This data sheet collects every character limit, image size, video length and count you need for Google Ads in 2026. It is sorted by campaign type, links to the relevant Google help page in every section and comes with a CSV for your briefing. I built it for people who don't just run ads but create them: designers, copywriters, agencies and training providers who need to keep their materials current.
- characters per headline
- 30
- Search ads, Performance Max, display ads
- characters per description
- 90
- Search, Performance Max, Demand Gen, Display
- characters per path field
- 15
- two paths per search ad
- headlines maximum
- 15
- per search ad and per PMax asset group
- characters per headline in Demand Gen
- 40
- at least one with 30 or fewer
- pixels for landscape 1.91:1
- 1200 × 628
- recommended, minimum 600 × 314
- pixels for square 1:1
- 1200 × 1200
- recommended, minimum 300 × 300
- pixels minimum for product images
- 500 × 500
- Merchant Center, required from 31 January 2027
Source: Google Ads Help and Merchant Center Help, as of 8 October 2026
As of: 8 October 2026. Every value is checked against the English original of Google's help pages and compared with the German and Polish versions. Google often changes specs without much announcement, which is why I link the source in every section.
Terms: I use the element names from the English Google Ads interface and help, such as "Headlines", "Descriptions" and "Assets".
The German and Polish equivalents of these names are in my reference Google Ads terms in German, English and Polish.
How to use this data sheet
Most tables share the same columns: element, limit, count and note. "Count" is the range Google accepts, meaning the minimum to save and the maximum per ad or asset group. Where Google gives a recommendation, it sits in the note. For images I separate the recommended size from the minimum size. The minimum is the lower bound Google states, the recommended size is the template you should actually work with.
For copy there is the Google Ads character counter: you type your headlines and descriptions and see live whether they fit into 30 and 90 characters. Below it is a reference table with the limits for callouts and sitelinks. That's quicker than hitting the limit in the ad editor.
The key values in this article are also available as a table for Excel or Google Sheets:
Responsive search ads
The responsive search ad is the standard format in Search campaigns. You enter several headlines and descriptions, and Google assembles the ad for each search. Sources: About responsive search ads and Search campaigns specs.
| Element | Limit | Count | Note |
|---|---|---|---|
| Headlines | 30 characters | 3 to 15 | up to 3 appear at once in the headline position |
| Descriptions | 90 characters | 2 to 4 | description 2 can be truncated when an image asset shows |
| Path fields | 15 characters each | 0 to 2 | appear after the domain of the final URL |
| Final URL | 2,048 characters | 1 | landing page of the ad |
| Ads per ad group | not applicable | at least 2 recommended | each with "Good" or "Excellent" Ad Strength and its own final URL |
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A detail that many templates get wrong: the table on the Search campaigns spec page lists 1 to 15 headlines and 1 to 4 descriptions. When you create the ad, though, Google requires at least 3 headlines and 2 descriptions according to the responsive search ads help article. Plan with the stricter values.
Headlines you don't use aren't always wasted, by the way. According to Google, up to 2 of them can show as link-based assets in the spot that used to belong to sitelinks, pointing to the same domain as the final URL. That's one more reason to write every headline so that it works on its own. How to fill the 15 slots sensibly is covered in my guide to writing Google Ads copy.
Pinning
By default, Google combines headlines and descriptions freely. With the pin icon you fix an element to a position. What matters is which positions are guaranteed to show:
| Position | Always shown? | Suitable for mandatory text? |
|---|---|---|
| Headline position 1 | yes | yes |
| Headline position 2 | yes | yes |
| Headline position 3 | no | no |
| Description position 1 | yes | yes |
| Description position 2 | no | no |
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Google advises most advertisers against pinning because it reduces the number of possible combinations and can lower Ad Strength. If you have to pin, for example for a legal disclaimer, Google recommends 2 or 3 different variants per position instead of a single one. Once all available positions are taken, unpinned elements no longer show at all.
Double-width characters, special characters and capitalization
Character limits are the same in every language. In languages with double-width characters, meaning Korean, Japanese and Chinese, each character counts as two. A headline there fits 15 characters and sitelink text 12. Umlauts and other diacritics display correctly, including in the display URL, which is built from the domain of the final URL and the paths (About text ads).
