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August 5, 2026
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Google rejects uploaded static display ads that exceed 150KB, so a banner that looks perfect in your design file can still fail during the final upload. That single limit stalls more launches than most teams expect, and it is straightforward to avoid once you know the real specs and follow a repeatable export process. This guide covers the current file size and format rules in Google’s uploaded display ads specifications, the compression settings that keep static banners under the cap, and the rejection reasons that can catch ads even when the file size is fine. Linear Design’s team builds and ships these assets daily, so the workflow here is the one we actually use.
The 150KB cap applies to uploaded static image ads across the Google Display Network, and an ad over the limit will not upload or serve. The reason is scale. The Display Network reaches around two million sites and apps, and lightweight files keep those pages loading quickly. A heavy banner loads more slowly where it runs, reducing viewability, and a rejected file stalls the launch while a designer re-exports. For a time-sensitive promotion tied to an event or a product release, that delay can mean missing the window.
The limit only applies to what you upload yourself. Responsive Display Ads, Performance Max, and Demand Gen accept much larger images, so the first thing to settle before you export is which campaign type the asset is for. Compressing a 4MB hero image down to 150KB for a responsive campaign that would take it as-is throws away quality for no reason, and uploading a 4MB file to a static placement guarantees rejection.
Google accepts GIFs, JPGs, and PNGs for uploaded image ads, and nothing else. There is no support for WebP, BMP, or TIFF in display uploads, so a WebP export that compresses beautifully will still be rejected. Static banners and animated GIFs share the same 150KB ceiling, while HTML5 and AMPHTML ads are packaged as ZIP files under their own rules. The table below shows the current limits from Google’s specifications.
Animated GIFs run under the same 150KB cap as static banners. Google requires the animation to be 30 seconds or shorter, to stop after 30 seconds, even if it loops, and to have a frame rate of less than 5 frames per second. Responsive Display Ads do not accept animated GIFs, so you upload static JPG or PNG images. Demand Gen is the exception among the newer types, since its product-feed ads accept animated GIFs and APNGs in square format up to 5 MB.
HTML5 ads are the most misreported format in circulation. They upload as a ZIP containing your HTML plus CSS, JavaScript, and image assets, and the total ZIP must be 600KB or smaller, not 150KB and not 5MB. The ZIP can hold up to 40 files. Access is also gated: your account must be open for more than 90 days, have a total lifetime spend of $9,000 or more, and have a clean policy record before you can apply. If you do not qualify, AMPHTML ads are the practical alternative. They also cap at 600KB, load faster, and carry no eligibility requirement.
File size and dimensions are linked because a larger canvas holds more pixels and starts heavier. The sizes that carry the most Display inventory are the 300×250 inline rectangle, the 336×280 large rectangle, the 728×90 leaderboard, the 160×600 wide skyscraper, the 300×600 half-page, and the 320×50 mobile banner. Larger units, like the 970×250 billboard, require more aggressive compression to reach 150KB without visible artifacts. Design at the exact target size so the network does not scale or soften your image. For the full list of supported dimensions, see Linear Design’s display ad sizes guide.
Getting under 150KB is a mix of export settings and format choice. Export photographs and gradient-heavy artwork as JPG, which handles continuous tone efficiently, and use PNG for flat graphics, logos, and sharp text where you need clean edges. Match the format to the content before you compress, since fighting a PNG export of a photograph wastes kilobytes you do not have.
A dedicated compressor handles the last mile after export. Any of these works well for display assets:
A short, fixed sequence keeps assets compliant without last-minute scrambling:
File size is the most common rejection, but not the only one. Ads also get disapproved for using an unsupported format like BMP or TIFF instead of GIF, JPG, or PNG, for falling below the minimum resolution a placement requires, and for imitating system or browser interface elements such as fake close buttons, dropdowns, or notification badges, which Google treats as deceptive. A clean, correctly sized file can still fail on any of these, so check each before upload and review Google’s error and rejection guidance if an ad is disapproved.
Beyond the specs, a few design habits keep small banners working. Keep the core message and logo away from the extreme edges so nothing important is clipped when a placement crops or frames the ad. Maintain a strong contrast between text and background, since many placements are small and rendered on bright mobile screens. Keep copy short enough to read at a glance, because a banner has a fraction of a second to land. These are craft guidelines rather than hard Google rules, but they separate an ad that technically serves from one that gets read. For a look at small banners that pull these habits off, browse our display ad examples.
Demand Gen and Performance Max ease the file-size pressure, since their image assets allow up to 5MB, so you feed them your highest-quality images rather than heavily compressed ones. The 150KB discipline is only for uploaded static and animated banners. Responsive assets favor JPG and PNG formats, and a Responsive Display Ad can include up to 15 images and 5 logos, so an organized library of correctly sized, high-quality assets is what lets you scale across placements. Demand Gen product feeds also accept animated GIFs and APNGs in square format, which the older static formats do not.
Uploaded static image ads are capped at 150KB. Responsive Display Ads, Performance Max, and Demand Gen images allow up to 5MB. HTML5 and AMPHTML ad ZIPs are capped at 600KB. Check which campaign type you are building before you compress, since the right target depends entirely on it.
Yes, on uploaded ads, as long as the animation is 30 seconds or shorter, stops after 30 seconds if it loops, and runs slower than 5 frames per second. Animated GIFs are not accepted for Responsive Display Ads; instead, you upload static JPG or PNG images.
JPG for photographs and gradients, exported around 70 to 85% quality, and PNG-8 for flat graphics, logos, and text. Avoid PNG-24 for display, since it produces much larger files. WebP is not an accepted format for uploaded display ads, so do not use it even though it compresses well.
Common causes include an unsupported format, such as BMP or TIFF; an image below the minimum resolution for the placement; or a design that imitates system or browser controls, such as fake buttons. Check your format, dimensions, and creative against Google’s rejection reasons before re-uploading.
No. Performance Max accepts images up to 5MB, so you can upload high-resolution assets. Keeping them reasonably sized still helps with load times, but heavy compression is only necessary for uploaded static and animated banners that fall under the 150KB cap.
Getting display assets under 150KB is a small technical discipline that quietly protects every launch. Match the format to the content, compress with headroom, confirm the specs, and check the design against Google’s rejection reasons before you upload. If you would rather hand that off, Linear Design’s PPC team builds and ships compliant display creative as part of end-to-end campaign management. Contact us for a display audit or full campaign management.
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WRITTEN BY
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