When getting started with Performance Max, you can use existing knowledge and
information from your current advertising to assist in setting up new
Performance Max campaigns. If you already manage campaigns using the Google Ads API,
you may be able to use your existing campaigns, depending on the campaign type,
to help you configure a Performance Max campaign rather than create a new
campaign from scratch. This guide covers the available options to help you plan
your upgrade to Performance Max.

## Upgrade paths by campaign and feature

The following table summarizes active and completed Performance Max upgrade
workflows in the Google Ads API:

| Scenario | Upgrade method | API mechanism and guide |
|---|---|---|
| **Brand guidelines on existing Performance Max campaigns** | Automatic or manual API migration | Check [`campaign.brand_guidelines_enabled`](https://developers.google.com/google-ads/api/reference/rpc/v26/Campaign#brand_guidelines_enabled) and call [`CampaignService.EnablePMaxBrandGuidelines`](https://developers.google.com/google-ads/api/reference/rpc/v26/CampaignService/EnablePMaxBrandGuidelines) to migrate campaign-level `BUSINESS_NAME` and `LOGO` assets. See [Brand guidelines migration](https://developers.google.com/google-ads/api/performance-max/create-campaign#brand-guidelines). |
| **Retail \& Standard Shopping campaigns** | Manual or assisted creation | Configure [`campaign.shopping_setting`](https://developers.google.com/google-ads/api/reference/rpc/v26/Campaign.ShoppingSetting) with your Merchant Center `merchant_id` and partition products using [`AssetGroupListingGroupFilter`](https://developers.google.com/google-ads/api/reference/rpc/v26/AssetGroupListingGroupFilter). See [Performance Max for retail](https://developers.google.com/google-ads/api/performance-max/retail). |
| **Vehicle listing campaigns** | Automatic upgrade (existing) / API creation (new) | Existing vehicle campaigns were automatically upgraded. For new campaigns, set [`campaign.listing_type`](https://developers.google.com/google-ads/api/reference/rpc/v26/Campaign#listing_type) to `VEHICLES`. See [Vehicle campaigns](https://developers.google.com/google-ads/api/performance-max/upgrade-eligibility#vehicle-campaigns). |
| **Local Services campaigns (GLS PMax)** | API creation (starting in `v26`) | Set [`campaign.pmax_campaign_settings.local_services_enabled`](https://developers.google.com/google-ads/api/reference/rpc/v26/Campaign.PmaxCampaignSettings#local_services_enabled) to `true` along with [`country_code`](https://developers.google.com/google-ads/api/reference/rpc/v26/Campaign.LocalServicesPmaxCampaignSettings#country_code) and [`listing_id`](https://developers.google.com/google-ads/api/reference/rpc/v26/Campaign.LocalServicesPmaxCampaignSettings#listing_id) in `local_services_pmax_campaign_settings`. See [Local Services Performance Max campaigns](https://developers.google.com/google-ads/api/docs/campaigns/local-service-campaigns#pmax-campaigns). |
| **Smart Shopping \& Local campaigns** | Completed automatic migration | Automatically upgraded to Performance Max. Manage upgraded campaigns using standard [Performance Max workflows](https://developers.google.com/google-ads/api/performance-max/getting-started). |

## Audit existing campaigns for upgrade

Use [`GoogleAdsService.SearchStream`](https://developers.google.com/google-ads/api/reference/rpc/v26/GoogleAdsService/SearchStream) with the following query
to inspect your existing campaigns, check whether Performance Max brand
guidelines are enabled, and identify retail, vehicle, or Local Services
Performance Max settings:

    SELECT
      campaign.id,
      campaign.name,
      campaign.status,
      campaign.advertising_channel_type,
      campaign.bidding_strategy_type,
      campaign.brand_guidelines_enabled,
      campaign.listing_type,
      campaign.shopping_setting.merchant_id,
      campaign.pmax_campaign_settings.local_services_enabled
    FROM campaign
    WHERE campaign.status != 'REMOVED'

## Reasons to upgrade

Here are a few reasons to upgrade to Performance Max:

- Unlock new audiences across Google's channels and networks
- Drive better performance against your goals
- Get more transparent insights
- Steer automation with your campaign inputs
- Simplify campaign management and optimize your ads

You can find more information about Performance Max in the [About Performance
Max campaigns](https://support.google.com/google-ads/answer/10724817) article.

## Steps to upgrade

The steps to upgrade broadly involve the following:

1. [Identify which existing campaigns can be upgraded to Performance
   Max](https://developers.google.com/google-ads/api/performance-max/upgrade-eligibility)
2. [Check the requirements and eligibility](https://developers.google.com/google-ads/api/performance-max/upgrade-eligibility#campaign-types-eligible-for-upgrade)
3. [Create a Performance Max campaign based on an existing
   campaign](https://developers.google.com/google-ads/api/performance-max/upgrade-create-campaign)
4. [Enhance the campaign for Performance Max](https://developers.google.com/google-ads/api/performance-max/upgrade-enhancements)
5. [Compare and optimize campaign performance](https://developers.google.com/google-ads/api/performance-max/upgrade-comparison)
6. [Finalize the Performance Max campaign](https://developers.google.com/google-ads/api/performance-max/upgrade-complete)

Each step can differ depending on the upgrade route. For more details on each
step, check out the respective sections of the
[upgrade eligibility guide](https://developers.google.com/google-ads/api/performance-max/upgrade-eligibility).

## Manage your upgrade

Teams at Google have developed processes to help you understand how and when to
upgrade as well as tools to help you provide input to assisted upgrades.
Depending on how many accounts and campaigns you would like to upgrade, there
are different options you should consider:

Assisted
:   You are provided with an assisted workflow to help you upgrade a
    campaign. By providing a few inputs, Google is able to create the campaign
    and help you measure its performance before finalizing the process.

Fully-automated
:   Certain campaigns will be upgraded to Performance Max
    automatically by Google. You should understand which campaigns this applies
    to, when this is due to happen, and what actions (if any) you will need to
    take.

Manual
:   You want to expand your reach by adding Performance Max to your
    portfolio of campaigns. You can choose when and how this happens and how you
    will measure the success of this campaign compared to your other campaigns.
    With this option, make sure you understand how the assisted and
    fully-automated options might affect your plan.

These options depend on the campaign you are planning to upgrade.
For more details, see the
[upgrade eligibility guide](https://developers.google.com/google-ads/api/performance-max/upgrade-eligibility).