Google Ads Is Turning On Conversion-Based Customer Lists Automatically

Google is automatically enabling "conversion-based customer lists" for all Google Ads accounts that use both Enhanced Conversions and Customer Match, starting June 17, 2026. Data processing begins August 18. Whether or not you received the email, here is what you need to know.

Bit DedeKey takeaways

• This update only affects accounts where both Enhanced Conversions and Customer Match are already active; if either feature is off, nothing changes in your account.
• The list is created automatically on August 18 but attaching it to campaigns is entirely optional; your ad spend and campaign performance are not directly affected unless you manually add the list.
• To opt out, go to Account Settings before August 18; opting out after that date is still possible but you may need to manually delete any lists that were already created.
• Using the list as an exclusion audience is the lowest-risk starting point: removing existing customers from new customer acquisition campaigns typically delivers an immediate budget efficiency gain without any downside.
• The feature only generates meaningful audiences when Enhanced Conversions is genuinely collecting data and the Customer Match database contains at least several hundred matched users; if those foundations are not in place, fix them before expecting results from this feature.

What Are Conversion-Based Customer Lists?

This feature is a new layer in Google's first-party data strategy. In plain terms: users who complete a conversion on your site (form submission, purchase, etc.) are automatically added to an audience list. That list can then be used for targeting or exclusion in your campaigns.

The feature sits at the intersection of three Google Ads components:

• Enhanced Conversions: Enriches conversion measurement with first-party data such as email and phone number.
• Customer Match: Lets you upload CRM data (customer emails) to Google for audience targeting.
• Conversion-Based Customer Lists: A new layer that automatically builds audience lists from the above two data sources.

Who Is Affected?

The update affects accounts that meet both of the following conditions:

1. Enhanced Conversions is enabled
2. Customer Match is enabled

If both are active but conversion-based customer lists is not yet turned on, Google will enable it automatically. If either Enhanced Conversions or Customer Match is not active, this update does not apply to you.

Google sent the following email to affected accounts:

"To help you maximise the value and performance of your first-party data, Google is turning on the conversion-based customer lists feature for your account(s) beginning on Jun 17, 2026, and data will begin to be processed on Aug 18, 2026. No action is required to turn on this feature. To optimise your campaigns further, you can choose to attach these lists to your campaigns. If you wish to opt out, simply turn off the conversion-based customer lists within the account settings before Aug 18, 2026."

What Changes in Your Account?

From August 18, a new list will appear in Tools > Shared Library > Audience Manager. The list being present in your account does not change your ad spend or campaign structure on its own. It has no effect unless you actively add it to a campaign or ad group.

That said, Google has not been fully transparent about whether these lists influence targeting algorithms in the background. We recommend monitoring your account closely for a few weeks after August 18.

How to Opt Out

You can opt out before August 18, 2026 by following these steps:

1. Log in to your Google Ads account
2. Open Tools and Settings in the top-right menu
3. Go to Account Settings
4. Find "Conversion-based customer lists" and turn it off

You can also opt out after August 18, but by then the data will already have been processed. You may need to manually delete any lists that were created.

How to Add the List to Campaigns

If you decide to use the list actively, there are a few practical ways to apply it:

• Remarketing: Re-engage users who have already converted with different messaging
• Exclusion: Remove existing customers from new customer acquisition campaigns to avoid wasting budget
• Similar audiences: Reach new users with profiles similar to those who have already converted

To add the list: open a campaign or ad group, go to the Audiences tab, click "Add audience segments," and select the conversion-based list from the Customer lists section.

Our Recommendation

Before deciding what to do, check two things:

• Is Enhanced Conversions actually collecting data correctly, or just installed in name?
• Does your Customer Match database have enough records? Google requires a minimum audience size to serve ads; in practice you need at least a few hundred matched users.

If both are in good shape, leave the feature on. After August 18, monitor the list for 4–6 weeks before attaching it to any campaign. A good first use is exclusion targeting: removing existing customers from acquisition campaigns. It is low-risk and often delivers an immediate efficiency gain.

If your Enhanced Conversions setup is incomplete or your customer database is small, the feature will not generate meaningful lists for now. Fix those foundations first.

Frequently Asked Questions