# Google Performance Max enables sourced videos by default — and may switch on existing campaigns Google Ads can automatically pull video from approved social, landing-page and YouTube sources into Performance Max campaigns. The setting defaults on for new campaigns and may have been activated on existing ones, making source approvals and creative review operational controls. A new Performance Max sourced-videos setting can add up to ten crawled videos per asset group, uploaded to a Google-owned branded YouTube channel. It is on by default for new campaigns, but sources require approval. - Status: Active - Published: 2026-10-27T06:12:41+13:00 - Updated: 2026-10-27T06:12:41+13:00 - Categories: Marketing & Distribution, Content & Publishing, Paid Acquisition - Tags: advertising automation, Google Ads, Performance Max, video advertising, YouTube - Canonical HTML: https://beyondthe.news/dossiers/google-performance-max-sourced-videos-default-on-approved-sources-october-2026 ## What changed Google's October 2026 Performance Max documentation introduces a 'Sourced videos' asset-optimisation setting that automatically discovers and reuses eligible videos from sources an advertiser approves, including social platforms, landing pages and linked YouTube channels. It is enabled by default on all newly created campaigns; Google warns it may also have been switched on automatically for some existing campaigns. The staged rollout requires daily budgets greater than US$5 and source approval, and can add up to ten crawled videos per asset group. ## Why it matters A campaign can start incorporating creative that was originally published elsewhere, and existing campaigns may have the setting enabled without an advertiser manually choosing it. That changes the review and provenance workflow for small advertisers, agencies and brands: approving a source can let Google's system choose which assets enter ads. Operators need to inspect the campaign-level toggle, source permissions, asset list and resulting performance rather than assuming only uploaded creative will run. ## The default has changed, but approval is still required Google says sourced videos are on by default for new Performance Max campaigns and may have been automatically enabled on some existing campaigns. The system cannot freely take any public video: the advertiser must approve source URLs, and a campaign-level checkbox can turn the feature off. Rollout is sequential, so the setting is not necessarily visible in every account yet. Search Engine Roundtable documented October 23 UI sightings and linked Google's revised help page. ## Google can reuse video from several surfaces Approved inputs may include social media platforms, a campaign landing page and a linked YouTube channel. Google AI selects material based on relevance, predicted performance and formatting suitability, refreshes it periodically, and can add up to ten crawled videos per asset group alongside manually uploaded or AI-generated assets. Deleting a video from its original platform removes it from Google Ads automatically, according to Google's documentation. ## A Google-owned YouTube channel is part of delivery Google says sourced videos are uploaded to a dedicated Google-owned YouTube channel branded with the advertiser's logo and business name, with viewers directed to the landing page. The daily campaign budget must exceed US$5, and the setting is currently rolling out. That is operationally distinct from an advertiser uploading a video to their own YouTube channel. ## What an advertiser should check now In a Performance Max campaign, open Asset optimisation, inspect the Sourced videos checkbox and Manage sources, then review the Assets list for sourced entries and their performance. Teams managing many client accounts should include source approvals and creative provenance in their campaign change logs. This October sourced-video change is separate from Google's December 4 image-extraction default, which concerns website images rather than crawled videos. ## Key details - Google Ads help page: sourced videos enabled by default for all new Performance Max campaigns; may also have been enabled on some existing campaigns. - Requires advertiser approval of source URLs, and can be disabled at campaign level. - Inputs include approved social media, landing-page and linked YouTube sources. - Up to ten crawled videos can be added automatically per asset group. - Eligible campaigns need daily budget greater than US$5; staged rollout. - Sourced videos uploaded to a Google-owned YouTube channel branded for the advertiser. - Different mechanism from December 2026 Performance Max image-extraction default. ## Builder takeaways - Audit Sourced videos settings in new and existing Performance Max campaigns, especially managed client accounts. - Review and restrict approved source URLs; document which social and landing-page assets may become ad creative. - Inspect sourced entries and performance in Assets; do not infer performance gains from the feature description. - Check branded Google-owned YouTube channel behaviour and compliance with creative approvals. - Treat the rollout as staged rather than universally available. ## What to watch - Google's rollout and whether existing-campaign activation becomes more widespread. - Documentation clarifying source approval, removal and creative moderation for managed accounts. - Whether Google Ads API exposes complete controls and change history for sourced videos. - Independent measurement of creative quality, conversion outcomes and advertiser opt-outs. ## Uncertainties - Google does not quantify how many existing campaigns were automatically enabled. - Availability is phased and account-specific. - No independent performance evidence establishes the benefit of automatically selected sourced videos. - The help page does not establish an exact general-availability date. ## Sources - [About sourced videos in Performance Max campaigns](https://support.google.com/google-ads/answer/17016118?hl=en) — Google Ads Help · primary_documentation · 2026-10-01T00:00:00+13:00. Default state, source approval, $5 threshold, Google-owned channel, opt-out and phased rollout. - [Google Ads Asset Optimization Sourced Videos On/Off Toggle](https://www.seroundtable.com/google-ads-sourced-videos-42365.html) — Search Engine Roundtable · independent_reporting · 2026-10-23T00:00:00+13:00. Observed new setting in live UI and documented official help update.