How to Set Up Ads.txt on WordPress: Secure Your Ad Revenue in 2025 Step by Step

How to Set Up Ads.txt on WordPress (Step-by-Step Guide for Publishers)

Imagine watching your ad income drip away, lost to invisible fraudsters and shady resellers. Without the right protection, even honest sites can lose trust with advertisers. The ads.txt file stops bad actors by listing who’s allowed to sell your ad space, building a line of defense right on your site.

For WordPress owners, setting up ads.txt is a simple step with huge impact. You’ll keep advertisers’ confidence, protect your earnings, and show your site means business. This guide will walk you through it from start to finish, making it easy and secure to lock in your spot as a trusted publisher.

Watch a visual walkthrough on YouTube

Understanding the Ads.txt File: What It Does for Your Site

Picture your website as a storefront. You only want trusted partners to sell goods on your shelves. In the world of online ads, the ads.txt file acts as your official bouncer. It stands at your digital door, deciding exactly who gets to sell your ad space to keep fraudsters and scams away.

Anyone running ads should know what ads.txt is and why it matters. Without this simple tool, someone could claim your site and sell counterfeit ad space, draining away revenue that should be yours. Let’s explore what makes this file so important and how it creates a safer ad environment for publishers.

What Is the Ads.txt File in Plain Language?

The ads.txt file, short for “Authorized Digital Sellers,” is a small text file that sits in your site’s root directory. It’s open for everyone to view—buyers, sellers, even your visitors. Its job is clear: tell the world which companies can sell your digital ad space.

Think of this file as your public guest list. Anyone not listed isn’t allowed to set up shop or sell ads on your behalf. If a buyer checks your ads.txt and doesn’t see their seller ID, they’ll know the offer isn’t legitimate.

According to the Google AdSense Help guide, having your own ads.txt file gives you more control over your inventory and helps stamp out counterfeit supply.

Protecting Publisher Revenue

Fake sellers target sites that don’t have an ads.txt file. They pretend to be the real publisher and trick advertisers into buying worthless ad space. All this does is steal money—and trust—from honest publishers.

With ads.txt, only authorized companies can sell your space. This means:

• *You earn what you actually deserve from your ad space.
• Advertisers trust your inventory because they know it’s real.
• Ad buyers check the file before making purchases, stopping scams at the gate.

The IAB Tech Lab designed ads.txt as a direct way to keep revenue flowing to real publishers and cut out the bad actors.

Stopping Unauthorized Ad Sales

When a site lacks an ads.txt file, it’s open season for resellers with shady intentions. Unscrupulous networks may list your domain in their offerings to advertisers, sending ads to junk pages and stealing your reputation.

Ads.txt puts a hard stop to this:

• Only approved networks and partners appear on your file.
• Resellers not listed can’t claim your site and sell fake impressions.
• Buyers check these files using scripts and industry tools, so mistakes and fraud get caught fast.

For a quick visual, here’s a snapshot of what an ads.txt file does for you:

Problem Without ads.txt	Solution With ads.txt
Fake sellers get paid	Only authorized sell ads
Loss of ad revenue	Revenue goes to you
Erodes advertiser trust	Buyers trust your supply

You can read more about how ads.txt prevents unauthorized sales in this publift guide for publishers.

The Basic Structure of an Ads.txt Entry

Ads.txt is refreshingly simple. Each line in the file names a single company, giving clear details any buyer can check in real time.

Every entry follows this format:

<Advertising System Domain>, <Publisher Account ID>, <Type of Relationship>, <Certification Authority ID (optional)>

Here’s how a real entry might look:

google.com, pub-1234567890123456, DIRECT, f08c47fec0942fa0

Let’s break that down:

• Advertising System Domain: The partner or network selling your ads (like google.com for AdSense).
• Publisher Account ID: Your unique seller ID with that partner.
• Type of Relationship: Either DIRECT (you work directly with the network) or RESELLER (another company resells for you).
• Certification Authority ID: Extra identifier for verification (optional, but many networks supply one).

