Integrating Google Mobile Ads SDK (Legacy) into an app is the first step toward displaying ads and earning revenue. Once you've integrated the SDK, you can choose an ad format (such as native or rewarded video) and follow the steps to implement it. ## Before you begin To prepare your app, complete the steps in the following sections. ### App prerequisites - Make sure that your app's build file uses the following values: - Minimum SDK version of `24` or higher - Compile SDK version of `35` or higher ## Configure your app 1. In your Gradle settings file, include the [Google's Maven repository](https://maven.google.com/web/index.html) and [Maven central repository](https://search.maven.org/artifact): ### Kotlin ```kotlin pluginManagement { repositories { google() mavenCentral() gradlePluginPortal() } } dependencyResolutionManagement { repositoriesMode.set(RepositoriesMode.FAIL_ON_PROJECT_REPOS) repositories { google() mavenCentral() } } rootProject.name = "My Application" include(":app") ``` ### Groovy ```groovy pluginManagement { repositories { google() mavenCentral() gradlePluginPortal() } } dependencyResolutionManagement { repositoriesMode.set(RepositoriesMode.FAIL_ON_PROJECT_REPOS) repositories { google() mavenCentral() } } rootProject.name = "My Application" include ':app' ``` 2. Add the dependencies for Google Mobile Ads SDK (Legacy) to your app-level build file: ### Kotlin ```kotlin dependencies { implementation("com.google.android.gms:play-services-ads:25.5.0") } ``` ### Groovy ```groovy dependencies { implementation 'com.google.android.gms:play-services-ads:25.5.0' } ``` 3. Click **Sync Now** . For details on syncing, see [Sync projects with Gradle files](https://developers.android.com/build#sync-files). 4. Add your Ad Manager app ID, as [identified in the Ad Manager web interface](https://support.google.com/admanager/answer/15014197), to your app's `AndroidManifest.xml` file. To do so, add a `` tag with `android:name="com.google.android.gms.ads.APPLICATION_ID"`. You can find your **app ID** in the Ad Manager web interface. For `android:value`, insert your own Ad Manager app ID, surrounded by quotation marks. ```xml \ ``` To learn more about the `com.google.android.gms.permission.AD_ID` permission declaration, including how to disable it, refer to this [Play Console article](https://support.google.com/googleplay/android-developer/answer/6048248). ## Initialize the Google Mobile Ads SDK (Legacy) Before loading ads, initialize Google Mobile Ads SDK (Legacy) by calling [`MobileAds.initialize()`](https://developers.google.com/ad-manager/mobile-ads-sdk/android/reference/com/google/android/gms/ads/MobileAds.md.txt#initialize(android.content.Context,%20com.google.android.gms.ads.initialization.OnInitializationCompleteListener)). This method initializes the SDK and calls a completion listener once both Google Mobile Ads SDK (Legacy) and adapter initializations have completed, or after a 30-second timeout. This needs to be done only once, ideally at app launch. If you're using mediation, wait until the completion handler is called before loading ads. This ensures that all mediation adapters are initialized. **Ads may be preloaded by Google Mobile Ads SDK (Legacy) or mediation partner SDKs upon initialization.** If you need to obtain consent from users in the European Economic Area (EEA), the United Kingdom (UK), or Switzerland, set any request-specific flags, such as [`setTagForChildDirectedTreatment()`](https://developers.google.com/ad-manager/mobile-ads-sdk/android/reference/com/google/android/gms/ads/RequestConfiguration.Builder.md.txt#setTagForChildDirectedTreatment(int)) or [`setTagForUnderAgeOfConsent()`](https://developers.google.com/ad-manager/mobile-ads-sdk/android/reference/com/google/android/gms/ads/RequestConfiguration.Builder.md.txt#setTagForUnderAgeOfConsent(int)), or otherwise take action before loading ads, ensure you do so before initializing Google Mobile Ads SDK (Legacy). Here's an example of how to call the `initialize()` method on a background thread within an Activity: ### Java ```java new Thread( () -> { // Initialize the Google Mobile Ads SDK on a background thread. MobileAds.initialize(this, initializationStatus -> {}); }) .start(); ``` ### Kotlin ```kotlin CoroutineScope(Dispatchers.IO).launch { // Initialize the Google Mobile Ads SDK on a background thread. MobileAds.initialize(this@MyActivity) {} } ``` ## Select an ad format Google Mobile Ads SDK (Legacy) is now imported and you're ready to implement an ad. Ad Manager offers a number of different ad formats, so you can choose the one that best fits your app's user experience. ### Banner ![](https://developers.google.com/static/admob/images/format-banner.svg) Banner ad units display rectangular ads that occupy a portion of an app's layout. They can refresh automatically after a set period of time. This means users view a new ad at regular intervals, even if they stay on the same screen in your app. They're also the simplest ad format to implement. [Implement banner ads](https://developers.google.com/ad-manager/mobile-ads-sdk/android/banner.md.txt) ### Interstitial ![](https://developers.google.com/static/admob/images/format-interstitial.svg) Interstitial ad units show full-page ads in your app. Place them at natural breaks and transitions in your app's interface, such as after level completion in a gaming app. [Implement interstitial ads](https://developers.google.com/ad-manager/mobile-ads-sdk/android/interstitial.md.txt) ### Native ![](https://developers.google.com/static/admob/images/format-native.svg) Native ads are ads where you can customize the way assets such as headlines and calls to action are presented in your apps. By styling the ad yourself, you can create a natural, unobtrusive ad presentations that can add to a rich user experience. Google Ad Manager offers two ways to implement native ads: native styles and standard native ads through custom rendering. Native styles has been designed to simplify the implementation of native ads, and it's a great choice if you are new to the format. Custom rendering has been designed to maximize the freedom you have in creating your presentations. [Implement native styles](https://developers.google.com/ad-manager/mobile-ads-sdk/android/native/styles.md.txt) [Implement native ads (custom rendering)](https://developers.google.com/ad-manager/mobile-ads-sdk/android/native.md.txt) ### Rewarded ![](https://developers.google.com/static/admob/images/format-rewarded.svg) Rewarded ad units enable users to play games, take surveys, or watch videos to earn in-app rewards, such as coins, extra lives, or points. You can set different rewards for different ad units, and specify the reward values and items the user received. [Implement rewarded ads](https://developers.google.com/ad-manager/mobile-ads-sdk/android/rewarded.md.txt) ### Rewarded interstitial ![](https://developers.google.com/static/admob/images/format-rewarded-interstitial.svg) Rewarded interstitial is a new type of incentivized ad format that lets you offer rewards, such as coins or extra lives, for ads that appear automatically during natural app transitions. Unlike rewarded ads, users aren't required to opt in to view a rewarded interstitial. Instead of the opt-in prompt in rewarded ads, rewarded interstitials require an intro screen that announces the reward and gives users a chance to opt out if they want to do so. [Implement rewarded interstitial ads](https://developers.google.com/ad-manager/mobile-ads-sdk/android/rewarded-interstitial.md.txt) ### App open ![](https://developers.google.com/static/admob/images/format-app-open.svg) App open is an ad format that appears when users open or switch back to your app. The ad overlays the loading screen. [Implement app open ads](https://developers.google.com/ad-manager/mobile-ads-sdk/android/app-open.md.txt) ## Additional resources The [Google Mobile Ads repository](https://github.com/googleads/googleads-mobile-android-examples) on GitHub demonstrates how to use the different ad formats that this API offers.