app-ads.txt

ads.txt and app-ads.txt are text files hosted on a website that allow advertisers and buyers to verify who is authorized to buy and sell ad inventory.

These files contain a list of Authorized Digital Sellers (ADS) who are permitted to resell a website’s or app’s inventory.

They are part of an Interactive Advertising Bureau (IAB) standard to prevent unauthorized reselling and reduce ad fraud.

App ads file

For mobile apps, advertisers crawl the developer website listed in the Google Play Store and Apple App Store.

They check:

https://yourdevelopersite.com/app-ads.txt

If a buyer or SSP cannot find itself listed, it may choose not to bid.

Most buyers re-crawl the app-ads.txt file at least once every 24 hours.

Setup app-ads.txt

During onboarding, Publift will provide you with a merged app-ads.txt file, containing:

  • Publift-required lines
  • Your existing and custom entries placed under the # Legacy or Unique header

Your task is to upload the file to the root of your developer website:

https://yourdevelopersite.com/app-ads.txt

This URL must match the developer website domain you have declared in your app store listing.

Verifying Your Setup

After installation, visit:

https://yourdevelopersite.com/app-ads.txt

Make sure the content exactly matches the file provided by Publift.

Troubleshooting

  • It may take up to 24–48 hours for buyers to re-crawl your file
  • Ensure your https://yourdevelopersite.com/app-ads.txt site is publicly accessible
  • Do not block crawlers with firewalls, authentication, or bot protection
  • The file must be served as plain text

If you continue to experience issues, Google provides a helpful guide: https://support.google.com/admanager/answer/7673979

Updating

Publift will notify you if updates are required (e.g., new partners, syntax issues).

Then you can replace the existing file with the updated one we provide.