Google Ads Preview Tool and RSA Character Counter
Write a responsive search ad and see it as a mobile or desktop Google result while you type. The tool counts characters the way Google does, lets you pin headlines, shuffles real asset combinations and flags policy problems before you submit. Free, no signup, nothing to install.
- 100% free
- No signup
- Updated October 2026
Key Takeaways
A Google Ads preview tool shows how a responsive search ad will look on the results page before it goes live. Google's limits are 30 characters per headline (3 to 15 headlines), 90 per description (2 to 4), 15 per display path, 25 for sitelink and callout text and 35 per sitelink description line. Chinese, Japanese and Korean characters count as two.
- Responsive search ads take 3 to 15 headlines of up to 30 characters and 2 to 4 descriptions of up to 90 characters.
- Google shows up to 3 headlines and 2 descriptions at once, and headline 3 and description 2 are not guaranteed to appear.
- 12 headlines with one pinned to position 1 and 4 descriptions give Google 1,320 possible orders of 3 headlines and 2 descriptions.
- Google's editorial policy rejects gimmicky capitals like FLOWERS, repeated punctuation like flowers!!, emoji and phone numbers in ad text.
- Ad Strength rewards up to 15 unique headlines, keywords in headlines and 6 or more sitelinks, but it does not affect whether an ad can serve.
How to Use the Google Ads Preview Tool
Add your URL and keyword
Enter the final URL, up to two display paths and the main keyword of the ad group. The keyword is used to count how many headlines include it.
Write headlines and descriptions
Type up to 15 headlines and 4 descriptions. Each counter turns red past 30 or 90 characters, using Google's double-width rule for CJK text.
Pin only what must show
Use the pin menu to fix a headline to position 1, 2 or 3 or a description to position 1 or 2. The tool recounts how many combinations Google can still test.
Shuffle and switch devices
Press Shuffle to see other combinations Google could serve, switch between mobile and desktop, and use Shortest to see the minimal version.
Fix the checks and export
Work through errors and warnings, then copy the assets or download a CSV with Google Ads Editor column names.
What are the Google Ads character limits for responsive search ads?
Google publishes these limits in its responsive search ads help page, its sitelink and callout pages and the Google Ads API reference. The tool uses exactly these numbers.
| Asset | Character limit | How many |
|---|---|---|
| Headline | 30 | 3 required, up to 15 |
| Description | 90 | 2 required, up to 4 |
| Display path | 15 each | 2 (path 2 only works when path 1 is set) |
| Sitelink text | 25 | at least 2 for any to show; up to 6 on desktop, 8 on mobile |
| Sitelink description lines | 35 each | fill both lines or neither |
| Callout | 25 | up to 10 can show |
Double-width characters used in Chinese, Japanese and Korean count as 2. A 15-character Japanese headline therefore uses all 30 characters. Most counters online count every character as 1 and pass headlines that Google then rejects.
How does Google decide which headlines and descriptions to show?
Google assembles each ad from your assets at auction time. It shows up to 3 headlines and 2 descriptions. Text in headline position 1 and description position 1 usually appears; headline 2, headline 3 and description 2 appear when Google predicts they will perform or when there is room.
On desktop, the headline line is about 600 pixels wide, so a third headline is often dropped. The preview measures the headline line in Arial at 20 pixels and drops headline 3 when it would not fit, which is what you will usually see on a real results page.
Worked example: 12 unique headlines, one pinned to position 1, and 4 unpinned descriptions. Position 1 has 1 choice, positions 2 and 3 draw from the 11 unpinned headlines in order: 11 × 10 = 110. Descriptions fill 2 positions from 4: 4 × 3 = 12. Total: 1 × 110 × 12 = 1,320 possible orders. Unpin the first headline and it becomes 12 × 11 × 10 × 12 = 15,840. That is the testing room pinning removes.
When should you pin headlines in a responsive search ad?