What's not allowed in copy is set out in the Editorial policy. The English overview lists the rules without examples, so the examples in the table are translated from the German and Polish versions of the policy. According to Google, the English version is the binding one.
| Rule | What Google doesn't allow | Exception per policy |
|---|---|---|
| Punctuation and symbols | repeated punctuation ("flowers!!"), numbers or symbols in place of letters ("fl0wers"), bullets or asterisks as decoration ("*flowers*"), excessive punctuation ("F.L.O.W.E.R.S."), invalid or unsupported characters | trademarks and product names written that way consistently on the landing page, and common symbols such as "5* hotel" or an asterisk for applicable terms, each after review on request |
| Capitalization | capitalization that isn't used correctly or for its intended purpose | Google gives no examples on the policy page |
| Phone number in ad text | phone numbers in the ad text | add the number through a call asset |
| Repetition | gimmicky or unnecessary repetition of names or words, asset text that repeats words from other assets in the same ad group, campaign or account | none stated |
| Unacceptable spacing | missing or extra spaces, gimmicky spacing | none stated |
| Style and spelling | spelling and grammar errors, incomprehensible text, exceeding the limit for double-width characters | none stated |
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Assets in Search campaigns
Assets add links, extra text, phone numbers, images or locations to your ad. Google shows them when they're expected to improve performance, so an eligible asset isn't guaranteed to serve. The names in the first column are taken from the English Google Ads help. Where the help gives no character limit, I used the Google Ads API reference and marked that in the note.
| Asset | Element | Limit | Count | Note |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sitelink assets | Link text | 25 characters (12 for double width) | at least 2 to show, up to 6 on desktop, up to 8 on mobile | Google recommends at least 6 sitelinks with descriptions |
| Sitelink assets | Description line 1 and 2 | 35 characters each | none or both | limit per API reference |
| Callout assets | Text | 25 characters (12 for double width) | up to 10 shown | depends on device, browser and character width |
| Structured snippet assets | Header | choice of 13 predefined | 1 per asset | up to 2 headers on desktop, 1 on mobile |
| Structured snippet assets | Values | 25 characters per value (API) | 3 to 10 per header (API) | Google recommends at least 4 values |
| Call assets | Phone number | not applicable | 1 per asset | ad group beats campaign beats account |
| Business name | Text | 25 characters | 1 | must match the domain or the verified name |
| Logo | Image 1:1 | 1200 × 1200 recommended, 128 × 128 pixels minimum | 1 | requires advertiser verification |
| Price assets | Header and description per item | 25 characters each | 3 to 8 items | Google recommends 5 or more, each item has a final URL field |
| Promotion assets | Occasion, discount, code or minimum order value, dates | Google states no character limit | not applicable | Google pauses assets with an occasion if they haven't been edited for 6 months |
| Lead form assets | Form headline | 30 characters | 1 | Search and Performance Max campaigns only |
| Lead form assets | Call to action description | 30 characters | 1 | call to action from a list |
| Lead form assets | Qualifying questions | not applicable | up to 5 (API) | privacy policy is required |
| App assets | Link text | 25 characters (API) | 1 shown per ad | search ads only, one asset per app store |
| Location assets | Address | not applicable | from the linked profile | data from the Google Business Profile and Google Maps |
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The 13 headers of structured snippet assets are Amenities, Brands, Courses, Degree programs, Destinations, Featured hotels, Insurance coverage, Models, Neighborhoods, Service catalog, Shows, Styles and Types. The call asset is also the only clean route to a phone number, since it isn't allowed in the ad text.
One note from the help on price assets: header and description can be truncated on narrow mobile screens. For lead form assets, the help article gives no character limit for the business name or the longer form description. I couldn't find the numbers that circulate in templates in any primary source, so they aren't listed here.
Image assets in Search campaigns
Image assets are where, in my experience, designers stumble most often, because the rules are stricter than anywhere else. Sources: About image assets for Search campaigns and Image assets format requirements.
| Format | Minimum size | Recommended | Required | Count |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Square 1:1 | 300 × 300 pixels | 1200 × 1200 pixels | yes | 1 to 20 |
| Landscape 1.91:1 | 600 × 314 pixels | 1200 × 628 pixels | no, but recommended | 1 to 20 |
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PNG and JPG up to 5,120 KB are accepted. The important content belongs in the central 80 percent of the image. According to the help, the 20 images are a total limit for the whole campaign, not per format. Google recommends at least 4 different images at ad group or campaign level.