Even a short, simple file can block millions of dollars in ad fraud every year. You can look at more examples and structure tips in this overview from Williams Media.

With this file in place, you’re not just checking a box. You’re building a fence that keeps your earnings secure and your reputation clean.

Before You Start: What to Know and Prepare

Photo by cottonbro studio

Getting your ads.txt file in place calls for some easy but important planning. Picture laying out your tools before fixing a leaky faucet. A little prep saves headaches. Organize the details now, and you'll glide through setup with fewer bumps along the way.

Accessing Your WordPress Admin or Hosting Account

You need to get up close with the files behind your website. This means logging into your WordPress admin dashboard or your web hosting account. Skip this step, and you’ll find yourself locked out when you try to add your ads.txt file.

• WordPress admin: For most site owners, the dashboard is your launchpad. You might use a plugin or a built-in feature to add the ads.txt file.
• Hosting control panel: Sometimes, you need to access your website’s root folder directly through your hosting provider. This is like stepping into your website’s engine room to make sure files land in the right place.

If you’re not sure where to find the right access point, resources like this step-by-step WordPress ads.txt tutorial can help you figure out the best option.

Gathering Your Ad Network Information

You’ll also need a few key details from your advertising partners. Without the correct information, your ads.txt file does nothing. Think of these details as the lock and key that match you to your approved ad sellers.

What to collect before you start:

• Your publisher account ID for each ad network (such as Google AdSense’s pub-XXXXXXXXXXXX).
• The advertiser domain (like google.com for AdSense).
• The type of relationship (usually DIRECT if you deal straight with the network, or RESELLER if someone handles ads for you).
• Certification authority ID if your ad network supplies one.

Your ad network account dashboard usually provides these. Double-check them for accuracy, as a typo will leave good revenue on the table. For exact details on where to find this info, the official Google AdSense ads.txt guide breaks it down section by section.

Creating a Backup

Before making any changes, take a minute to back up your site. It only takes one accidental overwrite to turn a quick fix into an emergency. A backup is your safety net.

Many WordPress hosts offer a “one-click” backup. You can also use plugins to save everything—including your existing ads.txt file and other site settings.

Key reasons to back up:

• Prevent loss if something goes sideways.
• Restore your site to its pre-change state with one click.
• Avoid downtime that costs you traffic and money.

Plugins such as UpdraftPlus or your host’s backup solution work well for most sites. If you’re unsure how to back up, see this simple backup walkthrough for a step-by-step guide.

Placing Your File: Why Location and Details Matter

Where you put the ads.txt file is just as important as what it contains. It must live in the root folder of your domain, not stashed away in a subdirectory. Think of it like your house number—if you put it in your backyard instead of your front door, visitors will never find you.

Check these before you save your file:

• The file is named ads.txt—lowercase, no spaces.
• It lives in the main root of your domain (example.com/ads.txt).
• The information in each line matches exactly what your ad partner lists.

An error with file location or missing details means ad buyers won’t see you as a trusted publisher, and you could lose out on high-quality campaigns. The WordPress.com ads.txt management guide has clear steps for getting placement right.

Taking time to set up now creates a solid foundation for everything that follows. A single mistake can keep top-paying ads away. By covering these basics, you’re ready for stress-free setup and to protect your earnings.

Step-by-Step Guide: Setting Up Ads.txt on WordPress

You’ve gathered your ad network details and backed up your site. Now it’s time to bring your ads.txt file to life. On WordPress, this crucial setup comes in two flavors: quick plugin simplicity or hands-on manual control. Both ways work—the best route depends on your comfort level and how often you expect to update your file. Let’s walk through each approach in detail so you feel confident every step of the way.

Using a WordPress Plugin for Easy Ads.txt Management

WordPress is famous for making tricky tasks simple, and managing ads.txt is no exception. With a plugin, you can add, edit, and update your file from inside your dashboard—often in just a few clicks.

