How you create and configure a Google API Console project depends on your
application's OAuth 2.0 authorization scenario. Select an authorization scenario
to customize this guide.
<button value="service_accounts" default="" data-title="Service accounts"> Service accounts </button> <button value="user_authentication" data-title="User authentication"> User authentication </button>

You need a Google API Console project for creating OAuth 2.0 credentials and
enabling the Google Ads API for your app.

These credentials authenticate and authorize your app or Google Ads users on Google
servers and let you generate OAuth tokens to be used in calls to the API.

## Select or create a Google API Console project

> [!NOTE]
> **Note:** If you already have a Google API Console project with API access and want to use it to create credentials, you can skip to [Enable the Google Ads API in your
> project](https://developers.google.com/google-ads/api/docs/oauth/cloud-project#enable-api).

To set up a new project, follow the guide to [create a Google API Console
project](https://developers.google.com/workspace/guides/create-project#project). [Enabling billing for your
project](https://developers.google.com/workspace/guides/create-project#billing) is optional. If you have
billing enabled, select a billing account for the new project. There is no
charge for using the Google Ads API, though Cloud projects are subject to standard
project quota limits.

## Enable the Google Ads API in your project

To enable the Google Ads API in your project, follow these steps:

1. [Open the API Library](https://console.cloud.google.com/apis/library) in the Google API Console. If prompted, select your
   project or create a new one. The API Library lists all available
   APIs, grouped by product family and popularity.

2. Use search to find the **Google Ads API** if it isn't visible in the list.

3. Select the **Google Ads API** , then click the **Enable** button.

[Enable Google Ads API](https://console.cloud.google.com/flows/enableapi?apiid=googleads.googleapis.com)

## Apply for API access

Next, visit the [Google Ads API Overview
page](https://console.cloud.google.com/google/ads-apis/overview) to check your current
[API access level](https://developers.google.com/google-ads/api/docs/api-policy/access-levels). If your current API access
level is **Test** , then expand the **Upgrade access level** section. Follow the
instructions to apply for **Explorer** access level.

Once you complete your application, Google automatically reviews your
application and upgrades it to Explorer access in most cases.

## Create a service account and key

> [!NOTE]
> **Note:** If you are already using another Google API and have created an OAuth 2.0 service account and key, you can skip this step and reuse the existing credentials.

[Create credentials for the service
account](https://developers.google.com/workspace/guides/create-credentials#service-account). Download the
service account key in JSON format and note the service account ID and email.