoes | 27 / 30 | OK |
| Headline 4 | Grip for Mud, Rock and Snow | 27 / 30 | OK |
| Headline 5 | Sizes 5 to 15 in Stock | 22 / 30 | OK |
| Description 1 | Compare cushioning, drop and grip side by side, then pick the pair that suits your trail. | 89 / 90 | OK |
| Description 2 | Order by 3pm for same-day dispatch. Free returns within 30 days of delivery. | 76 / 90 | OK |
| Path 1 | trail-shoes | 11 / 15 | OK |
| Path 2 | waterproof | 10 / 15 | OK |
Limits and policies come from Google Ads Help pages; sources are linked in each flag and under the limits table below. A flag is a pattern Google's pages name, not a disapproval: Google reviews every ad itself. Convertica is not affiliated with Google.
Short answer
A Google Ads preview tool shows how a responsive search ad may look before it runs. This free one counts every headline, description and path against Google's limits (30, 90 and 15 characters), flags text Google's editorial policies name, and shows example combinations at phone and desktop widths. Google assembles the real ad itself.
- Google's limits for a responsive search ad: 30 characters per headline, 90 per description, 15 per display path field, with 3 to 15 headlines and 2 to 4 descriptions.
- A Chinese, Japanese or Korean character counts as 2 toward each limit, so a headline holds 15 of them.
- Google shows up to 3 headlines and 2 descriptions, in any order, and may shorten text. The second and third headlines and the second description are not guaranteed to show.
- The checks look for patterns Google's policy pages name: repeated punctuation, emoji, all capitals, phone numbers, odd spacing, list formatting and repeated text. Google makes the final call.
- It runs in your browser, does not call Google and is not Google's Ad preview and diagnosis tool, which checks live ads inside your account.
What is a Google Ads preview tool?
A Google Ads preview tool shows how a search ad may look before it runs, so you can read the headlines and descriptions together instead of as a list of separate fields. This Google Ads preview tool also counts each field against Google's character limits and flags text that Google's editorial policies name, all in your browser.
A responsive search ad is not one fixed ad. You give Google Ads up to 15 headlines and 4 descriptions, and it assembles them into different combinations for different searches. That is why reading the pieces in combination matters: two headlines that each make sense can repeat each other or contradict each other side by side.
How to use the preview tool
- Paste your headlines, one per line. Use at least 3; Google Ads will not save a responsive search ad with fewer.
- Paste your descriptions, one per line. At least 2, up to 4.
- Add the final URL and the two path fields. The preview builds the display URL from your domain and the paths, the way Google describes it.
- Read the example combinations at both widths. Check that any headline reads well next to any other, and that the most important point is not left to headline 3.
- Work through the flags in the field table. Fix anything over a limit. For a review flag, read the linked policy page and decide; Google makes the final call when it reviews the ad.
Google Ads character limits for responsive search ads
Google Ads character limits for a responsive search ad are 30 characters per headline, 90 per description and 15 for each of the two display path fields. The final URL can run to 2,048 characters. Spaces and punctuation count, and a double-width character counts as 2.
| Field | Limit | How many | Shown at once |
|---|---|---|---|
| Headline | 30 characters | 3 to 15 | Up to 3, separated by a vertical bar |
| Description | 90 characters | 2 to 4 | Up to 2 |
| Display path | 15 characters each | 2 fields, optional | After the domain in the display URL |
| Final URL | 2,048 characters | 1 | Only its domain shows |
| Business name | 25 characters | 1, part of business information | Where Google shows it |
Sources: Google Ads Help: About responsive search ads, Google Ads Help: About text ads and Google Ads Help: Search campaigns specs and format requirements, read on . Google changes its formats, so check those pages before you rely on a figure.
How Google counts Chinese, Japanese and Korean characters
Google counts every character in a double-width language such as Chinese, Japanese or Korean as 2 toward each limit. So a headline holds 15 of them, a description 45 and a path field 7. Google's style and spelling policy lists going over these limits as not allowed.
- The Japanese headline 無料お見積もり ("free estimate") has 7 characters.
- All 7 are double width, so Google counts 7 × 2 = 14 of the 30 available.
Half-width katakana are the exception: they are single width, and Google's punctuation and symbols policy lists single-byte katakana as an unsupported character. The tool flags them.
When a headline is over the limit
Google Ads will not accept a headline over 30 characters, so the fix is to cut words, not letters. "Waterproof Trail Running Shoes for Men" is 38 characters, 8 over. "Waterproof Trail Shoes" is 22 and keeps the words a searcher would type. Google's own tip: if a keyword phrase is longer than a headline allows, put it in a description, which takes 90.
How does Google assemble a responsive search ad?
