Google Ads Ends Manual Language Targeting in Search Campaigns
Google has announced that by the end of this year (2025) manual language targeting in Search campaigns will no longer be available. From now on, Google’s AI will automatically detect and target user languages without any manual setup from advertisers.
What Is Changing
Until now advertisers could select which languages their Search campaigns would target. This gave control over where and how ads appeared, especially for international accounts. With this update Google is removing that setting completely. The system will decide on its own which languages to serve ads in, based on user signals such as browser preferences and search behavior.
What Is Staying the Same
This update only affects Search campaigns. Other campaign types such as Display and YouTube will continue to offer manual language targeting for now. If your business relies heavily on language targeting for video or banner campaigns nothing changes there.
Why It Matters
On the surface this change seems like it will save time by simplifying campaign setup. However, the loss of control creates real concerns.
- Risk of wasted spend: Ads may start showing in the wrong language markets, generating irrelevant clicks.
- Missed opportunities: Specific language audiences that previously delivered results may no longer be targeted effectively.
- More dependency on AI: Advertisers will have to trust Google’s detection system without the option to fine tune.
In practice this means campaign managers must stay closer to performance data. Regular monitoring of search terms, locations, and conversions will be essential to ensure budgets are not being drained by irrelevant traffic.
Expert Perspective
Having managed Google Ads for nearly two decades I have seen this trend coming. Each year Google shifts more control from advertisers to automation. Sometimes it works in our favor, other times it creates blind spots that cost money. Language targeting has always been a critical setting for international advertisers and removing it will not be welcomed by many.
The best response is to adapt quickly. Keep an eye on performance after the rollout and consider segmenting campaigns by geography more carefully since language targeting will no longer be an option. Test your campaigns across different regions and watch for shifts in traffic quality.
The Bigger Picture
This move is part of Google’s broader push toward AI-driven campaign management. Features like responsive search ads, smart bidding, and Performance Max already rely on automation. Removing manual language targeting is simply another step in the same direction.
For advertisers the lesson is clear. While control is being reduced in some areas, the ability to interpret data, identify issues quickly, and adjust strategy is becoming more important than ever. The human role in Google Ads is not disappearing. It is shifting from setup to oversight and strategic management.