Until now a channel in a Google Ads campaign was either on or off. Now it can be High or Low priority, with a spending cap (Google). Google Ads gradually rolls out the two controls, channel prioritization and budget allocation, from October 15, 2026 (Google Ads Help).
I see the cap as a way back to search partners and the Display Network without risking the whole budget. But priority changes spend only when a campaign is limited by budget. And in February 2027 Search campaigns with the Display Network lose their current spend allocation, so spend between channels may shift if you do nothing.
Where the controls work
Google Ads Help lists the channels you can prioritize in each campaign type:
| Campaign type | Channels you can prioritize |
|---|---|
| Search | Google Search, search partners, Google Display Network |
| Shopping | Google Search, search partners |
| Performance Max | Google channels, search partners, Google Display Network |
| Demand Gen | Google channels, Google Display Network |
In Performance Max and Demand Gen, Google surfaces such as Search, YouTube, Maps, Gmail and Discover are prioritized together as “Google channels”, so you cannot rank YouTube above Gmail. Demand Gen supports prioritization, but not budget allocation. You can set priority for the account, a shared budget or a campaign. API and Editor support is coming later, so for now bulk changes are manual.
Priority matters only when the budget runs out
- By default all channels are High priority.
- When a campaign is limited by budget, High priority channels spend first. Low priority channels get the rest, or get budget when they can deliver conversions at your target.
- When a campaign with Target CPA or Target ROAS is not limited by budget, Google aims at your target across all channels, so priority does not change the spend. A budget allocation on a Low priority channel still applies (Google Ads Help).
So when you test a new channel, the cap matters more than the priority. In a campaign with a target and enough budget, the cap on a Low priority channel is the only real control.
How budget allocation works
For a Low priority channel you can set a daily share of the campaign’s average daily budget. In Google’s example, 5% of a $1,000 average daily budget means Google aims to keep that channel at or below $50 a day. It is a best-effort limit: the spend can sometimes go over it, the limit resets every day, and unspent or overspent amounts do not carry over. If you set an account default, it applies to every eligible campaign of that type, unless a campaign or shared budget overrides it (Google Ads Help).
What changes in February 2027
Starting in February 2027, for Search campaigns with the Display Network turned on, the current spend allocation goes away, and advertisers may see a shift in channel spending. To keep the current configuration, Google advises setting the Display Network to Low priority with a 50% budget allocation (Google). Search campaigns with the Target Impression Share bid strategy will no longer serve on the Display Network. If you set channel priorities before February 2027, the new settings apply right away (Google Ads Help).
Before February 2027
- Find Search campaigns with the Display Network on, and decide for each: turn the Display Network off, or set it to Low priority with a cap.
- If you turned off search partners or Display because of poor leads, you can test them again as Low priority with a small cap, for example 5–10%. Judge them by leads and sales in your CRM, not by clicks.
- In accounts with many campaigns, set an account default, and override it only where a campaign needs it.