Here’s how to use a plugin like Ads.txt Manager:

1. Search and Install:
   • Head to your WordPress dashboard.
   • Go to Plugins → Add New.
   • Type “Ads.txt Manager” into the search bar.
   • Click Install Now on the listing for Ads.txt Manager.
   • Hit Activate once installation finishes.
2. Access and Add Your Entries:
   • Find the new Settings → Ads.txt menu item.
   • Your dashboard now shows a simple text editor.
   • Paste in your ads.txt lines from your ad network, following their exact format.
   • Example entry: google.com, pub-1234567890123456, DIRECT, f08c47fec0942fa0
3. Save Your File:
   Press Save Changes. That’s it—your ads.txt is now live at yoursite.com/ads.txt.

Keeping your file current is easy. Any time you need to update, just revisit the plugin. No more rerouting through FTP or file managers.

Tips for managing your ads.txt through WordPress:

• Review regularly. Make it a habit—set a reminder to check your entries monthly.
• Validate often. Use built-in validation features or online tools to scan for mistakes or outdated sellers.
• Document changes. When you add or remove ad networks, note what you changed and why.

Pros:

• No technical skills needed
• Fast updates and edits
• Protects against accidental overwrites

Cons:

• Relies on plugin support—outdated plugins might break with new WordPress versions
• Slightly less granular control than manual updates

Check out the WPBeginner guide for more plugin tips and troubleshooting steps.

For plugin comparisons or the latest best practices, you can see what’s trending at Best Ads.txt Manager Plugins for WordPress.

Uploading Ads.txt Manually via FTP or File Manager

For those who like full control or have strict hosting setups, nothing beats a direct upload. You’ll work with your raw files, so you know exactly where your ads.txt lives.

Manual setup is straightforward:

1. Create the File:
   • Open Notepad (Windows), TextEdit (Mac), or any plain text editor.
   • Copy your authorized seller entries—be careful with spelling and spaces.
   • Save as ads.txt (all lowercase, no extra text or formatting).
2. Connect to Your Site:
   • Use an FTP client like FileZilla, or your hosting panel’s File Manager.
   • Log in with your site’s credentials.
3. Upload to the Right Spot:
   • Find your site’s root directory—often called public_html or named after your domain.
   • Drag and drop the ads.txt file here.
   • Confirm the file appears at yourdomain.com/ads.txt by visiting that URL in your browser.

Placing your file just right is critical. If you put it in a subfolder, ad buyers won’t find it—and your file is ignored.

Quick checklist for manual uploads:

• Only one ads.txt file per domain
• Update this file when you add or remove networks
• Double-check spelling and format—errors block real sellers

Pros:

• Full control over file content and placement
• Works with any host, even locked-down setups
• Fewer moving parts, less risk from plugin conflicts

Cons:

• Takes extra steps for each update
• Requires comfort with FTP or hosting tools
• Small mistakes (like a missed upload) can break ad revenue

If you want detailed screenshots and help for manual steps, see this step-by-step tutorial.

Side-by-side look: Plugin vs. Manual Upload

Feature	Plugin	Manual FTP/File Manager
Ease of use	Easiest, point and click	Requires technical step
Update speed	Instant, inside dashboard	Slower, needs upload
Control over file	Good (via interface)	Complete, raw file
Risk of error	Low (if plugin is sound)	Higher (placement errors)
Great for beginners?	Yes	Not always

Choosing your setup style depends on your comfort and workflow. If you want simple edits, stick with a plugin like Ads.txt Manager. If you love direct control, manual upload has you covered.

Either way, regular reviews and quick reactions to network updates make your ads.txt file a strong bouncer at your digital front door.

How to Check and Validate Your Ads.txt File

After you add your ads.txt file to WordPress, the final step is to make sure everything works as it should. Checking and validating your file helps keep your ad partners happy and your revenue safe. A small mistake—like an extra comma, missing ID, or incorrect placement—can cost you trust and money. Let’s walk through how to check your file, read errors, and fix problems before they block your earnings.

