Google Ads Will Limit Access To Older Reporting Data via @sejournal, @martinibuster

Google Ads published new reporting data retention limits that change how long advertisers can access historical performance data through the interface and APIs. The update offers some clarity about which reporting periods will remain available and what advertisers may need to preserve on their own.

Google Ads Reporting Data Availability

Google Ads reporting data will have new retention limits beginning June 1, 2026. Hourly, daily, and weekly reporting data collected for periods shorter than one month will be available for 37 months, while monthly, quarterly, and annual data will be available for 11 years.

After those periods end, the data will no longer be accessible through the Google Ads interface or APIs.

That distinction is important because the new limits do not apply evenly to all reporting data. The shortest access window applies to the more granular data that advertisers often use to evaluate performance changes over time.

Big Query Data Transfers

There was also a change to the Google Cloud Release Notes:

“Starting June 1, 2026, due to changes in Google Ads data retention policies, the BigQuery Data Transfer Service connectors for Google Ads, Search Ads 360, and Google Analytics 4 will stop populating data for backfill runs with dates earlier than 37 months from the current date.”

h/t to @changewatchdev

Response On Twitter

There’s not much discussion on Twitter although I did see a tweet by @jordanfry which generated a discussion, with @TalkNerdie2Me responding

“We have franchise data for 15 years. Utilize this to manage risk when making changes, comparing seasonal trends, testing, testing, and testing. This ad platform has decreased effectiveness since covid. Now you’re withholding the thing that matters?”

Granular Reporting Data Gets A 37-Month Window

The 37-month retention period applies to hourly, daily, and weekly reporting data collected for periods shorter than one month.

That data is often used for daily pacing, weekly trend analysis, campaign diagnostics, seasonality comparisons, and performance reviews across multiple years. The new limit makes those use cases more dependent on whether advertisers have already saved the data they need.

Monthly totals may still show that a campaign performed differently year over year. But daily or weekly data may be needed to understand whether that change came from a few unusual days, a seasonal shift, budget pacing, promotions, or changes in demand.

Monthly And Annual Reporting Data Remains Available Longer

Monthly, quarterly, and annual reporting data will remain available for 11 years. That gives advertisers a much longer window for broad historical comparisons than the 37-month limit for shorter reporting periods.

The distinction keeps the change from being a simple cutoff for all old reporting data. Advertisers will still be able to review long-term performance, but not always with the same level of detail.

That means annual and monthly comparisons may remain possible long after the daily or weekly data behind those totals is no longer available.

Reach And Frequency Metrics Have A Shorter Limit

Reach and frequency metrics have a separate 3-year limit.

Google lists affected metrics that include unique users, average impression frequency per user, 7-day and 30-day average impression frequency per user, and frequency distribution metrics such as 1+, 2+, 3+, 4+, 5+, and 10+.

That shorter window is especially relevant to advertisers that use Google Ads for audience exposure analysis, brand campaigns, and media planning.

Performance advertisers may focus on the 37-month limit for detailed campaign reporting. Brand advertisers and media teams may need to focus more closely on the shorter 3-year window for reach and frequency data.

API Access Will Also Be Limited

The retention limits also apply to API access.

Google says data that passes the applicable retention window will no longer be available through the Google Ads interface or APIs. That affects dashboards, reporting pipelines, data warehouses, agency reports, and other systems that pull historical data from Google Ads.

This is where the change becomes an operational issue. A reporting workflow that retrieves older data only when a report is generated may fail once that data has aged out of Google’s system.

Advertisers using automated reporting should check whether their systems store historical data independently or only query Google Ads when the data is needed.

Advertisers May Need Their Own Data Archive

Google’s support-linked AI tool points to several options for managing data before the retention periods end.

Advertisers can download reports from the Google Ads interface, use the Google Ads API for automated extraction and storage, and use Google Analytics tools when accounts are linked.

The practical point is that Google Ads should not be treated as a permanent archive for every level of historical reporting.

Agencies, in-house marketing teams, and advertisers that need older granular data for audits, forecasting, budget planning, campaign analysis, or seasonal comparisons may need to export and store that data before it ages out.

Historical Data Becomes An Advertiser Responsibility

Google Ads will continue to provide historical reporting, but the new limits make it less useful as a permanent record of granular campaign data.

Takeaways

Read the Google Ads data retention policy update.

Featured Image by Shutterstock/jijomathaidesigners