Why it happens
A trademark in the copy
A trademark in the copy
Another company’s brand name in a headline or description. Limited until the owner authorizes you or you remove it.
A restricted category
Healthcare and medicines, alcohol, gambling, financial services and similar topics serve only where allowed and sometimes only with certification.
Country-specific rules
Copy allowed in one targeted country but restricted in another limits the ad to the countries where it is fine.
Limited ad serving
A newer account with little history can be limited across the board while Google builds trust.
How to fix it, step by step
Read the policy on each ad
Go to Campaigns, then Ads. Hover over Eligible (limited) in the Status column, or add the Policy details column from Columns, then Attributes.
Group the ads by topic
Open Tools, then Troubleshooting, then Policy manager. The Policy issues tab groups every limited ad by policy topic.
Change what you can
Remove third-party trademarks from the copy, soften restricted claims, or narrow targeting to countries where the topic is allowed.
Apply for certification where needed
For regulated categories, apply for the certification the policy names. Without it the ad stays limited.
Appeal if Google is wrong
In Policy manager select Appeal and choose Dispute decision.
Steps checked against Google Ads Advertising Policies Help: Fix a disapproved ad or appeal a policy decision; Google Ads Advertising Policies Help: Trademarks; Google Ads Help: About ad and asset approval status.
Sprites fixes this
Or let Sprites fix it
Sprites reads why every limited ad is limited, then rewrites the copy that is holding it back.
What Sprites does
- Reads approval and review status plus each policy topic on every ad, and groups them by topic.
- Rewrites the specific headlines and descriptions that carry the restricted term, in one batch across every affected ad.
- You approve every change before it goes live.
What it doesn't do
- It does not apply for certifications, request trademark authorization or file appeals.
- It cannot lift limits that come from the account itself, like limited ad serving.
Questions
What does Eligible (limited) mean for an ad?
The ad is approved but restricted by a policy, so it serves only in some locations, on some devices or to some audiences.
Is limited by policy the same as disapproved?
No. Disapproved ads do not serve at all. Limited ads serve, but less.
Why are all my ads limited at once?
A shared cause: a brand name in every ad, a restricted category for your whole business, or limited ad serving on the account.
How is this different from campaign status Eligible (limited)?
A campaign can be Eligible (limited) for budget or bid reasons too. The ad-level status is about policy only.
Let Sprites fix it
Connect the account. Sprites finds the cause, stages the change and waits for your approval.