You can only use image assets once the account is at least 60 days old, has a good policy history, runs active campaigns and text ads and has spent more than zero on Search in the last 30 days. Some sensitive verticals are excluded. The most important design rule: in Search campaigns, images with digitally added text, logos or graphic overlays are disapproved right away, according to Google.
Business name and logo
For the name and logo to appear next to your ad, the account needs to have completed advertiser verification (the former "Advertiser verification" page is now called "Account" under Admin, Policy). The name must match the domain or the verified legal name exactly, otherwise the asset won't be approved. If you own an active trademark for a different name or logo, you can complete the brand verification process. According to Google, review of new assets can take up to 2 business days, and during that time the ad shows a placeholder globe icon with the display URL (About business information).
Performance Max: the full asset group
Performance Max serves an asset group across all Google channels, which is why the list is longest here. The minimum values apply to asset groups without a linked Merchant Center feed. Source: Performance Max campaigns specs, supplemented by the API asset requirements.
Text assets
| Element | Limit | Count | Note |
|---|---|---|---|
| Headlines | 30 characters | 3 to 15, 11 or more recommended | at least one with 15 characters or fewer |
| Long headline | 90 characters | 1 to 5, 2 or more recommended | Google suggests at least 30 characters |
| Descriptions | 90 characters | 2 to 5, 4 or more recommended | no separate field for a short description |
| Business name | 25 characters | 1 | exactly the domain or the verified name, no promotional additions |
| Call to action | automated or from a list | 1 | automated by default |
| Final URL | not applicable | 1 | with Final URL expansion, Google can choose a more relevant page |
| Display URL path | 15 characters each | 0 to 2 | optional |
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About the short description, which clients often ask me about: the current spec page has no separate field for it. The short form lives in the headline rule instead, where at least one headline has to fit into 15 characters. Here too, double-width characters count twice.
Image assets
| Format | Recommended | Minimum | Count | Required |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Horizontal 1.91:1 | 1200 × 628 pixels | 600 × 314 pixels | 1 to 20, 4 or more recommended | yes |
| Square 1:1 | 1200 × 1200 pixels | 300 × 300 pixels | 1 to 20, 4 or more recommended | yes |
| Vertical 4:5 | 960 × 1200 pixels | 480 × 600 pixels | up to 20, 2 or more recommended | no |
| Square logo 1:1 | 1200 × 1200 pixels | 128 × 128 pixels | 1 to 5 | yes |
| Horizontal logo 4:1 | 1200 × 300 pixels | 512 × 128 pixels | 1 to 5 | no |
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All images as JPG or PNG with a maximum of 5,120 KB. Google renders logos with a transparent background on white in most ads. A white logo on a transparent background then disappears, so Google recommends a square logo without that combination. Images with text or graphic overlays are allowed with limitations in Performance Max, but Google recommends at least one image without an overlay per aspect ratio.
Business name and logos now live in the brand guidelines at campaign level, no longer in the individual asset group (Build an asset group).
Video assets
| Format | Length | Count | Required |
|---|---|---|---|
| Horizontal 16:9 | 10 seconds or more | 1 per orientation recommended, 1 to 15 in total | no |
| Square 1:1 | 10 seconds or more | 1 per orientation recommended, 1 to 15 in total | no |
| Vertical 9:16 | 10 seconds or more | 1 per orientation recommended, 1 to 15 in total | no |
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Without your own videos, Google can generate videos automatically from the assets in the group. To reach "Excellent" Ad Strength and avoid auto-generated AI videos, Google says you need to upload your own videos in all three orientations. How to build the asset group in terms of content is covered in my Performance Max guide.
Demand Gen: image, carousel and video ads
Demand Gen runs on YouTube including Shorts, in Discover, Gmail and, since 2025, on the Display Network as well. Sources: Demand Gen campaigns specs, Demand Gen campaign creative, image assets for Demand Gen and video assets for Demand Gen.
