Manage responsive YouTube ads with Display & Video 360 API v5

Thursday, November 12, 2026

Today we're updating Display & Video 360 API v5 to add the ability to create, delete, and update responsive YouTube ads!

With this update, you can use the advertisers.adGroupAds service to manage AdGroupAd resources that use the videoPerformanceAd field to define the details of the ad creative. These ads can serve in multiple formats, such as in-stream (bumper, skippable, non-skippable), Shorts, and in-feed, depending on the line item subtype, and ad format controls configured in the line item.

Similar to Demand Gen ads, the creative assets used to build these responsive YouTube ads are managed using the advertisers.adAssets service. Learn more in our Demand Gen guide.

This update enables the management of responsive YouTube AdGroupAd resources in the Display & Video 360 API, within YouTube & partners efficient reach, non-skippable reach, target frequency and video views line items. All single format YouTube ads and responsive YouTube ads under YouTube Programmatic Non-Guaranteed and Guaranteed instant deal line items aren't included. You must continue to create and update YouTube line items, ad groups, and their targeting either in the Display & Video 360 interface or through Structured Data Files (SDF) upload.

Our recommended workflow for serving a new responsive YouTube ad is:

  1. Upload Line Item and Ad Group SDFs to create new YouTube line items and ad groups.
  2. Create or retrieve any assets needed for your ad using the advertisers.adAssets service. Create new assets from previously-uploaded YouTube videos in bulk using advertisers.adAssets.bulkCreate and upload new image assets using advertisers.adAssets.upload.
  3. Use advertisers.adGroupAds.create to create a new responsive YouTube ad.

This change has been included in our release notes and our v4 to v5 migration guide, which you can use to update your integration. Display & Video 360 API v5 remains in public beta, we might still make breaking changes to it. We will announce any changes on our blog and in the release notes.

If you have any questions or want to discuss this post, contact us on our "Google Advertising and Measurement Community" Discord server.

Portrait of the author - Trevor Mulchay, Display & Video 360 API Team

Labels: display-video-360-api, update, beta, youtube