Optimize initialization and ad loading

  • Starting with Google Mobile Ads SDK version 21.0.0, new optimization features enhance ad responsiveness and reduce "Application Not Responding" errors.

  • Two optimization flags, OPTIMIZE_INITIALIZATION and OPTIMIZE_AD_LOADING, offload time-consuming tasks to background threads.

  • You can enable either or both flags in your app's AndroidManifest.xml to optimize SDK initialization and ad loading.

  • The OPTIMIZE_INITIALIZATION flag is most effective when MobileAds.initialize() is called on the main thread; otherwise, background initialization is already recommended.

  • The OPTIMIZE_AD_LOADING flag enhances ad loading for all ad formats by shifting processing to background threads.
Select platform: Android Unity

Starting from Google Mobile Ads (GMA) SDK version 21.0.0, you can enable optimized SDK initialization and ad loading to improve the overall responsiveness of ads and help prevent "Application Not Responding" (ANR) errors on your app. This guide outlines the changes you need to make to enable these optimizations.

Requirements

  • Google Mobile Ads SDK version 21.0.0 or higher.

Update your manifest file

There are two optimization flags available: OPTIMIZE_INITIALIZATION and OPTIMIZE_AD_LOADING. Once they're turned on, the initialization and ad loading tasks that require extended processing time are offloaded to background threads.

Follow the instructions below to add the corresponding <meta-data> tags in your app's AndroidManifest.xml file and turn on the flags. Note that you can turn on one or both options in the same app.

Optimize Google Mobile Ads SDK initialization

The best way to optimize initialization is to call MobileAds.initialize() on a background thread, as described in the Get Started guide. If you are already doing so, you don't need to enable this flag.

If you must call the method on the main thread, enabling the flag below will move some of the initialization tasks to the background thread.

<manifest>
  ...
  <application>
      ...
      <meta-data
          android:name="com.google.android.gms.ads.flag.OPTIMIZE_INITIALIZATION"
          android:value="true"/>
  </application>
</manifest>
Optimize ad loading

The flag below optimizes ad load calls for all ad formats:

<manifest>
  ...
  <application>
      ...
      <meta-data
          android:name="com.google.android.gms.ads.flag.OPTIMIZE_AD_LOADING"
          android:value="true"/>
  </application>
</manifest>