Single image ad
| Element | Limit | Count | Note |
|---|---|---|---|
| Headlines | 40 characters | 1 to 5, 5 recommended | at least one with 30 characters or fewer, otherwise "Incomplete" and no serving on the Display Network |
| Descriptions | 90 characters | 1 to 5, 3 recommended | required |
| Business name | 25 characters | 1 | required |
| Final URL | 2,048 characters | 1 | required |
| Image horizontal 1.91:1 | 1200 × 628, minimum 600 × 314 pixels | 1 to 20, 3 recommended | required |
| Image square 1:1 | 1200 × 1200, minimum 300 × 300 pixels | 1 to 20, 3 recommended | required |
| Image vertical 4:5 | 960 × 1200, minimum 480 × 600 pixels | 1 to 20, 3 recommended | optional |
| Image vertical 9:16 | 1080 × 1920, minimum 600 × 1067 pixels | optional | recommended for YouTube Shorts |
| Logo 1:1 | 1200 × 1200, minimum 144 × 144 pixels | 1 to 5 | 150 KB maximum |
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Images can be up to 5 MB, logos only 150 KB. In total, an ad accepts up to 20 images. In Gmail the logo shows as a circle, and according to Google about 21 percent of the area is cropped in total, roughly 5 percent at each corner. So keep the corners of your logo clear. One contradiction in the help: the table on the image assets page lists 128 × 128 pixels as the logo minimum, while the text and the spec page say 144 × 144. With 144 × 144 or more you're on the safe side.
Carousel ad
| Level | Element | Limit | Count |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ad | Headline | 40 characters | 1 |
| Ad | Description | 40 characters | 1 |
| Ad | Business name | 25 characters | 1 |
| Ad | Square logo | 1200 × 1200, minimum 144 × 144 pixels | 1 |
| Card | Image | horizontal, square or vertical | 2 to 10 cards, 1 image per card |
| Card | Card headline | 40 characters | 1 per card, not supported in Discover |
| Card | Final URL | not applicable | 1 per card possible |
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Watch the description: in the carousel it's only 40 characters, not 90 as in the single image ad. All cards need the same aspect ratio. With a Merchant Center feed attached, the carousel format isn't available in Demand Gen.
Video ad
| Element | Limit | Count | Note |
|---|---|---|---|
| Video horizontal 16:9 | 10 to 60 seconds recommended | 3 recommended | optional |
| Video vertical 9:16 or 4:5 | 10 to 60 seconds recommended | 3 recommended | optional |
| Video square 1:1 | 10 to 60 seconds recommended | 3 recommended | optional |
| Headline | 40 characters | at least 3 recommended | for skippable in-stream ads |
| Long headline | 90 characters | at least 3 recommended | for in-feed video ads |
| Description | 90 characters | at least 3 recommended | also shows in Shorts |
| Business name | 25 characters | 1 | required |
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Videos have to be hosted on YouTube, and "unlisted" is enough. Google accepts 1 to 5 videos per ad. The minimum is 5 seconds, and videos under 10 seconds don't run as YouTube in-stream ads. On the recommended length the help is inconsistent: the spec page says 10 to 60 seconds, the video assets page suggests more than 15 seconds.
For Demand Gen you can also use uploaded display ads for the Display Network: static images as JPG, PNG or non-animated GIF with a maximum of 150 KB, recommended in the sizes 300 × 250, 336 × 280, 728 × 90, 970 × 90, 160 × 600, 300 × 600 and 320 × 50 pixels. Strategy and audiences are covered in my Demand Gen guide.
Responsive display ads
Responsive display ads run in classic Display campaigns. Google is currently moving display into Demand Gen (see the timeline below), and the spec remains valid until then. Source: Responsive display ads specs.
| Element | Limit | Count | Required |
|---|---|---|---|
| Headlines | 30 characters | 1 to 5 | yes |
| Long headline | 90 characters | 1 | yes |
| Descriptions | 90 characters | 1 to 5 | yes |
| Business name | 25 characters | 1 | yes |
| Call to action | automated | 1 | yes |
| Image horizontal 1.91:1 | 1200 × 628, minimum 600 × 314 pixels | 1 to 15, 5 recommended | yes |
| Image square 1:1 | 600 × 600, minimum 300 × 300 pixels | 1 to 15, 5 recommended | yes |
| Logo 1:1 | 1200 × 1200, minimum 128 × 128 pixels | 1 to 5 | no |
| Logo 4:1 | 1200 × 300, minimum 512 × 128 pixels | 1 to 5 | no |
| Video 16:9, 1:1 or 2:3 | any length, 30 seconds preferred | 1 to 5, 2 recommended | no |
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Worth noting: for the square image Google recommends 600 × 600 pixels here, while Performance Max and Demand Gen recommend 1200 × 1200. If you create one image for all campaign types, use the larger version.
