Preview ads on a mobile device

Creative Preview is a mobile app for Android and iOS devices.

Benefits

  • Preview mobile creatives in the same environment as when they're live
  • Make sure your ads work and look great before they launch
  • Show someone a demo of your ad

Supported ad products

Creative Preview works with creatives from Studio, Campaign Manager 360, Display & Video 360, Google Web Designer, and Authorized Buyers.

Supported creative types

You can preview display or video creatives in the Creative Preview app.

Supported mobile ad SDKs

App developers use mobile ad software development kits (SDKs) to show ads in their apps. Creative Preview supports the following mobile ad SDKs.

Display ads SDK

SDK name Android iOS Developer guides
Google Mobile Ads Supported Supported Android and iOS

You can also open display creatives in your mobile browser. Use the Mobile Web option. 

Video ads SDK

SDK name Android iOS Developer guides Video players
Interactive Media Ads Supported Supported Android and iOS View list

While the Interactive Media Ads (IMA) SDK supports companion ads, previewing companion ads isn't supported in Creative Preview. You can use your desktop browser to test instead.

Download the Creative Preview app

  • If you're using an iPad or iPhone, you can download the Creative Preview app on the App Store.
  • If you're using an Android phone or tablet, you can download the Creative Preview app on Google Play.

Open a creative in the app

To preview a creative on your mobile device, you need to copy a preview URL from the ad product the creative is in. To make this easier, most of the supported ad products have an option to create a QR code that you can scan with your phone or tablet.

Step 1: Get a QR code or preview URL

Before you can preview a creative on the Creative Preview app, you'll need to scan a QR code or copy the creative's preview URL from the ad product the creative is hosted in.

You can add both display and video creatives to the app using creative preview URLs. URLs must be secure (https://) and must return a valid response.

Get a QR code from Campaign Manager 360

These steps describe one way to preview a creative in Campaign Manager 360. Learn about other ways to preview creatives in the Campaign Manager 360 Help Center.

  1. Sign in to Campaign Manager 360.
  2. Open an advertiser.
  3. In the navigation menu, click Creatives.
  4. Click a creative's name to open it.
  5. Click Preview .
  6. Open the Preview location menu, then click Scan QR code. A QR code appears on screen.

Get a QR code from Display & Video 360

These steps describe one way to preview a creative in Display & Video 360. Learn about other ways to preview creatives in the Display & Video 360 Help Center.

  1. Sign in to Display & Video 360.
  2. Open an advertiser.
  3. In the navigation menu, click Creative, then Creatives.
  4. Click a creative's name to open it.
  5. Click Preview.
  6. Open the Preview location menu, then click Scan QR code. A QR code appears on screen.

Get a QR code from Google Web Designer

These steps describe one way to preview an ad in Google Web Designer. Learn about other ways to preview creatives in the Google Web Designer Help Center. 

  1. Open Google Web Designer.
  2. Open a file.
  3. Click the Preview drop-down arrow to get more preview options. (If you miss the arrow, a preview will open in a new window instead. Close it and try clicking the arrow again to get the preview menu.)
  4. Click Scan QR code. A QR code appears on screen.

Get a QR code from Studio

These steps describe one way to preview a creative in Studio. Learn about other ways to preview creatives in the Studio Help Center.
  1. Sign in to Studio.
  2. Click Creatives.
  3. Click a creative's name to open it.
  4. Click Preview.
  5. Open the Preview location menu, then click Scan QR code. A QR code appears on screen.

Get a preview URL for a video creative in Authorized Buyers

If you're trying to preview a video creative in Authorized Buyers, you'll notice the preview icon is disabled in the Creatives section. Follow these steps to get the preview URL:

  1. Click the buyer creative ID to view the creative details page.
  2. Copy the URL to use in the Creative Preview app.
  3. (Optional) Paste the URL into a QR code generator or URL shortener (for example: Bitly, Ow.ly, or TinyURL) to make it easier to copy the URL to your phone or tablet.

Step 2: Open the app and scan a QR code or add a URL

  1. Open the Creative Preview app on your mobile device.
  2. Tap Open creative  then select the type of creative you're about to preview.
  3. Tap Scan QR code . Point your device's camera at the QR code on your computer screen. When the code is scanned successfully, the creative's name and other details are filled in automatically.
  4. If you don't have a QR code, enter the creative's preview URL. If you added a display creative:
    1. Select the ad type. If the ad is expandable, choose banner.
    2. Enter the creative's width and height.
  5. Tap Save . You're taken back to the list of creative previews. Tap the creative's name to preview it.

Edit a creative preview

You can edit a preview if you need to change its ad type or dimensions.

  1. Next to your creative in the list, tap Information .
  2. Tap More options , then Edit.
  3. Edit the creative's details. When you're done, tap Save .

Preview and test your creative

Tap a creative to preview and test it on your mobile device.

When you open a display ad, you'll preview what it will look like in an app. You can also open it in a mobile browser.

When you open a video ad, you'll preview what it will look like as a pre-roll in-stream video ad. Your video ad is shown first, then you'll see a placeholder video afterward to simulate the video ad experience.

Preview a creative in the app

  1. Tap the name of a creative to preview it.
  2. While previewing, tap the call-to-action buttons in the ad and test other interactions to make sure they work.
  3. When you're done testing, tap Back  or Close . You're taken back to the list of creative previews.
  4. Optional: To make sure interaction data will appear in campaign reports, check that all interactions were recorded.
    1. Next to your creative in the list, tap Information .
    2.  Tap More options , then Events console. Check that all interactions were recorded when you were previewing.

Preview a creative in a mobile web browser

  1.  To see what a preview will look like in a mobile web browser, tap Information .
  2. Find Mobile web (launch browser). Next to it, tap Preview .

Check the SDK version

To check which version of the mobile ads SDK Creative Preview is using:

  1. Next to your creative in the list, tap Information .
  2. The version number is shown below the SDK name.

 Save your favorite creatives

You can save favorite creatives to more easily find them. View favorites by tapping Menu , then Favorites. To return to viewing all creatives, tap Menu , then Creatives.

Add favorites

Tap Favorite  next to a creative in the Creatives list.

Remove favorites

Tap Favorite  next to a creative in the Creatives list.

Remove creatives from the app

After you've finished previewing a creative, you can remove it from the app. If you remove a creative by mistake, you can add it again.

Remove one creative
  1. Next to your creative in the list, tap Information .
  2. Tap More options , then Remove creative.

Remove all creatives

  1. If you're not on the list of creative previews, tap Menu  , then Creatives.
  2. Tap More options  , then Remove all.

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