Google assembles a responsive search ad by picking headlines and descriptions from the ones you entered, in any order, and testing combinations to learn which work best for which searches. It can show up to 3 headlines and 2 descriptions; the second and third headlines and the second description are not guaranteed to appear.
- Any order. Google's help page says to write headlines so they make sense on their own and in combination, and to try writing the first three as if they will appear together.
- Shortening. Google may shorten text, usually with an ellipsis, and a call button or other asset can take the place of part of the text. Wide letters such as "m" take more room than narrow ones such as "i", so a headline can be wider than the space on some screens even inside the limit.
- Pinning. You can pin a headline or description to a position. Text pinned to headline position 1, headline position 2 or description position 1 always shows; Google says pinning reduces the combinations it can test and is not recommended for most advertisers.
- Other places. Google can also show a headline at the start of the description, or use unused headlines and descriptions as link-based assets pointing to the same domain.
- Bold text. Part of the ad text may appear in bold when it matches the search.
That is why this preview shows several combinations and two widths rather than one picture of "the" ad. Everything above is from Google Ads Help: About responsive search ads.
Google's Ad preview and diagnosis tool vs this ad preview tool
Google's Ad preview and diagnosis tool is inside your Google Ads account. It shows whether a live ad appears for a search and why it might not, without adding impressions to your statistics. This ad preview tool works before the ad exists: it checks the text and lays out example combinations, with no account and no connection to Google.
| Compared on | Google's Ad preview and diagnosis tool | This Google Ads preview tool |
|---|---|---|
| Where it runs | Inside your Google Ads account, under Tools | In your browser, on this page |
| What it needs | A live campaign and a search term | Your draft headlines, descriptions and URL |
| What it tells you | Whether your ad and its assets show for that search, and possible reasons if not | Character counts, patterns Google's policies name, example combinations |
| When to use it | After launch, to troubleshoot | Before launch, to write and approve copy |
| Who makes it | Convertica, not affiliated with Google |
Google recommends its tool over searching for your own ad, because a normal search adds impressions and affects your statistics. Details: Google Ads Help: About the Ad preview and diagnosis tool. Google Ads also shows a preview beside the form while you create a responsive search ad, and notes that it does not show every combination.
Why would Google Ads disapprove ad text? The checks this tool runs
Google Ads can disapprove ad text that breaks its editorial policy: text that is not clear, uses punctuation, capitals or spacing in non-standard ways, or contains a phone number. The tool flags the patterns those policy pages give as examples. Google reviews every ad itself, so a flag means "look again", and no flag is not an approval.
| Check | Flagged when the text | Level | Policy |
|---|---|---|---|
| Over the limit | Is longer than the field allows, counting double-width characters as 2 | Fix | Responsive search ads |
| Too few or too many | Has fewer than 3 headlines or 2 descriptions, or more than 15 or 4 | Fix | Responsive search ads |
| Unsupported characters | Contains an emoji or half-width katakana | Fix | Punctuation and symbols |
| Repeated punctuation | Repeats a symbol in a row, like "!!", wraps words in asterisks, or puts dots between letters | Review | Punctuation and symbols |
| Capitals | Is all in capitals, or mixes capitals inside a word, like "FlOwErS" | Review | Capitalization |
| Phone number | Holds seven or more digits that read like a phone number | Review | Phone number in ad text |
| Spacing | Has double spaces, no space after a comma, or letters spaced out one by one | Review | Unacceptable spacing |
| List style and generic calls to action | Starts like a bullet or numbered list, or says "click here" | Review | Style and spelling |
| Repetition | Repeats the text of another headline or description in the same ad | Review | Repetition |
Google allows some exceptions after a review, such as a brand name with non-standard capitals or spacing, an asterisk for a star rating and common abbreviations like "ASAP". The tool cannot tell those apart, which is why most checks are a review rather than a fix. It does not check spelling, grammar, trademarks or whether your landing page matches the ad. All policy pages are under Google Ads policies: Editorial.
Worked example: an ad with problems
This illustrative ad has 5 headlines and one description. The tool returns 2 to fix, 6 to review:
| Field | Text | Characters | Flags |
|---|---|---|---|
| Headline 1 | FREE SAME DAY QUOTES | 20 / 30 | Review: The whole line is in capitals. Google's capitalization policy names text like "FLOWERS" as excessive; common abbreviations such as "ASAP" are allowed. |
| Headline 2 | Local Plumber!! | 15 / 30 | Review: The symbol "!" is repeated in a row. Google's policy names repeated punctuation, like "flowers!!", as not allowed. |
| Headline 3 | Call 555 010 4477 Today | 23 / 30 | Review: Looks like a phone number. Google's policy does not allow a phone number in ad text; use a call asset instead. |
| Headline 4 | Local Plumber | 13 / 30 | Review: Same text as headline 2. Google's repetition policy does not allow asset text that repeats another asset. |
| Headline 5 | Emergency Plumbing Repairs Done Right | 37 / 30 | Fix: 37 of 30 characters: 7 over the limit Google Ads accepts for this field. |
| Description 1 | Click here for a quote,we answer every day of the week. | 55 / 90 | Review: No space after a comma or other punctuation. Google's spacing policy names text like "Sale,buy flowers" as not allowed. Review: "Click here" is a generic call to action. Google's style policy names it as one that could apply to any ad. |
| The whole ad | Fix: 1 description: Google Ads needs at least 2 to save a responsive search ad. |
The fixes: write the first headline in normal capitals, drop the "!!", move the phone number to a call asset, replace the repeated headline with a new point, shorten the long headline, add a space after the comma, swap "Click here" for what the click gets, and add a second description.