YouTube formats
Which format you get depends on the campaign objective and subtype. The table shows lengths per About video ad formats and aspect ratios per Video ads specs.
| Format | Length | Skippable | Aspect ratios per spec |
|---|---|---|---|
| Skippable in-stream | no maximum, under 3 minutes recommended | yes, after 5 seconds | 16:9, 15 seconds recommended for video reach |
| Non-skippable in-stream | 60 seconds or shorter, 15 to 60 depending on subtype | no | not specified separately |
| Bumper | 5 to 6 seconds | no | 16:9, 6 seconds for video reach |
| In-feed | no maximum | not applicable | 16:9, 9:16 and 1:1, 15 seconds recommended each |
| YouTube Shorts | under 60 seconds recommended | not applicable | 9:16, 6 to 60 seconds for video reach |
| YouTube Masthead | no maximum, over 10 seconds recommended | not applicable | 16:9, reservation only |
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With CPV bidding you pay for skippable in-stream ads when someone watches 30 seconds (or the whole video if it's shorter) or interacts with the video. For uploads Google recommends MPG (MPEG-2 or MPEG-4), and MP4, MOV and WebM are among the accepted formats as well. Files should be smaller than 256 GB, and audio-only files aren't accepted.
| Element | Limit | Note |
|---|---|---|
| In-feed: Headlines | 40 characters per line, up to 2 lines | not shown on the desktop and TV watch page, may not show on mobile |
| In-feed: Descriptions | 35 characters per line, up to 2 lines | not shown on the desktop watch page or on TV |
| Masthead: Headline | 40 characters or fewer | |
| Masthead: Description | 60 characters or fewer | |
| Masthead: Call to action | 15 characters or fewer | |
| Thumbnail | 1280 × 720, minimum 1280 × 640 pixels | JPG, GIF or PNG, under 2 MB |
| Companion banner | 300 × 60 pixels (5:1) | JPG, GIF or PNG, under 150 KB, desktop only |
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Since October 2025 the "Views" metric in Google Ads is called "TrueView views", and billing hasn't changed. For new campaigns, the marketing objective "Awareness and consideration" is now called "YouTube reach, views, and engagements". Which format fits which objective is explained in my article on YouTube ads basics.
Shopping: image requirements in Merchant Center
Shopping ads and product listings pull their images from the feed. The rules are in the Merchant Center help under Image link [image_link], Additional image link [additional_image_link] and How to fix: Image too small.
| Element | Requirement | Note |
|---|---|---|
| Minimum size from 31 January 2027 | 500 × 500 pixels for all products | warnings for smaller images since July 2026 |
| Minimum size until 31 January 2027 | 100 × 100 pixels, apparel 250 × 250 pixels | already 500 × 500 for YouTube Shopping on TV |
| Recommended size | 1500 × 1500 pixels or more | for the best display in all formats |
| Maximum size | 64 megapixels and 16 MB | per image |
| File formats | JPEG and WebP (recommended), PNG, GIF, BMP, TIFF | file extension must match the format |
| Image URL | 1 to 2,000 characters | starts with http or https |
| Additional images | up to 10 | through the additional_image_link attribute |
| Product share of the image | 75 to 90 percent of the area | recommendation from the help |
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A contradiction you should know about: the attribute page already says "at least 500 × 500 pixels", while the troubleshooting page makes clear that 100 × 100 (apparel 250 × 250) remains acceptable until 31 January 2027. For new photos the answer is simple anyway: shoot for 1500 × 1500 from the start.
Not allowed on the main image are promotional overlays such as a call to action, price, shipping or warranty information, promotional adjectives, condition information, barcodes, watermarks and logos added afterwards. The same goes for placeholders like "No image available", generic graphics instead of the product, single-color images, borders and products that aren't sold together. AI-generated images have to keep their IPTC metadata (DigitalSourceType). How to set up the feed as a whole is covered in my Google Shopping guide.
What changed in 2025 and 2026
Changes to formats and specs
PMax: business name and logos move to brand guidelines
If you hadn't entered anything by mid April 2025, the name and logos of your best performing asset group were copied to campaign level.
View source"Views" are now "TrueView views"
Only the name of the metric changes, not billing or counting.
View sourceDisplay campaigns move to Demand Gen
Google announces that display ads will run through Demand Gen in future, with the move due to be completed by 2027.
View sourceMigration tool for Display campaigns
Gradual rollout: eligible accounts can move existing Display campaigns to Demand Gen, and Google will migrate the rest automatically later.
