Google is retiring the Related Search format for AdSense Auto ads on August 6, 2026. After that date the format will stop serving and will be removed as a format option inside the AdSense interface. According to Google, publishers do not need to take any action, and the remaining Auto ad formats will keep running, with some of them potentially filling the slots the Related Search format used to occupy.
The company confirmed the change through its AdSense Help documentation and through emails sent to affected publishers. If you monetise a site with Auto ads, this is a format-level change rather than an account-level one, so your Auto ads setup will continue to function without any manual intervention.
What is changing on August 6
Related Search was one of the formats that Auto ads could place automatically on a page. It surfaced a set of search-style suggestions that readers could click, which then led to a results page carrying ads. From August 6, Google will no longer serve that format, and you will not see it listed as an option when you configure Auto ads.
The rest of your Auto ads formats stay in place. Google has indicated that other formats may step in to fill the space Related Search leaves behind, so the ad slots on your pages will not simply go empty. What shifts is the composition of what serves there, not whether ads serve at all.
Do publishers need to do anything?
No. Google AdSense has stated that no action is required. You do not need to edit your Auto ads settings, change your page code, or reconfigure anything to stay compliant with the change. The retirement is handled on Google's side.
What this means for publishers and marketers
The practical question is revenue. If a meaningful share of your AdSense income came through Related Search, expect the mix to move once the format is gone. Some of that revenue may be recovered as other Auto ad formats take over the freed-up space, but the amount and the exact behaviour will depend on your traffic, your layout, and how your audience interacts with ads.
A few things worth doing in the weeks around the cutover:
- Note your baseline. Record your AdSense earnings, RPM, and format-level performance for the days before August 6 so you have a clean reference point.
- Watch the transition window. Compare the days immediately after August 6 against your baseline to see how the other formats absorb the change.
- Check your layout. If Related Search was concentrated in certain page positions, keep an eye on how those positions perform once other formats fill them.
For publishers who lean heavily on a single revenue channel, this is a reminder of how exposed a business can be when one format or one platform decision moves the numbers. Building a wider base, through owned audiences, email, and editorial that earns direct traffic, softens the impact of changes like this one. If that is a gap for your site, a considered approach to content marketing can reduce the dependence on any single ad format.
What this means for Thai publishers
The change applies globally, so Thai publishers running AdSense Auto ads are affected on the same August 6 date as everyone else. If you publish Thai-language content and rely on Auto ads for monetisation, the sensible move is to monitor your revenue closely across the cutover and compare it against the days before.
Thai publishers who also run their own advertising should remember that AdSense sits on the monetisation side of the ledger, while paid acquisition sits on the other. For businesses using search advertising to bring in traffic, the mechanics of the wider Google Ads ecosystem are separate from what happens to a publisher-side format, and this retirement does not affect advertiser campaigns.
FAQ
When exactly does the Related Search format retire?
August 6, 2026. After that date it will no longer serve and will be removed as a format option in AdSense.
Will my AdSense account be affected?
No. Only the Related Search format is retiring. Your account and your other Auto ad formats continue to run.
Do I need to change my settings?
No. Google has said publishers need take no action. The change is applied automatically.
Will I lose the revenue from Related Search?
The format itself goes away, but Google has said other Auto ad formats may fill the freed-up slots. The net effect on earnings will vary by site, so track your numbers around the change.
The takeaway
The retirement of the Related Search format on August 6 is a low-effort change for publishers to manage, since no action is needed, but it is worth watching because it can shift your AdSense earnings mix. Record your baseline, compare the days after, and use the moment to check how reliant your business is on any single ad format. If you want help building a steadier traffic and revenue base beyond ad placements, our team is happy to talk.
