Short answer
A Google Ads preview tool shows how a responsive search ad could look before you publish it. Google shows up to 3 of your headlines (30 characters each) and up to 2 descriptions (90 characters each) at a time, chosen from up to 15 headlines and 4 descriptions. Lines pinned to Headline 1, Headline 2 or Description 1 always show.
How to use the Google Ads Preview Tool
- Enter your final URL, display paths, headlines and descriptions, plus any sitelinks and callouts.
- Pin a headline or description only if it must appear in a set position.
- Press Shuffle to see different combinations, and switch between mobile and desktop.
- Fix any line flagged as too long, then use Share this preview to send the ad to a colleague or client for sign-off.
How does Google decide which headlines to show?
A responsive search ad is a set of parts, not a finished ad. You give Google 3 to 15 headlines and 2 to 4 descriptions, and for each search it shows up to 3 headlines and up to 2 descriptions in the combination it chooses, as Google's responsive search ads help page explains.
That is why a single mockup never tells the whole story. Press Shuffle to see other combinations built from your lines. Any two headlines should read well side by side, and each description should make sense without the other.
What are the limits for each part of a search ad?
| Part | Characters | You can add | How it shows |
|---|---|---|---|
| Headline | 30 | 3 to 15 | Up to 3 at a time |
| Description | 90 | 2 to 4 | Up to 2 at a time |
| Display path | 15 each | Path 1 and Path 2 | In the display URL |
| Final URL | 2,048 | 1 | Same domain as the display URL |
| Sitelink text | 25 | At least 2 needed to show | Up to 6 on desktop, 8 on mobile |
| Callout | 25 | At least 2 needed to show | Depends on space and device |
In Chinese, Japanese and Korean, each character in a headline or description counts as 2. The final URL limit is on Google's Search campaign specs page, the same-domain rule is in its final URL guide, and the asset limits are on its help pages for sitelinks and callouts. The preview counts characters as you type and warns when a line runs over.
How does pinning work in responsive search ads?
Pinning fixes a headline or description to one position. Google is specific about what that guarantees:
| Pinned to | Always shows? |
|---|---|
| Headline position 1 | Yes |
| Headline position 2 | Yes |
| Headline position 3 | Not guaranteed |
| Description position 1 | Yes |
| Description position 2 | Not guaranteed |
Google also says "Pinning isn't recommended for most advertisers and can affect ad strength." If a line truly has to appear, such as a required disclosure, pin it, and give that position 2 or 3 options rather than one. Shuffle respects your pins, so you can see exactly how much variety you give up.
Why might your live ad look different from the preview?
The preview is an illustration, not Google's exact rendering. Real ads change with the search, the device and the space available:
- Google may show fewer than 3 headlines or 2 descriptions.
- Headline text can appear at the start of a description, and up to 2 unused headlines can show as links to pages on the same domain.
- Desktop sitelinks may stack or sit next to each other, filling one or 2 lines, while mobile sitelinks scroll sideways in a carousel.
- How many callouts fit depends on character spacing, browser and device.
Ad Strength, Google's rating of Incomplete, Poor, Average, Good or Excellent, is advice rather than a gate. Google's Ad Strength page says the rating "doesn't directly influence your ad's serving eligibility", but Google still advises running 2 or more responsive search ads with a Good or Excellent rating in each ad group.
Share a preview for sign-off
Share this preview creates a link that carries the whole ad inside the link itself. Nothing is stored on a server, so you can send it to a business partner or client for approval before anything goes live.
What to check before you publish
- Read several shuffles out loud. If two headlines say the same thing, replace one. Google's Ad Strength advice includes increasing headline and description uniqueness.
- Use the display paths. Short words such as /drain-repair/same-day tell people what they will land on. Google's unacceptable URL policy gives exclamation marks, asterisks, hash signs, underscores and @ as examples of characters display URLs can't use.
- Switch between mobile and desktop. Sitelinks change layout between the two.
- Add enough sitelinks. Fewer than 2 means none show. The Sitelink Generator writes a full set.
- Finish with a policy pass. Paste the final wording into the Google Ads Policy Pre-checker. Starting from scratch? The Google Ads Copy Generator writes the lines and opens them here with Preview this ad.
Sources
- About responsive search ads (Google Ads Help)
- About Ad Strength for responsive search ads (Google Ads Help)
- Search campaigns specs and format requirements (Google Ads Help)
- About sitelink assets (Google Ads Help)
- About callout assets (Google Ads Help)
- Unacceptable URL (Advertising Policies Help)
- Final URL (Google Ads Help)
Updated 2 October 2026 by the Paid Pilot team. Google Ads is a trademark of Google LLC; Paid Pilot is an independent agency.