Problem setting up Google Ads API access - Cannot create client test account

[Mikołaj Deras]

Hi,

I'm having trouble getting started with the Google Ads API due to an account setup issue.

I've created a Production Manager account and generated an API developer token from it. I believe I need a test account to use this token, at least initially for development.

My problem is that when I try to create a new client account under my Production Manager account, it only gives me the option to create a production client account. I can't seem to find a way to create a test client account.

How can I create a test account under my Production Manager account, or otherwise configure things so I can start using my API token with the Google Ads API for testing?

Thanks for your help.

[Google Ads API Forum Advisor]

Hi,

Thank you for reaching out to the Google Ads API support team.

Kindly note that if you don't see the red Test account label on your Google Ads account page, then the account is a production account.
You may follow the below steps to create a test manager account, a test client account, and a few campaigns to populate the test client account. Note that "client" here refers to a Google Ads client account, not your client app.

• Create a test manager account (Select NEW GOOGLE ADS ACCOUNT and then name the new account something like test-m...@mycompany.example.com). To create a test account, you must have a Google account that is not already linked to your production manager account. Create a new Google account.
• While signed in to your test manager account, create a test client account. Any client accounts you create from your test manager account are automatically test accounts. You may create the test account and test client account programmatically via API.
• Create a few test campaigns under the test client account in the Google Ads UI.
• Take note of the  client customer ID for the new test client account, and save it. You'll need this to make API calls later.

Also, I would recommend you refer to the guides Introduction and Obtain a developer token to get more information on how to make a Google Ads API call. 

I hope this helps! Feel free to get back to us in case of any further queries.
 

Thanks,
 

Google Ads API Team

Feedback
How was our support today?

               
[2025-04-02 15:00:27Z GMT] This message is in relation to case "ref:!00D1U01174p.!5004Q02vHEji:ref" (ADR-00298185)

[KHMob]

Are you able to create customers using the API under test accounts? I've tried with a service account that has access to the account that owns the test manager, but I keep getting permission errors although creating campaigns etc works fine.

[Google Ads API Forum Advisor]

Hi,

I understand that you have a developer token created under the Production Manager account and you want to create a test client account under it. Note that you cannot create a test client account under a Production Manager account instead you can only create a production client account. If you want to create a test client account then you need to create a test manager account first then you need to create a test client account under it and use the developer token of the Production Manager account with the 'Test' access levels for making the API calls against your test accounts. I would recommend you to refer to this 'Create test accounts and campaigns' documentation to create a test manager account for more information. Please find the answer to your question: 

Q. Are you able to create customers using the API under test accounts?

• Yes, we were able to create the test client accounts using the Google Ads API under the test manager account. However, I am sharing you the sample request and response logs for your reference: 

• Request body:
  ================
  POST https://googleads.googleapis.com/v19/customers/{testManagerAccountId}:createCustomerClient?key=[YOUR_API_KEY] HTTP/1.1
  
  developer-token: **********************      //Production Manager developer token ID
  Authorization: Bearer [YOUR_ACCESS_TOKEN]
  Accept: application/json
  Content-Type: application/json
  
  {
    "customerClient": {
      "currencyCode": "USD",
      "timeZone": "America/New_York",
      "descriptiveName": "Test client account 45"
    }
  }
  Response:
  ===========
  HTTP/1.1 200 
  content-encoding: gzip
  content-length: 65
  content-type: application/json; charset=UTF-8
  date: Wed, 23 Apr 2025 20:27:17 GMT
  server: ESF
  vary: Origin, X-Origin, Referer
  
  {
    "resourceName": "customers/{customerId}"
  }

• As you are using the service account for making an API calls, I would request you to make sure your service account email ID is present in your Test Manager Google Ads account with 'Admin' or 'Standard' access level. 
• I would recommend you to refer to this guide on how to add the service account email ID in your Google Ads account with the necessary access levels. 
• If you still encounters any issues even after following the provided suggestions, then in order to investigate your issue further, kindly provide us with the complete API logs (request and response logs with request-id and request header) generated at your end to further assist you better. 
• If you are using a client library and haven't enabled the logging yet, I would request you to enable logging for the specific client library that you are using. You can refer to the guides Java, .Net, PHP, Python, Ruby or Perl to enable logging at your end. For REST interface requests, you can enable logging via the curl command by using the -i flag.
• You can send the details via Reply privately to the author option, or direct private reply to this email.

Thanks,
 

Google Ads API Team

Feedback
How was our support today?

               

[2025-04-23 21:55:47Z GMT] This message is in relation to case "ref:!00D1U01174p.!5004Q02vHEji:ref" (ADR-00298185)