Could Not Find the Entity Google Ads: Meaning, Causes, and Fixes

In highly automated digital advertising ecosystems, even a minor mismatch in identifiers, permissions, or references can trigger confusing and seemingly opaque system errors. One such message—“Could not find the entity Google Ads”—often leaves advertisers uncertain about whether the issue originates from their account configuration, a connected tool, or the platform itself. This guide explains the technical meaning behind the error, outlines its most common root causes, and provides structured resolution methods for advertisers, agencies, developers, and analysts working within or alongside Google Ads.

Table of Contents

1. What Does “Could Not Find the Entity Google Ads” Mean?

2. Where This Error Commonly Appears

3. Technical Meaning of “Entity” in Google Ads

4. Primary Causes of the Error

   • Incorrect or Invalid Customer ID

   • Permission or Access Issues

   • Entity Was Deleted or Removed

   • Asset Library & Creative Asset Conflicts

   • API Version Mismatch or Deprecated Fields

   • Conversion Tracking & Tagging Errors

   • Cross-Account Asset or Campaign References

5. Difference Between UI Errors and API Errors

6. How to Diagnose the Error Step by Step

7. Impact on Campaign Performance

8. Why This Error Is Often Misunderstood

9. Best Practices to Avoid This Error

10. SEO & Reporting Implications

11. Is This Related to Google Ads Policy Violations?

12. When to Contact Google Ads Support

13. Final Thoughts

What Does “Could Not Find the Entity Google Ads” Mean?

At its core, this error indicates that a referenced object cannot be resolved within the current account context. The system is not reporting that Google Ads itself is unavailable. Instead, it is stating that a specific object—known internally as an entity—either does not exist, is inaccessible, or cannot be validated.

What Counts as an Entity?

In Google Ads terminology, an entity may include:

• An account

• A campaign

• An ad group

• An asset (headline, image, video, extension)

• A conversion action

• A customer ID or manager account

• An API resource (campaign ID, asset ID, etc.)

If the platform cannot locate or access the referenced object, it returns an entity-not-found error.

Where This Error Commonly Appears

This message does not always surface directly within the Google Ads user interface. In many cases, it appears indirectly during automated or integrated workflows.

Common environments include:

• Google Ads API responses

• Asset Library or Google Asset Studio workflows

• Third-party reporting or automation platforms

• Conversion imports via Google Tag Manager

• Bulk uploads and Google Ads Editor

• Script execution logs

Technical Meaning of “Entity” in Google Ads

Google Ads is built on a strict entity-based architecture. Every object in the system has:

• A unique identifier

• A defined parent–child relationship

• Permission constraints

• A status flag (enabled, paused, removed)

Example relationships:

• A campaign entity belongs to a customer account

• An asset entity can be reused across multiple campaigns

• A conversion entity must be linked and enabled at the account level

If any part of this hierarchy breaks, the system fails to resolve the entity and throws an error.

Primary Causes of the Error

Incorrect or Invalid Customer ID

This is the most common trigger, especially in APIs, scripts, and manager account (MCC) setups.

Typical issues include:

• Missing hyphens (correct format: XXX-XXX-XXXX)

• Using a manager account ID instead of a child account ID

• Referencing a closed, canceled, or suspended account

Permission or Access Issues

If a user, script, or API token lacks permission, Google Ads behaves as if the entity does not exist.

Common scenarios:

• API token not approved for the account

• User removed while automations continue running

• Manager account not properly linked

From the system’s perspective, no access equals no entity.

Entity Was Deleted or Removed

Google Ads differentiates between multiple states:

• Paused

• Removed

• Archived

If you reference:

• A removed campaign

• A deleted ad group

• An asset that was auto-removed

The system returns an entity-not-found error, even if the object existed previously.

Asset Library & Creative Asset Conflicts

Asset-based campaigns are particularly prone to this issue.

