Liam Walsh
Liam is a Co-Director at Intelligency and heads up the agency's Digital Intelligence & Paid Social activity. Over the last decade, he has worked with brands from the world of sports such as Premier League clubs to entertainment such as Channel 4 and Disney.
If you advertise on Google, you may have noticed something new: the number of negative keywords you can add to a list appears to have doubled. Traditionally capped at 5,000 entries, some advertisers are now able to upload far more without error. This unexpected change has created a buzz among marketers and left many wondering whether Google is testing a new feature or if this is simply a glitch.
What’s Happening?
Users have found that they can add over 5,000 negative keywords to a campaign list. That’s unusual because Google’s official documentation still states the maximum limit as 5,000. This discrepancy has sparked questions across the advertising community: has Google quietly raised the cap, or is the system temporarily allowing more?
Why Negative Keywords Matter?
Negative keywords are a cornerstone of efficient Google Ads campaigns. By excluding irrelevant searches, they help advertisers avoid wasted spend and show ads only to the most relevant audiences. For larger campaigns, a higher limit would mean far greater precision and control — especially for brands managing extensive keyword lists across multiple markets or products.
Google’s Current Stance
When pressed for clarification, Google reaffirmed the 5,000-keyword cap but noted that “in some cases” accounts might be permitted to exceed it. This suggests either a test or a technical quirk rather than a fully rolled-out change. Importantly, Google hasn’t updated its documentation to reflect any higher limits.
What does this mean for you?
Until Google formally confirms an increase, treat 5,000 as the safe maximum when planning campaigns. If your account allows more, consider it a bonus, but don’t rely on it for long-term strategy in case the limit reverts.
Whether it’s an experiment or a glitch, this development highlights the importance of negative keywords in controlling ad spend and improving relevance. Keep monitoring your campaigns, but plan as though the old limit still applies.
