Google Ads account admins can require multi-factor authentication for all users

Some Google Ads accounts have several users logging in at any given time. Now account owners can ensure every one of those users has enabled 2-Step Verification.

Administrative-level users of Google Ads accounts can now implement an authentication policy for all users who have access to the account. Google announced Monday that the feature is rolling out now.

When the feature is enabled, users must have their own Google accounts enrolled in 2-Step Verification in order to log in to the Google Ads account. It provides a second layer of authentication for added protection against hackers.

If an account has not set up 2-Step Verification, the user will get an authorization error.

This only affects logins to the web user interface; it does not apply to AdWords API or Google Ads API Beta access.

Google has a separate program that provides login security for higher-risk accounts, like those of journalists, political teams and other high-profile people who may be subjected to targeted attacks. The program is called the Advanced Protection Program, and users can register their Google Ads accounts with that program instead.

If you are the administrative owner of a Google Ads account, you will see the option to require multi-factor authentication in the Account Access section of Tools in the Google Ads interface when it rolls out.

The other new option that will be rolling out soon is the ability to restrict the “allowed domains” that can be invited to gain access to an account. Manage all your Google Ads campaigns in-house? It might make sense to limit the domain access to that of your company. Switching agencies? You can remove the old agency domain and add the new one. That adds another item to the onboarding task list but can help minimize rogue invites and outdated user access lingering in accounts. To get there, click Account Setup from the Tools icon in the upper right navigation in the web interface. You’ll find this option in Security Settings under Account Access.

This story was updated to include the allowed domains functionality.

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