Affected formats include:

• Performance Max

• Demand Gen

• Responsive Search Ads

Typical triggers:

• Reusing an asset ID after deletion

• Referencing assets across accounts

• Creating assets in one account and attaching them in another

API Version Mismatch or Deprecated Fields

Developers frequently encounter this error after API upgrades.

Common causes:

• Using deprecated resource fields

• Mixing legacy and current API versions

• Incorrect resource name formats

Example:

• Calling a v11 resource structure in a v13 endpoint

Conversion Tracking & Tagging Errors

When importing or referencing conversions:

• Conversion action deleted

• Tag not published

• Conversion not linked to the account

If the system cannot resolve the conversion entity, the error is triggered.

Cross-Account Asset or Campaign References

Google Ads does not allow arbitrary cross-account entity reuse.

Invalid examples:

• Copying campaign IDs between accounts

• Using asset IDs from another customer

• Importing drafts across unrelated accounts

Unless explicitly supported, these entities cannot be found.

Difference Between UI Errors and API Errors

Common API messages include:

• ENTITY_NOT_FOUND

• RESOURCE_NOT_FOUND

• INVALID_RESOURCE_NAME

How to Diagnose the Error Step by Step

Step 1: Identify the Entity Type

Determine whether the error relates to:

• Account

• Campaign

• Asset

• Conversion

• Audience

Step 2: Validate the ID or Resource Name

Confirm:

• Correct ID format

• Correct account ownership

• Proper parent–child hierarchy

For APIs, verify:

• customers/{customer_id}/campaigns/{campaign_id} structure

• No hard-coded or legacy IDs

Step 3: Check Account Access

Verify:

• User permissions

• Manager account links

• API token scope

Without access, the entity appears nonexistent.

Step 4: Check Entity Status

Inside the Google Ads UI:

• Filter for Removed

• Review the Asset Library

• Check Change History

Removed entities cannot be retrieved.

Step 5: Review Recent Changes

Most errors correlate with:

• Account migrations

• Asset cleanups

• Campaign restructuring

• Auto-applied recommendations

Impact on Campaign Performance

This error can silently cause:

• Assets not serving

• Campaigns failing to launch

• Conversions not tracking

• Automations breaking

Because Google Ads may fail without visible warnings, advertisers can lose impressions and data without immediate notice.

Why This Error Is Often Misunderstood

Key reasons include:

• Vague wording

• The phrase “Google Ads” sounds platform-level

• No UI tooltip explanation

• Appears mainly in logs or tools

In reality, the platform is operational—the reference is broken.

Best Practices to Avoid This Error

Never Hard-Code Entity IDs

Use dynamic lookups wherever possible.

Maintain Entity Mapping Documentation

Critical for agencies and large accounts.

Audit Assets Carefully

Document dependencies before deletion.

Use Change History First

Most entity issues follow recent edits.

Keep API Versions Updated

Migrate before deprecations take effect.

SEO & Reporting Implications

For marketers using:

• Looker Studio

• Custom dashboards

• Automated reporting tools

This error can result in:

• Missing data rows

• Broken joins

• Incomplete metrics

Always validate entity existence before running reports.

Is This Related to Google Ads Policy Violations?

No.
This error is technical, not policy-based.

Policy issues use messages such as:

• Disapproved

• Limited

• Restricted

Entity errors indicate structural or access problems only.

When to Contact Google Ads Support

Escalate only if:

• The entity exists in the UI

• You have full access

• Correct IDs are confirmed

• The error persists across tools

Prepare:

• Customer ID

• Entity ID

• Screenshots

• API request and response logs

Final Thoughts

The error “Could not find the entity Google Ads” is not a platform failure. It is a signal that a referenced object cannot be resolved within the current context. Once you understand Google Ads’ entity-based architecture, permission model, and asset relationships, this issue becomes predictable, diagnosable, and preventable. For advertisers, agencies, and developers, maintaining strong entity hygiene is essential for stable, scalable advertising operations.