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Your account has been put on a temporary hold – Google Ads
Gianluca Catinella, Director, Ad Restore LtdPublished on 8 min read
Your account has been put on a temporary hold as a result of a strike being issued to your account.
From Google’s Appeal and Acknowledgement Form for Strikes, checked on 4 October 2026. Google says it also sends an email and an in-account notification when it issues a strike.
This sentence means Google has issued a strike against your Google Ads account, for breaking the same ad policy again after a warning, and has stopped your ads. Google says “Accounts in a temporary hold state can’t run any ads.” You can still sign in and see your reports. It isn’t a suspension yet, but a third strike would be.
The hold doesn’t lift by itself. Google says “If you take no action to either acknowledge or appeal the strike, your account will continue to remain on hold.” Below: how the strike system works, the two ways out, and how to stop a third strike turning into a suspension.
Checked against Google’s help pages on 4 October 2026. Google changes them without notice, so check the linked page before relying on a detail.
At a glance
Ads stop, access doesn’t
No ads run during a hold, but you can still sign in and see your reports.
A warning, then strikes
The first violation brings a warning. Strikes one and two bring holds; the third, a suspension.
Three days, then seven
Google’s holds last three days for a first strike and seven for a second.
A 90-day window
A second or third strike counts if it comes within 90 days of the one before.
Acknowledge or appeal
One Google form does both. Until you use it, the hold stays.
On this page9 sections
What a strike is
Google enforces some of its policies with a strike-based system. In its words, “Strikes are issued to your Google Ads account when you repeatedly violate certain Google Ads policies.” The first violation isn’t a strike: Google says no strikes are issued for the first policy violation. That first one is a warning, sent once, by email.
Google says the strike system applies to these policies: Enabling dishonest behaviour, Unapproved substances, Guns, gun parts and related products, Explosives, Other weapons, Tobacco, Compensated sexual acts, Mail-order brides, Clickbait, Misleading ad design, Bail bond services, Call directories, forwarding and recording services, Credit repair services, Binary options and Personal loans. If your ads were disapproved under a different policy, this isn’t the system you’re dealing with. Google’s page on repeat violations holds the current list, and it has grown since the system started in 2021.
Warning, strikes and suspension
Google’s strike stages, for one policy
| Stage | When it happens | What Google does |
|---|---|---|
| Warning | Your first violation of the policy | An email warning, sent once. No hold. |
| First strike | You keep violating the same policy after the warning | A temporary hold of three days. |
| Second strike | The same policy again, within 90 days of the first strike | A temporary hold of seven days, as the last and final notice. |
| Third strike | The same policy again, within 90 days of the second strike | Suspension for repeat violation. |
Google calls the second strike “the last and final notice” to remove every violating ad or asset. An account can receive a maximum of one warning and three strikes per policy violation, and Google’s 2021 announcement of the system says strikes will remain on the Google Ads account for 90 days unless they’re successfully appealed.
How it relates to a suspension
A hold is not a suspension, but it’s the road to one. Google’s suspensions overview puts it in one sentence: “Temporary account holds will be applied for the first and second strikes (for three and seven days respectively), while the third strike will result in an account suspension.”
For repeat violations, Google also says it sends a warning at least seven days before a suspension action. That’s different from Google’s egregious policies, such as Circumventing Systems and Unacceptable Business Practices, where an account is suspended immediately without a warning. For the difference between disapprovals, limits, holds and suspensions, see why Google Ads suspends accounts.
The two ways out: acknowledge or appeal
Both go through Google’s Appeal and Acknowledgement Form for Strikes. Acknowledge if the ads did break the policy. Appeal only if you believe the strike was issued in error.
Acknowledge the strike
Find every ad and asset that breaks the policy.
Google’s disapproval guide shows how: hover over the ‘Disapproved’ status, or use the View and fix policy issues link in the email to open the affected ads in Policy manager.
Remove or fix all of them.
Google says you must remove or fix all policy violations in your account before you acknowledge. The landing page counts too: a disapproval can be caused by an issue with your assets, ads or the landing page.
Complete the acknowledgement form.
By submitting it you affirm that you know which policy led to the strike, that the violating ads and assets are gone, and that creating additional accounts or attempting to circumvent Google’s enforcement is strictly prohibited.
