The final solution to the “Ads.txt not found” problem and how to fix it in simple steps
If the link https://yourdomain.com/ads.txt is not available, this means that your site does not have an ads.txt file, which is normal if you did not add it manually.
1. What is an ads.txt file?
ads.txt stands for Authorized Digital Sellers.
It is a simple text file that lists all companies authorized to sell your ad space. Google AdSense uses this file to verify your website’s ad inventory. Without it, AdSense might show warnings, and your ad revenue could be affected.
To add an ads.txt file to your Blogger blog, follow these steps:
- Log in to your Blogger account: Go to https://www.blogger.com and log in.
- Choose the appropriate blog: In the top-left corner, select the blog to which you want to add the ads.txt file.
- Go to Settings: From the side menu, click "Settings."
- Access Search Preferences: Under the "Settings" section, click "Search Preferences."
- Enable Custom Ads.txt: At the bottom of the page, under the "Earnings" section, you will find the "Enable Custom Ads.txt" option. Click "Edit."
- Adding ads.txt content: In the text box, paste the lines provided by your ad provider (such as AdSense or Infolinks).
- Save changes: Click "Save changes."
After completing these steps, you can verify that the ads.txt file was successfully added by visiting the following link:
https://yourdomain.com/ads.txt
If you're using a custom domain (such as yourdomain.com instead of yourdomain.blogspot.com), make sure the ads.txt file is available on the root domain and not just the subdomain.
the Difference Between a Root Domain and a Subdomain
Root Domain: This is your main website name without any extensions, such as: yourdomain.com
Subdomain: This is any extension before the domain name, such as:
www.yourdomain.com
blog.yourdomain.com
The ads.txt file must be available on the root domain because Google AdSense checks this file there, not on any subdomain.
How to Make Ads.txt Available on the Root Domain in Blogger
1️⃣ If you're using the default Blogger domain (.blogspot.com)
Unfortunately, the root domain can only be modified directly on the old Blogger by setting up a custom ads.txt in the monetization settings.
Steps:
Go to Blogger → Settings → Monetization → Custom ads.txt
Enable the option and add the AdSense text provided by your account.
Save the changes.
Result: The ads.txt file is automatically generated on Blogger's root domain.
2️⃣ If you're using a custom domain like yourdomain.com, you need to make sure that ads.txt is available on the root domain.
In most cases:
- Go to Blogger → Settings → Monetization → Custom ads.txt
- Add your AdSense line, for example:
- google.com, pub-1234567890123456, DIRECT, f08c47fec0942fa0
- Save changes.
⚠️ Important: Your domain must be correctly pointed from DNS to Blogger so that yourdomain.com works without www.
To verify: Open a browser and type:
https://yourdomain.com/ads.txt
The contents of the ads.txt file should appear directly.
3️⃣ If it still doesn't appear, check your domain's DNS settings:
Add or ensure that CNAME and A-records point the root domain to Blogger's servers.
For some domains, you must add a 301 redirect from www to the root domain.
Wait 24–48 hours after the change for Google to recognize the new file.
Steps to set up an ads.txt file on the Blogger root domain with a custom domain.
Step 1: Ensure the custom domain is set up.
- Sign in to your account with your domain registrar (such as GoDaddy, Namecheap, or another provider).
- Go to DNS Management.
- Check the following:
- The A-records for the root domain (yourdomain.com) point to Blogger's servers:
216.239.32.21
216.239.34.21
216.239.36.21
216.239.38.21
The CNAME for the www subdomain points to:
ghs.googlehosted.com
If it doesn't exist, add these exact records.
Note: After modifying the DNS, it may take 24–48 hours for the changes to take effect globally.
Step 2: Enable custom ads.txt in Blogger
- Log in to Blogger → Settings → Monetization
- Find the Enable custom ads.txt option
- Enable it and click Edit
Step 3: Add AdSense data to ads.txt
- Copy the line provided by your AdSense account, usually something like:
- google.com, pub-1234567890123456, DIRECT, f08c47fec0942fa0
- Paste it into the text box.
You can add more than one line if you're using other ad networks.
- Click Save.
Step 4: Verify that ads.txt works on the root domain
- Open a browser and type:
- https://yourdomain.com/ads.txt
- You should see the contents of the ads.txt file you entered.
⚠️ Note: If the file doesn't appear immediately, wait 24–48 hours due to DNS updates.
Step 5: Additional Tips
- Don't use only www.yourdomain.com/ads.txt, because AdSense checks the root domain.
