This article explains what refunds you can expect after canceling your Google Ads account.
You can cancel your Google Ads account at any time. A refund for any unused funds in your account (excluding promotional credits) will be automatically processed. You will generally receive your refund within 4 - 12 weeks. This timeframe includes processing by Google and then by your bank. The exact processing time can vary depending on your payment method. Learn more about Cancelling your Google Ads account.
On this page
Instructions
Cancel your account
- Go to Preferences within the Admin menu
.
- Open the Account Status section.
- Select Cancel my account.
- After you give your confirmation, your account status will change to "Canceled."
After canceling your account, a refund will be processed automatically for the eligible balance remaining in your account. The processing time depends on your payment method. Check the Billing Summary page for the details and status of your refund.
It's recommended to pause active campaigns before cancellation to prevent further charges. Ensure you have administrative access to cancel that specific Google Ads account. If you have multiple payment profiles, confirm you are in the correct Google Ads account before cancelling.
Check the payment method
- Go to Settings within the Billing menu
.
- Open the Payment methods section to find out your payment method.
- Refer to the table below to find out how long it takes to process your refund, based on your payment method.
| Payment method | Refund processing time |
| Credit card | 2–3 weeks* |
| Bank transfer | 3–4 weeks |
| SEPA (direct debit) | 8 weeks |
* Excludes the amount of time that the credit card company takes to process your request
Possible reasons for delayed or failed refunds
Refunds are processed to the original payment method. If you don't receive your refund within the expected timeframe for your payment method, first confirm the cancellation date and check your bank statement.
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If your original credit card is no longer active
If the refund was processed to a credit card that is no longer active, and the refund fails, you will typically be prompted in Google Ads to add a new, active bank account as your payment method. After the new payment method is verified, the refund will be processed to this new payment method. This process may take longer than the standard refund timeline.
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Need to temporarily reactivate your Google Ads account
In some cases, you may need to reactivate your Google Ads account temporarily to add the new payment method, and then cancel it again to re-initiate the refund. You should also contact your bank associated with the closed credit card, as they might be able to retrieve the funds if the refund was already processed to the closed card.
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If a refund was not automatically initiated when you canceled your account
You may find a 'Complete your refund' option in your Google Ads account to complete the bank refund form.
If you still haven't received your refund after these steps, contact your bank with the transaction reference number provided by Google (if available).