Spot-Checking Your Ads.txt File in Your Browser

The easiest way to check your ads.txt file is with your web browser. This step is as simple as typing in a web address.

• Open your browser and go to yourdomain.com/ads.txt (replace with your real domain).
• If you see a list of entries—such as lines that start with google.com, pub-...—you’re in the right place.
• Make sure the file loads with no errors or “404 Not Found” messages.

Why does this matter? This file must load properly for ad buyers and platforms to confirm your authorized sellers. If it’s missing or displays an error, ads may stop or go to lower value sources.

You can read the official Ads.txt guide from Google AdSense Help for more on this check.

Using Free Online Ads.txt Validation Tools

A visual check is just the start. Online validation tools look for hidden problems that your eye might miss, like formatting errors or outdated details. These tools scan your file and highlight lines that don’t match the official rules.

Here’s how to use a validator:

• Copy the contents from your live ads.txt file.
• Visit a trusted tool like the ads.txt Validator by ads.txt Guru.
• Paste your file into the validator and run the check.

Look for these signs in the results:

• Green checkmarks mean a line is clean.
• Warnings in yellow flag things you can improve. Maybe an outdated seller ID or a missing optional field.
• Errors in red call out big problems. These need fixing fast—wrong domains, extra spaces, or unsupported formats.

This process feels like running spellcheck on your homework. In a few seconds, you see what needs fixing, and you can update your file right away.

Checking in Your Google AdSense Console

If you use Google AdSense, your account dashboard watches for ads.txt problems. The system flags missing files, unreadable entries, or mismatched account IDs.

To check your ads.txt status in AdSense:

• Log in and look for alerts on your main dashboard.
• If you see a warning that your file is “not found” or “needs attention,” click for details.
• The alert will list affected sites and the line that needs fixing.

If you add or edit your file, it may take a day or two for AdSense to re-check your setup. Double-check your changes by refreshing your browser or revisiting the dashboard. For step-by-step tips, the official Google AdSense Help page breaks it all down.

Reading and Fixing Error Messages

Sometimes, ad platforms or validators will throw out error messages that seem cryptic—like “Malformed record” or “Unknown domain.” Don’t panic. Most errors are easy to fix with a careful eye.

Typical ads.txt errors and what to do:

Error Message	What It Means	How to Fix It
404 Not Found	File is missing or not in root	Upload or move to yourdomain.com/
Malformed record	Typo, bad spacing, or wrong structure	Double-check format and commas
Unknown domain	The ad network domain is incorrect	Get correct domain from your partner
Account ID not found	Your publisher ID is missing	Copy ID directly from your dashboard
Needs DIRECT or RESELLER	Relationship field is empty/wrong	Fill in DIRECT or RESELLER

If you spot unexpected entries or domains you don’t recognize, remove them immediately. This keeps only trusted partners in your file and blocks fraudulent sellers.

Keeping Up with Regular Validation

A perfect ads.txt file today can break tomorrow if your partners update details or you onboard a new ad network. Plan to check your file each time you add, remove, or update an entry. A quick browser check and a pass through an online validator take just minutes but protect months of work.

Remember, your ads.txt file is like a window sign to brands and ad buyers. If the message is clear and correct, more value flows in. If it’s faded, wrong, or missing, you’re waving away potential earnings.

For hands-on guides and more error examples, visit Google’s official syntax validation help. A little care goes far—so check, validate, and stay ahead of the curve.

Best Practices to Keep Your Ads.txt Safe and Effective

Once your ads.txt file is on your WordPress site, keeping it both secure and useful should become a regular habit. Too many publishers set and forget this file, but letting it grow stale or messy gives bad actors an easy way in. Imagine leaving your house keys in the lock—it only takes one mistake to open the door to trouble. The tips below will help you avoid costly errors, keep your list clean, and give buyers the confidence they need to work with your site.

Keep Your Entries Up to Date

An outdated ads.txt file is one of the biggest security gaps. Double-check it every time you add or remove an ad network, change a partner, or get a new seller ID.