- Make sure your custom domain is fully enabled in Blogger (Settings → Basic → Publishing → Custom domain).
- Check your ads.txt file regularly after any AdSense or DNS changes.
How to Add A Records to Your Custom Domain's DNS
1. Log in to your domain provider.
- Go to the website of the company you purchased the domain from (such as GoDaddy, Namecheap, or any other provider).
- Log in to your account and select Domain Management.
- Domains.
2. Access DNS Settings
- Select your domain (yourdomain.com).
- Go to the DNS Management section / Manage DNS Records / Zone Editor.
3. Add A Records
- Add four A records in the same way, each on a separate line:
- Type Host Value (IP Address) TTL
A @ 216.239.32.21 Default
A @ 216.239.34.21 Default
A @ 216.239.36.21 Default
A @ 216.239.38.21 Default
Host = @ means the root domain (yourdomain.com).
Value is the IP address that points the site to Blogger's servers.
TTL can be left at the default value.
4. Save Changes
After entering all the records, save your changes.
Type: Wait 24–48 hours for the changes to propagate globally.
5. Add a CNAME to the www domain
- Add a CNAME record to the www domain:
- Type Host Value TTL
- CNAME www ghs.googlehosted.com Default
This ensures that both www.yourdomain.com and yourdomain.com point to your Blogger site.
After these steps, your site is ready for the root domain, and you can add an ads.txt file. It will be available at:
https://yourdomain.com/ads.txt
😊 Here's a simplified diagram showing where to add the A and CNAME records for your custom domain in DNS to ensure the ads.txt file on the root domain works:
Blogger Domain DNS Setup Diagram
┌────┐
│ DNS Management / Zone Editor │
└─────┘
│
│ Adding A records to the root domain
▼
┌──────┬──────┬───────────────────────┐
│ Type │ Host │ Value │
├──────┼──────┼───────────────────────┤
│ A │ @ │ 216.239.32.21 │
│ A │ @ │ 216.239.34.21 │
│ A │ @ │ 216.239.36.21 │
│ A │ @ │ 216.239.38.21 │
└─── ──┴──────┴───────────────────────┘
│
│ Adding a CNAME to the www subdomain
▼
┌───────┬─────── ┬────────────────────┐
│ Type │ Host │ Value │
├───────┼───────┼────────────────────┤
│ CNAME │ www │ ghs.googlehosted.com │
└───────┴───────┴─────────────────────┘
│
▼
Save changes → Wait 24–48 hours
│
▼
https://yourdomain.com/ads.txt
Important Notes
Host = @ means the root domain (yourdomain.com)
CNAME for www ensures that www.yourdomain.com automatically redirects to the root domain
After these settings, add a custom ads.txt in Blogger, and it will appear directly on the root domain.
Wait 24–48 hours to verify that the changes have been made globally.
How to Add an Ads.txt File to Your Blogger Blog if It Doesn't Appear in AdSense
If you are running a blog on Blogger and using Google AdSense, you might encounter a situation where AdSense warns you that your ads.txt file is missing or unavailable. The ads.txt file is essential for ensuring that only authorized publishers can sell your ad inventory, which helps prevent ad fraud and improves revenue transparency.
In this article, we’ll explain step-by-step the instructions to add it to your Blogger blog.
A typical ads.txt entry for AdSense looks like this:
google.com, pub-1234567890123456, DIRECT, f08c47fec0942fa0
- google.com → advertising system
- pub-1234567890123456 → your AdSense publisher ID
- DIRECT → you control the account directly
- f08c47fec0942fa0 → AdSense certification ID
2. Why ads.txt might not appear
There are several reasons why AdSense shows that your ads.txt file is missing:
Custom ads.txt not enabled in Blogger – Blogger does not automatically create ads.txt for custom domains.
DNS issues for custom domains – If you use a domain like www.mydomain.com, the ads.txt must be available on the root domain (mydomain.com).
Propagation delay – Changes to DNS or ads.txt may take 24–48 hours to reflect globally.
3. How to add ads.txt to your Blogger blog
Follow these steps to add an ads.txt file and make it visible to AdSense:
Step 1: Get your AdSense publisher ID
- Log in to your AdSense account
- Navigate to Account → Settings → Account Information
- Copy your Publisher ID (starts with pub-)
- Example: pub-1234567890123456
Step 2: Enable custom ads.txt in Blogger
- Log in to Blogger
- Go to your blog → Settings → Monetization / Earnings
- Find Custom ads.txt option → click Enable
- Click Edit to open the text box
Step 3: Add your ads.txt content
- Paste the following code, replacing with your publisher ID:
- google.com, pub-1234567890123456, DIRECT, f08c47fec0942fa0
- You can add multiple lines if you use additional ad networks.
