Google Ads Customer Match API Migration 2026: Complete Guide

Step 1: Enable the Data Manager API in Google Cloud Console

1. 1. Go to Google Cloud Console
2. 2. Select the same project linked to your Google Ads API integration
3. 3. Navigate to APIs & Services → Library
4. 4. Search for "Data Manager API"
5. 5. Click Enable

Tip: Use the same Google Cloud project you already use for your Google Ads API credentials. This simplifies OAuth configuration.

Step 2: Configure OAuth 2.0 Credentials

Unlike the Google Ads API, the Data Manager API does not require a developer token. You authenticate using standard OAuth 2.0 credentials:

1. 1. In Google Cloud Console, go to APIs & Services → Credentials
2. 2. Create or modify your OAuth 2.0 client ID
3. 3. Add the datamanager scope to your OAuth consent screen
4. 4. If using a service account, grant it access to the Data Manager API

Step 3: Map Your Existing Code to the Data Manager API

The biggest change is the workflow simplification. Here's how the old and new approaches compare:

Old Approach (Google Ads API):

// 1. Create an OfflineUserDataJob
const job = await client.offlineUserDataJobs.create(...)

// 2. Add user data operations
await client.offlineUserDataJobs.addOperations(job.resourceName, operations)

// 3. Run the job
await client.offlineUserDataJobs.run(job.resourceName)

// 4. Poll for completion (can take minutes)
while (status !== 'SUCCESS') {
  status = await client.offlineUserDataJobs.get(job.resourceName)
  await sleep(5000)
}

New Approach (Data Manager API):

// Single ingestion request — no job management
const response = await dataManagerClient.audienceMembers.ingest({
  parent: 'audiences/AUDIENCE_ID',
  members: hashedUserData,
  // Can target multiple audiences in one call
})

Step 4: Hash Your User Data (Same Format)

The Data Manager API uses the same SHA-256 hashing requirements as the Google Ads API. If you're already hashing emails, phone numbers, and addresses correctly, no changes are needed to your data preparation logic:

• • Emails: lowercase, trim whitespace, SHA-256 hash
• • Phone numbers: E.164 format (+1XXXXXXXXXX), SHA-256 hash
• • Names/addresses: lowercase, trim whitespace, SHA-256 hash
• • Up to 10 identifiers per user (email, phone, name, address combinations)

Step 5: Test with a Small Audience Segment

Before migrating your production workflows, run a test upload:

1. 1. Create a test audience list in Google Ads with 50-100 known users
2. 2. Upload via the Data Manager API
3. 3. Verify the audience appears in Google Ads Manager
4. 4. Compare member count with your expected total
5. 5. Check that match rates are consistent with your Google Ads API uploads

Step 6: Switch Production Traffic

Once testing confirms everything works, update your production code:

1. 1. Deploy the Data Manager API integration to production
2. 2. Run both old and new integrations in parallel for 48-72 hours
3. 3. Verify audience member counts match between both APIs
4. 4. Disable the Google Ads API upload path
5. 5. Monitor your Performance Max campaigns and other campaigns using Customer Match for any performance changes (there shouldn't be any)

What is the Google Ads Customer Match API migration?

The Google Ads Customer Match API migration is Google's mandatory transition from using the Google Ads API (OfflineUserDataJobService and UserDataService) for Customer Match audience uploads to the newer Data Manager API. Starting April 1, 2026, developer tokens that haven't uploaded Customer Match data in the past 180 days will lose the ability to upload via the Google Ads API. All developers must eventually migrate to the Data Manager API for Customer Match operations.

When is the deadline to migrate to the Data Manager API?

The hard deadline is April 1, 2026. On this date, Google will disable Customer Match upload functionality through the Google Ads API for any developer token that has not performed a Customer Match upload in the last 180 days (roughly since October 4, 2025). Actively used developer tokens retain access temporarily, but Google recommends migrating all implementations to the Data Manager API as soon as possible.

What happens if I don't migrate by April 1, 2026?

If your developer token hasn't been used for Customer Match uploads in the past 180 days and you attempt to upload after April 1, 2026, you'll receive the error CUSTOMER_NOT_ALLOWLISTED_FOR_THIS_FEATURE. Your Customer Match uploads will fail completely. However, all other Google Ads API functions — campaign management, bidding, reporting, and ad group configuration — continue working normally. Only Customer Match upload operations are affected.

How do I test my Data Manager API integration before the deadline?

Start by enabling the Data Manager API in your Google Cloud Console under APIs & Services. Create OAuth 2.0 credentials with the datamanager scope. Then run a small test upload with a subset of your audience list (under 100 records). Verify the ingestion request completes successfully, check that the audience appears correctly in Google Ads, and compare member counts between your old Google Ads API uploads and the new Data Manager API uploads. Google provides official migration documentation and a support channel for troubleshooting.

Does the Data Manager API change how Customer Match audiences perform?

No, the Data Manager API migration does not change how Customer Match audiences perform in your campaigns. The migration only affects how you upload audience data — the audience matching, targeting, and ad delivery remain identical. In fact, the Data Manager API adds new features like confidential matching and encryption that can improve data security. Your campaign performance, match rates, and audience reach should remain consistent after migration.

What are the rate limits for the Data Manager API?

The Data Manager API uses project-based quotas: each Google Cloud project is limited to 100,000 requests per day and 300 requests per minute. Individual requests can contain up to 10,000 audience members with up to 10 user identifiers each. This means a single request can handle 10,000 users, so most advertisers can upload their entire Customer Match list in just a few API calls.

Do I need a developer token for the Data Manager API?

No. Unlike the Google Ads API which requires a separately approved developer token, the Data Manager API uses standard Google Cloud OAuth 2.0 credentials. You authenticate using either OAuth 2.0 client credentials or a service account. This simplifies the setup process significantly — you only need a Google Cloud project with the Data Manager API enabled and proper OAuth 2.0 credentials configured with the datamanager scope.