• Remove dormant or old seller accounts as soon as they stop being active.
• Whenever you join a new network, add their exact, up-to-date entry promptly.
• Compare your file with official info from your ad partners rather than copying from third parties.

A stale file is inviting fraud, as scammers look for forgotten entries to exploit. The Setupad guide to best practices has more on the risks of neglecting your file.

Stick to the Official Format and Use Clear Comments

Simple mistakes can cost you money. Stick to the official ads.txt syntax—don’t guess or improvise.

• Each line should list one partner only, using the proper format: domain.com, publisher-id, DIRECT/RESELLER, [certification-id].
• Case matters. Write everything in lowercase to prevent hidden mismatches.
• Use the pound sign (#) to add comments. For example, # Direct Google AdSense entry keeps things organized for you and anyone else who manages your file.

Here’s a quick reference for clarity:

Correct Format Example	What It Means
google.com, pub-1234, DIRECT, f08c...	Direct with Google
appnexus.com, 5678, RESELLER	Reseller via AppNexus
# This is a comment	Will be ignored by bots

For more detailed formatting rules, the Google AdSense guide covers official wording and examples.

Review Entries for Accuracy and Relevance

A bloated or unchecked ads.txt file is like an open invitation for fraudsters. Trim your list to only what you use right now.

• Limit entries to partners you work with directly or through trusted resellers.
• Avoid long, catch-all partner lists that copy whole files from networks you haven’t vetted.
• When in doubt, ask each partner for guidance or ID confirmation to catch typos and outdated details.

A short, well-vetted list is better than a sprawling one. Cleanliness gives your site a reputation for quality and diligence. According to Blockthrough’s best practices, fewer, well-reviewed entries are less likely to harbor fraud.

Secure File Permissions and Delivery

Your ads.txt file should be visible for buyers, but protected from unauthorized edits.

• Set file permissions to prevent unwanted changes. Most hosts use 644 permissions for text.
• Always serve the file over HTTPS. This stops tampering from third parties and secures your domain from “man-in-the-middle” attacks.
• Only trusted admin accounts should have permission to update the file.

If you use managed WordPress hosting, confirm your provider’s backup and file access rules before making changes.

See more on securing your file and who can view or edit it in the IAB Tech Lab’s recommendations.

Validate and Test Regularly

Errors slip in fast, especially after updates or new network launches. Validation is your smoke alarm.

• After every change, use browser and online validation (as described in the previous section).
• Schedule monthly reviews to keep your file fresh.
• Run spot checks on your ad network dashboards to confirm no "missing or invalid ads.txt" warnings are being flagged.

Validation is a quick step that saves hours—or even days—of lost revenue.

Protect Against Common Pitfalls

Many real-world problems start from small mistakes or lazy habits.

• Never copy and paste from other sites, as you could pull in bad data or unauthorized sellers.
• Don’t include domains or seller IDs you don’t recognize.
• Don’t let third parties or plugins make changes unless you trust the source completely.

Mistakes here aren’t just paperwork—they put your ad revenue and reputation at direct risk. As DoubleVerify recently reported, even the best system can be turned into a liability with neglected files or careless updating.

Staying sharp with your ads.txt file isn’t complicated, but it does matter. Treat it like you would your front door: locked, tidy, and checked every so often for cracks or weak spots. Small habits here help keep your earnings safe, while sloppy handling can cost you real money and trust.

Conclusion

A strong ads.txt file is like a sturdy lock on the front door of your site. When set up right, it shields your ad income from fraud and sends a clear message to brands that your inventory is real and safe to buy. Every update and quick check strengthens this barrier, keeping your earnings steady and your reputation intact.

Take control of your ads.txt file, keep it up to date, and check for accuracy often. Doing this today brings you peace of mind and builds lasting trust with your partners. Protect your work, secure your future, and set your WordPress site up for honest, growing ad revenue. Thank you for reading—now is the perfect time to check your ads.txt file and put your site’s security first.