- Click Save
Step 4: Verify ads.txt on your domain
- Open your browser
- Go to: https://yourdomain.com/ads.txt
- You should see your ads.txt content displayed.
If it does not appear immediately, wait 24–48 hours for DNS and Blogger to propagate changes.
4. Special note for custom domains
If your blog uses a custom domain:
Ensure your domain is pointed correctly to Blogger using A-records for root domain and CNAME for www.
Example DNS records for Blogger:
| Type | Host | Value |
|---|---|---|
| A | @ | 216.239.32.21 |
| A | @ | 216.239.34.21 |
| A | @ | 216.239.36.21 |
| A | @ | 216.239.38.21 |
| CNAME | www | ghs.googlehosted.com |
After proper DNS setup, ads.txt will be served from the root domain (yourdomain.com/ads.txt)
5. Common mistakes to avoid
- Not replacing pub-XXXXXXXXXXXX with your own publisher ID
- Not enabling Custom ads.txt in Blogger settings
- Using www.domain.com/ads.txt without root domain propagation
- Waiting less than 24–48 hours after making changes
6. Benefits of adding ads.txt correctly
Ensures all ad revenue is credited correctly to your account
Helps prevent ad fraud and unauthorized ad sellers
AdSense recognizes your domain as verified and authorized
Conclusion
Adding ads.txt to your Blogger blog is simple but essential for maintaining revenue and compliance with AdSense policies. By enabling custom ads.txt, adding your publisher ID, and verifying your domain setup, you can ensure that your ads appear correctly and safely.
Always check your ads.txt at:
https://yourdomain.com/ads.txt
And remember: changes may take up to 48 hours to reflect globally.
Step-by-Step Illustrated Guide: Adding ads.txt to Blogger
Step 1: Log in to Blogger
- Go to https://www.blogger.com
- Sign in with your Google account.
- Illustration: Screenshot of the Blogger login page with the Google sign-in button highlighted.
Step 2: Select Your Blog
- On the Blogger dashboard, you’ll see a list of your blogs.
- Click the blog where you want to add ads.txt.
- Illustration: Dashboard screenshot showing multiple blogs with the desired blog highlighted.
Step 3: Go to Settings
- In the left-hand menu, click Settings.
- Scroll down to the Monetization / Earnings section.
- Illustration: Screenshot of the Settings page with Monetization section highlighted.
Step 4: Enable Custom ads.txt
- In Monetization, find Custom ads.txt.
- Click Enable.
- Click Edit to open the text box.
- Illustration: Screenshot showing the toggle for Custom ads.txt with Edit button highlighted.
Step 5: Add Your AdSense Publisher ID
- Go to your AdSense account → Account → Settings → Account Information.
- Copy your Publisher ID (starts with pub-).
Example:
google.com, pub-1234567890123456, DIRECT, f08c47fec0942fa0
Paste this line into the Custom ads.txt box in Blogger.
Click Save.
Illustration: Screenshot of the ads.txt edit box in Blogger with the example line pasted and the Save button highlighted.
Step 6: Verify ads.txt on Your Domain
- Open a web browser and go to:
- https://yourdomain.com/ads.txt
- You should see the content of your ads.txt file displayed.
Illustration: Screenshot of browser showing the ads.txt content displayed on https://yourdomain.com/ads.txt.
⚠️ Note: If you don’t see it immediately, wait 24–48 hours due to DNS propagation.
Step 7: Optional – Ensure Proper DNS for Custom Domain
If you use a custom domain (yourdomain.com):
Add A-records for the root domain:
216.239.32.21
216.239.34.21
216.239.36.21
216.239.38.21
- Add CNAME for www:
ghs.googlehosted.com
Illustration: Screenshot of DNS settings page showing A-records and CNAME setup.
Step 8: Common Mistakes to Avoid
- Forgetting to replace pub-XXXXXXXXXXXX with your actual AdSense publisher ID.
- Not enabling Custom ads.txt in Blogger.
- Checking www.domain.com/ads.txt instead of domain.com/ads.txt.
- Expecting the file to appear instantly – allow 24–48 hours.
Illustration: Checklist image highlighting each common mistake.
✅ Conclusion
By following these steps, your Blogger blog will have a properly configured ads.txt file on the root domain. This ensures that your AdSense revenue is credited correctly and protects you from unauthorized sellers.