View sourceMerchant Center warns about images under 500 × 500
Images that are still acceptable today but smaller than 500 × 500 pixels receive warnings.
View source500 × 500 pixels become mandatory
From this date the new minimum size applies to all product images.
View source
For designers and agencies the display move is the change with the biggest consequences: if you build sets for responsive display ads today, plan the Demand Gen formats in from the start, especially 4:5 and 9:16 and headlines with 40 characters, at least one of which fits into 30.
Common disapproval reasons for images and text
This list is based solely on Google's policy pages, not on forum reports. Sources: Image assets format requirements, Editorial, Sitelink asset requirements, Callout asset requirements, Structured snippet requirements and YouTube and Discover Feed ad requirements.
| Disapproval reason | What Google objects to | How to avoid it |
|---|---|---|
| Text or graphic overlay | images with added text, graphics or a logo, including a logo used as the whole image | in Search, photos without overlay, in PMax at least one image without overlay per format |
| Excessive whitespace | the offer can't be made out because of all the white space | the subject fills the image, key content in the central 80 percent |
| Collage | images combined after the fact | one subject per image, natural collages like greeting cards are allowed |
| Blurry or unclear | blurred, unrecognizable images | upload original files at the recommended size |
| Distorted | squashed or stretched subjects | keep the aspect ratio when cropping, don't scale |
| Poorly cropped | the subject is no longer recognizable because of the crop | crop separately for each format |
| Image quality in general | images turned sideways or upside down, images that don't fill the space, flickering effects | check orientation, use the full area |
| Punctuation in assets | exclamation marks, punctuation at the start of the text, symbols like ► in sitelinks, callouts and snippets | leave exclamation marks out of assets |
| Duplicate sitelink text | the same link text on several sitelinks, even with different destinations | give every sitelink its own text |
| Repetition in callouts | text that already appears in other callouts, ad text or sitelinks in the same ad group, campaign or account | say each thing only once per ad group, campaign and account |
| Several values in one snippet field | comma separated lists in one value field, promotional text like "Sale" | one value per field, factual information only |
| Exaggerated claims on YouTube and Discover | guarantees, unrealistic results, artificial urgency | describe things factually, no guarantees |
| Body parts and health conditions | close-ups of symptoms meant to unsettle | show the product or a positive outcome |
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If an ad gets disapproved anyway, you'll find the reason in the Policy manager. That's also where you can appeal once you've fixed it (Fix a disapproved ad or appeal a policy decision).
My checklist before every upload, derived from the tables above:
- Every image at the recommended size, not just the minimum
- Key image content in the central 80 percent, logo corners clear for the Gmail circle
- No overlays for Search, at least one image without overlay per format for PMax
- At least one PMax headline with 15 characters or fewer, one Demand Gen headline with 30 or fewer
- No phone number and no exclamation marks in assets
- Business name exactly as the domain or verified name
- Product images from 500 × 500 pixels, better 1500 × 1500
Methodology
- Data basis
- Google Ads Help (spec pages per campaign type and help articles per asset), Google Ads policy pages, Merchant Center Help, plus the Google Ads API reference v25 and the API asset requirements for Performance Max
- Period
- retrieved and checked on 8 October 2026
- Analysis
- Every value taken from the English original page, compared with the German and Polish versions and entered into the CSV with its source URL
- Terms
- Element names as the English Google Ads help uses them
- Limits
- No values from secondary sources. Where Google gives no limit, the sheet says so explicitly. Contradictions between help pages are named in the text. Beta formats and reservations only in passing
I deliberately left two contradictions between primary sources in place instead of quietly resolving them. First, the Performance Max help page allows a maximum of 5 landscape logos, while the API requirements allow up to 20 per asset group. Second, the help lists JPG and PNG for PMax images, the API adds GIF. In both cases I used the stricter value from the help, because it reliably works in the interface.
Conclusion
In my experience, most mistakes don't happen with the well-known numbers like 30 and 90, but at the edges: the PMax headline with 15 characters or fewer, the 40 characters of the carousel description, the 150 KB logo in Demand Gen, the overlay ban for image assets in Search. Print this sheet or drop the CSV into your briefing, and nobody has to guess in the ad editor.
If you want an account where the assets are complete and policy compliant, take a look at my Google Ads management: from €1,000 per month, with a 3-month start phase and cancellable monthly after that. For a one-off review there's an audit from €500, and for a rebuild a setup from €1,500.