Wait for the hold to run its course.
Once the form is in, Google says ads resume three days after the temporary hold was initiated for a first strike, and seven days after it for a second.
Appeal the strike
Google says “If you successfully appeal the strike, it will be removed from your account and the compliant ads will be approved.” The account is then released from temporary hold immediately.
The form asks for the customer ID of the individual account (not your manager account), a contact name and email, your website, a short description of the business, the policy the strike was issued for, and a summary of the issue in up to 1,000 characters. Google says to expect a response within five working days, though sometimes it can take a bit longer, and asks you not to create new accounts during your appeal.
If the appeal fails, you’re back to the first route: Google says you’d still be required to remove or fix the policy violations and acknowledge the strike before the hold is released.
While the account is on hold
- Don’t create new violating ads. Google: “If you create new policy violating ads while your account is in a temporary hold state, you will be issued an additional strike.”
- Check every edit against the policy. Google asks you to make sure modified and new ads comply with the relevant policy.
- Expect to be watched. Google says it will continue to monitor your account for repeat violations.
- Look out for the release email. After a second strike, Google says it will send you an email when your account is released.
After the hold: keeping clear of a third strike
A third strike on the same policy within 90 days of the second means suspension. From Google’s own pages:
- Read the policy the strike names, not just the disapproval message. The acknowledgement asks you to confirm you’ve reviewed it.
- Don’t keep resubmitting the same ad. If you’ve fixed an ad but its appeal fails or is marked as a duplicate, Google says to make a minor edit to your ad’s text or final URL and save it, rather than appealing again and again.
- Appeal decisions while you can. Since 21 July 2026, Google says the in-account option to appeal a policy decision will not be available for policy decisions made more than six months prior.
Can it be fixed?
A hold, yes: Google sets out exactly how it ends, by acknowledgement after the fixes or by a successful appeal. A suspension after a third strike is harder. Google says to submit an appeal if you believe there’s been an error, and adds: “We only reinstate accounts under compelling circumstances”. Only Google decides. If it comes to that, read what the appeal form asks and what a strong appeal contains.
Don’t open a second account while you’re on hold.
Google’s page on temporary holds says: “Please do not create any new accounts while your account is on temporary hold. Circumventing our systems or processes may lead to an account suspension.” Read why a new account makes things worse.
Frequently asked questions
What does “Your account has been put on a temporary hold” mean?
Google has issued a strike against the account for breaking the same ad policy again after a warning. While the account is on hold, no ads run, but you can still sign in and see your reports. It ends when you fix the violations and acknowledge the strike, or when an appeal against the strike succeeds.
How long does a Google Ads temporary hold last?
Google says ads resume three days after the hold started for a first strike, and seven days after it for a second, once you’ve fixed the violations and acknowledged the strike. If you do nothing, the hold stays. A successful appeal ends it straight away.
Should I acknowledge or appeal the strike?
Appeal only if you believe the strike was issued in error. If the ads did break the policy, fix every violating ad and asset and acknowledge. If an appeal fails, Google still requires the fixes and the acknowledgement before it releases the hold.
How long do strikes stay on a Google Ads account?
Google’s 2021 announcement says strikes remain on the account for 90 days unless they’re successfully appealed, and its strike page counts a second or third strike only if it comes within 90 days of the one before.
Which policies use strikes?
Google lists: Enabling dishonest behaviour, Unapproved substances, Guns, gun parts and related products, Explosives, Other weapons, Tobacco, Compensated sexual acts, Mail-order brides, Clickbait, Misleading ad design, Bail bond services, Call directories, forwarding and recording services, Credit repair services, Binary options and Personal loans. Check Google’s page for the current list.
Can I still edit the account while it’s on hold?
Yes, but carefully. Google says a new policy-violating ad created during a hold earns an additional strike, so check every new or edited ad against the policy first.
Does Ad Restore help with strikes?
It isn’t one of our fixed-price services, but we can talk it through on a free consultation, and our managed Google Ads service is built around preventing suspensions. If a third strike has already suspended the account, call us. Ad Restore Ltd is independent of Google, and only Google decides.