How to write responsive search ad headlines that work in any order
Responsive search ad headlines work in any order when each one makes sense alone and adds something the others do not. Google's own tips: include at least one of your keywords, write as many unique headlines as you can, and cover benefits, the problem you solve, and shipping or returns. Variations with a different call to action add more options.
- Give each headline one job. One names what you sell, one gives a reason to choose you, one says what to do next. Read the preview to check no pair repeats itself.
- Put must-show text where it always shows. A disclaimer or legal line goes in a position Google always shows: pin it to headline 1, headline 2 or description 1.
- Match the landing page. The promise in the ad should be the first thing the visitor sees on the page it links to. If the page says something else, the click is paid for and the visitor leaves.
- Check each headline on its own. The headline analyzer runs nine rule-based checks on a single headline, with the Google Ads limit as one placement.
- Tag the final URL if you track outside Google Ads. Build the campaign parameters with the UTM generator, and check the tagged address still fits the 2,048 character limit.
An ad's job ends at the click. What a click is worth depends on how many visitors the landing page turns into customers: the CPC calculator shows the most you can pay per click at your conversion rate, and the guide to click-through rate in Google Ads covers the rest of the ad side. If the landing page is the weak link, Convertica's free CRO audit scores it on eight checks and gives three fixes.
How to count Google Ads characters in Excel or Google Sheets
To count Google Ads characters in Excel or Google Sheets, put each headline in column A and use =LEN(A2), which counts letters, spaces and punctuation. Compare it with the limit to flag long lines. LEN counts a Chinese, Japanese or Korean character once, so text in those languages needs the double count Google uses, which this tool applies.
| To get | Formula | Cells |
|---|---|---|
| Characters in a headline | =LEN(A2) | Headline in A2 |
| Characters left | =30-LEN(A2) | Use 90 for a description, 15 for a path |
| Over the limit? | =IF(LEN(A2)>30,"Over","OK") | Copy down the column |
| Same text twice? | =IF(COUNTIF(A:A,A2)>1,"Repeated","") | Catches exact repeats only |
Related tools
The ad gets the click. These tools cover the link it carries, the headline on its own and what each click can cost.
See all free tools and how they fit together.
Google Ads preview tool FAQ
What is a Google Ads preview tool?
A Google Ads preview tool shows how a search ad may appear before you publish it. This one takes your headlines, descriptions, final URL and display path, counts each against Google's limits, flags text Google's editorial policies name, and lays out example combinations at phone and desktop widths. It runs in your browser and does not connect to Google Ads.
What is the character limit for Google Ads headlines?
Google Ads headlines for responsive search ads can be up to 30 characters each. Descriptions can be up to 90 characters and each of the two display path fields up to 15. A character in a double-width language such as Chinese, Japanese or Korean counts as 2, according to Google Ads Help.
Do spaces count toward the Google Ads character limit?
Yes. Spaces and punctuation count toward the Google Ads character limits like any other character. This tool counts them the same way, and counts a Chinese, Japanese or Korean character as 2, as Google's help page says.
How many headlines and descriptions does a responsive search ad need?
A responsive search ad needs at least 3 headlines and 2 descriptions, and takes up to 15 headlines and 4 descriptions. Google shows up to 3 headlines and 2 descriptions at a time and chooses the combination for each search.
Is this the same as Google's Ad preview and diagnosis tool?
No. Google's Ad preview and diagnosis tool lives inside your Google Ads account and shows whether a live ad appears for a search, without adding impressions. This tool checks ad text before it goes into the account: lengths, policy patterns and example layouts. It is not affiliated with Google.
Will my ad look exactly like the preview?
Not necessarily. Google assembles each responsive search ad itself, may show fewer headlines or descriptions, may shorten text with an ellipsis and adds assets such as sitelinks or a call button. The preview is an approximation for reading your copy in combination, not a copy of the live ad.
Does the tool send my ad text anywhere?
No. The checks and the preview run in your browser. Nothing you type is sent to Convertica, to Google or to anyone else, and nothing is stored.
