Google sent out emails to advertisers that starting July 15, 2026 the Google Ads system will require the use of passkeys for certain sensitive actions. This is likely due to the spike in Google Ads hijacks over the past year or so.
This was spotted by PPC News Feed via Vivek Gupta who shared this screenshot of the email he received:
It says:
Dear Advertiser,Google works behind the scenes to block countless threats before they reach your account, but the strongest defense starts with you.
Google is transitioning to a more secure, password-free future. Set up a Google passkey today to keep your account secure and avoid any disruptions to your Google Ads account. Starting July 15, a Google passkey will be required for performing certain sensitive actions in your account.
Here is a Google help document on using passkeys - I use it for most sites that support it, it is often just easier and I guess more secure (for now).
Google wrote, "Passkeys are a simple and secure alternative to passwords that can’t be shared, guessed, copied, written down, or accidentally given to someone else. Using a passkey helps your most critical account settings remain secure, reducing the risk of phishing and unauthorized access."
Forum discussion at X.
