- Category
- Bidding & budget
- What it changes
- Sets the bid adjustment for one device to -100%, excluding that device within the campaign
- Reversible
- Yes, the exclusion can be undone in one step so the device rejoins
- Data we use
- Cost, clicks and conversions per device over 30 days plus the 60 days before that, the bid strategy and existing device criteria
- Typical trigger
- A Smart Bidding campaign that converts elsewhere, with a device that used >=5 clicks and at least €25 (or 2x the reference CPA) without a single conversion, including in the 60 days before
- Priority
- Bid tier: lower than direct waste and quality fixes, higher than budget scaling and growth
What it signalsA device that only costs money
AdBuilder looks at performance by device type per search campaign: mobile, desktop and tablet. This recommendation fires when one device is seriously eating budget but delivering zero conversions, while the campaign does convert on the other devices. Think of a campaign where desktop and tablet bring in conversions fine, but mobile is purely piling up cost.
It specifically concerns campaigns on a Smart Bidding strategy: Target CPA, Target ROAS, Maximize conversions or Maximize conversion value. With those strategies, Google itself steers toward conversions, and a device that structurally delivers nothing still keeps buying traffic.
Why it mattersWhy a lower bid on that device doesn't work
With manual bidding, you'd simply lower the bid on a weak device. Under Smart Bidding that doesn't work: Google largely ignores fractional device bid adjustments, since the algorithm sets the bid itself per auction. The only adjustment that does have an effect is a full exclusion: setting the bid adjustment to -100% so the device stops getting served ads entirely.
As long as you don't do that, the dead device keeps siphoning budget that could better go to the devices that actually convert. Excluding a device is a drastic step, so AdBuilder only proposes it when the loss is structural, not a fluke.
How it worksThe conditions under which we propose it
The recommendation looks at enabled search campaigns on a Smart Bidding strategy. The campaign must convert somewhere (at least 1 conversion in the window), since only then does '0 conversions on one device' mean anything. Strict thresholds then apply per device, so a temporary dip never leads to an exclusion.
- At least 5 clicks on the device, so '0 conversions' rests on enough traffic.
- Meaningful cost: at least €25, or, if a reference CPA is known, at least 2x that CPA (roughly two expected conversions' worth of spend).
- Exactly 0 conversions on that device in the analysis window.
- Also 0 conversions in the 60 days before that window, so the loss is structural and not a temporary dip.
- The device isn't excluded yet (the bid adjustment isn't at -100% yet).
- By default the analysis window is 30 days; on accounts with low volume the window extends further, so the recommendation can still trigger there.
- Up to 20 devices are suggested at a time, sorted by cost.
What you can doApply or leave it
For each campaign, the recommendation shows which device is involved, with a breakdown of cost, clicks and conversions per device, so you have context before excluding anything. Campaigns that have only just started are flagged as still ramping up, so you can knowingly skip those.
If you choose to apply the recommendation, AdBuilder sets that device's bid adjustment in the campaign to -100%. If anything changes, or you want to turn the device back on later, you can reverse the exclusion in one step.
- Apply: the device gets excluded (bid adjustment -100%) within that campaign.
- Revert: undo the exclusion so the device is included again.
- Ignore: leave the recommendation as is if you deliberately want to keep advertising on all devices.
Frequently asked questions
Can I exclude a device in Google Ads?
Yes. You set the bid adjustment for the device (mobile, desktop or tablet) within a campaign to -100%. AdBuilder does this for you as soon as you apply the recommendation, and it's reversible in one step.
Why not just lower the mobile bid instead of excluding it?
Under Smart Bidding, Google largely ignores fractional device bid adjustments: the algorithm sets its own bid per auction. Only a full exclusion (-100%) actually stops the waste. If you're running manual bidding, a per-device bid adjustment does make sense; that's covered by a different recommendation.
Isn't there a risk I exclude a device that would later convert?
That's why we use a double window: the device must have 0 conversions in the analysis window and in the 60 days before it, and it must have collected enough clicks and cost. A single dip isn't enough on its own. If you want to turn it back on, you can reverse the exclusion in one step.
Does this recommendation also apply to campaigns with manual bidding?
No. This recommendation is specifically for search campaigns on a Smart Bidding strategy (target CPA, target ROAS, maximize conversions or maximize conversion value). With manual CPC, AdBuilder suggests a per-device bid adjustment instead of an exclusion.