Pin when a line has to appear for legal, brand or offer reasons. Google's Ad Strength guidance says to pin only 1 or 2 essential headlines and, if you pin, to pin 2 or 3 versions to the same position so the system can still test.
- Position 1 and 2 pins always show.
- Headline position 3 and description position 2 pins are not guaranteed to show, so never put a required disclaimer there alone.
- Pinning every headline leaves Google nothing to rotate and drags Ad Strength down.
The tool warns about single pins, heavy pinning and position 3 pins, and shows the combination count change as you pin.
Which Google Ads editorial rules get ads disapproved?
These are the rules the checker tests, each taken from Google's editorial policy pages:
- Capitalization: words like FLOWERS or FlOwErS are not allowed (Capitalization policy). Acronyms such as ASAP, coupon codes and brand names can be approved on review, so the tool skips common acronyms.
- Punctuation and symbols: repeats like flowers!!, letters split by periods like F.L.O.W.E.R.S, decorative symbols, asterisks around words and emoji (Punctuation and symbols).
- Spacing: double spaces and missing spaces like "Sale,buy flowers" (Unacceptable spacing).
- Phone numbers in ad text: use a call asset instead.
- Sitelinks and callouts: no exclamation marks, no leading punctuation, and no repeated link text (sitelink requirements, callout requirements).
One thing many tools get wrong: Google's current policy pages do not ban a single exclamation mark in a headline. They ban repeated ones, and exclamation marks in sitelinks and callouts. The checker labels a single headline exclamation mark as a tip, not an error.
How is the Ad Strength estimate calculated?
Google does not publish its Ad Strength formula, so the score in this tool is our estimate, built only from what Google says matters:
- Number of unique headlines, up to 15 (up to 30 points).
- Number of descriptions, up to 4 (15 points).
- Main keyword in at least 2 headlines (20 points).
- Sitelinks: Google says 6 or more improves Ad Strength (15 points).
- No errors from the checks above (20 points).
Near-duplicate headlines and pinning more than 2 headlines take points away. Scores of 82 and up read Excellent, 62 Good, 40 Average and below that Poor. Ad Strength itself does not decide whether an ad can serve, so treat it as a checklist, not a target.
What makes a responsive search ad worth previewing twice?
Read every shuffle as a real ad. If a combination reads badly, such as two headlines that both say "Free Quotes" or a description that only makes sense after another one, fix the asset, because Google will serve it. End each description with a full stop so two descriptions read cleanly side by side, and keep at least three headlines that work in position 1.
For more on structure and testing, read our guides to writing responsive search ads and ad copy testing. If you would rather have a team write and test them, see our Google Ads management service.
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Frequently Asked Questions
How many characters is a Google Ads headline?
Each responsive search ad headline can be up to 30 characters, including spaces. Chinese, Japanese and Korean characters count as 2, so those headlines max out at 15 characters.
How many characters is a Google Ads description?
Each description can be up to 90 characters including spaces. You need at least 2 descriptions and can add up to 4.
How many headlines does Google show at once?
Up to 3 headlines and 2 descriptions. Headline 3 and description 2 are not guaranteed, and on desktop the third headline is often dropped for space.
Are exclamation marks allowed in Google Ads headlines?
Google’s current editorial pages do not ban a single exclamation mark in a headline, but they reject repeated marks such as "!!". Sitelinks and callouts cannot use exclamation marks at all.
Can I put a phone number in my ad text?
No. Google’s editorial policy does not allow phone numbers in ad text. Add a call asset so the number shows as a button and calls can be tracked.
Does Ad Strength affect my ad's performance or serving?
Google says Ad Strength does not affect whether an ad can serve. It is a diagnostic that points to more and more varied assets, which give the system more combinations to test.
Is this the same as Google's Ad Preview and Diagnosis tool?
No. Google’s tool, inside your account, shows whether a live ad is serving for a search. This tool previews ads you are still writing, with limits and policy checks, before anything is published.
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