What is a Google Advertising ID (GAID)?

The Google Advertising ID (GAID), formerly known as an Android ID, Android Device ID, or Android Advertising ID (AAID), is Google’s unique device identifier. Widely used in the mobile marketing ecosystem, it enables precise measurement of campaign performance. Within the world of Android advertising, the GAID is also sometimes referred to as the Android advertising identifier or Android ad ID.

All smartphones and tablets, regardless of operating system, are identified by a unique device ID. It’s an anonymized string of numbers and letters generated for the device upon initial setup. None of the user’s personal information is included in the ID. With consent, an app installed on the device can retrieve the unique device ID.

First introduced in 2014 The Google Advertising ID (then Android Advertising ID) is a combination of 8 characters followed by a dash, and then three sets of 4 characters. It uses all lowercase letters and numerical digits. It is Google’s equivalent of Apple’s IDFA.

Mobile marketers use advertising IDs like the Google Advertising ID to understand which ads, creatives, and channels are most effective. In android advertising, ad networks utilize the GAID to get an idea of a user’s behaviors and interests. Meanwhile, advertisers use the GAID to monitor ad engagement and conversions. Advertisers and developers can see views and clicks of ads, as well as when a user subsequently installs an app, makes a purchase, or signs up for a subscription or other service.

Together, this data allows mobile app marketers to deliver targeted and retargeted ads to potential app users using precision segmentation for highly personalized experiences. Creating these personalized ads provides a more relevant experience to users and makes for more impactful advertising on Android.

However, Android users have the option to opt-out of ad personalization. Following the industry push for increased user permissions and transparency, spearheaded by the rollout of iOS 14.5, Google released Android 12 in 2021. Starting with this update, users were able to limit ad tracking by toggling on “Opt out of Ads Personalization” in their Ads settings, which zeroes out the GAID, preventing advertisers from accessing device-level data. From Android 14 onward, the process involves a lot more options for users, including the ability to customize ad settings, completely remove the GAID, or to reset it.

How do I find my Google Advertising ID?

Finding a GAID is simple.

1. Open your device’s Settings app or Google settings app (depending on device)
2. Go to Security and privacy
3. Select Privacy
4. Click on Ads

The Google Advertising ID will be listed at the bottom of the screen next to the text “This device’s advertising ID”. Here you can reset your GAID, delete it entirely, or manage/customize the specific ads you want to see and apps you want to share your GAID with.

Now, Google has taken a step further in privacy solutions with the introduction of its Privacy Sandbox on Android (PSA). Privacy Sandbox on Android is currently still in testing and development, due for rollout in 2025. Google has stated that reliance on the GAID will be significantly reduced by Privacy Sandbox on Android. As we’ve seen with SKAdNetwork (SKAN) (along with AdAttributionKit) and the impact of Apple’s privacy measures, it’s essential that mobile marketers onboard next-gen measurement solutions that campaign optimization from aggregated data sets. By combining traditional attribution with methods like incrementality and predictive analytics, marketers are able to continue quickly and effectively optimizing campaigns and finding the insights they need to grow their apps.

Adjust was an early tester of Privacy Sandbox on Android and is continuing to work closely with Google to ensure the best possible results for advertisers, users, and the app marketing ecosystem at large.

Adjust offers robust mobile attribution and analytics to app developers for device-level and aggregated campaign data on Android devices, iOS devices, and more. Keep up to date with changes to the mobile privacy landscape with Adjust or request a demo today.