Performance Max Sourced Videos Are On by Default. What Electrician, Plumbing and HVAC Shops Should Check This Week.

By Reid Casey · Last checked: Oct. 21, 2026, 2:43 PM ET, against 2 Google Ads Help pages.

Short answer: Google's Ads Help page says sourced videos, which pull videos from sources you approve into Performance Max, "are enabled by default for all new campaigns." It adds that some existing campaigns may have been switched on too. This week, open each PMax campaign and see whether the "Sourced videos" box is checked, and which sources are approved.

Key takeaways

• On by default for new Performance Max campaigns, and possibly on for some existing ones (Google Ads Help).
• Google can add up to 10 crawled videos per asset group from sources you approve (Google Ads Help).
• Those videos go to a Google-owned YouTube channel branded with your logo and business name (Google Ads Help).

What are sourced videos in Performance Max?

Sourced videos is a Google Ads setting for Performance Max campaigns that uses Google AI and automated video crawling to find videos from sources you approve, such as your linked YouTube channel, landing page or social media, and add up to 10 of them to an asset group. Google says it's enabled by default for all new campaigns (Google Ads Help).

Google lists the possible sources as "Social media platforms," "Your campaign's landing page" and "Your linked YouTube channel" (Google Ads Help). It picks videos by relevance, "performance potential" and fit, such as aspect ratio, and refreshes them "on a recurring basis." The sourced clips are uploaded to "a dedicated Google-owned YouTube channel" carrying your logo and business name, which sends viewers to your landing page. Campaigns need a daily budget "greater than $5 USD," and Google says the feature is "rolling out in sequences and may not be available to you yet" (Google Ads Help).

Google's page carries no date. For existing campaigns it says only that the setting "may have been activated automatically on some existing campaigns as part of a recent platform update" (Google Ads Help). PPC News Feed reported on Oct. 21, 2026, that the feature used to be opt-in.

Is it on in my campaigns, and how do I turn it off?

Google says sourced videos are on by default for every new Performance Max campaign, and "may have been activated automatically on some existing campaigns" (Google Ads Help). Google calls it "a setting at the campaign level," but its steps put the checkbox in the "Asset group" section.

Google's steps, per its Ads Help page as of Oct. 21, 2026:

1. Go to Campaigns in the Campaigns menu.
2. Select the gear icon next to your Performance Max campaign.
3. Find the "Asset group" section and open the Asset optimization drop down.
4. Un-select "Sourced videos" to turn it off, or keep it and select Manage sources to review the URLs Google can use.
5. Select Apply, then save the campaign.

One wrinkle: Google's page calls the option "Source videos" in one step and "Sourced videos" everywhere else (Google Ads Help). Look for either label.

What does it mean for an electrician, plumber or HVAC shop?

Picture an electrician whose YouTube channel still has an old promo video for a service area the shop no longer covers. If that channel is an approved source, Google can pull videos from it into Performance Max ads (Google Ads Help). Our read: an old price, a departed tech or an expired offer could end up in front of new customers.

The clips also run under a Google-owned YouTube channel branded with your logo and business name (Google Ads Help). Whatever a video says about prices, licensing or same-day service speaks for your shop.

This is different from auto-generated video. Google separately says that if you don't upload a video, it may auto-generate one from your other assets (Google Ads Help, asset groups). Sourced videos pull existing videos from sources you approve instead (Google Ads Help).

Reid's take

A default is fine as long as somebody looks at it. What gets you is the old promo video nobody remembers posting. Google says it can pull clips from sources you approve and run them under a channel with your logo and business name on it.

So open every Performance Max campaign and look at that box. If you keep it, approve only what you'd show a customer today. Then go through your YouTube channel and your website, and take down anything with an old price, an expired offer or a tech who's gone.

What should you do this week?

1. Open every Performance Max campaign and see whether the "Sourced videos" box is checked. Google's help page puts it under the gear icon, then the "Asset group" section, then the Asset optimization drop down. Un-select it if you don't want it (Google Ads Help).
2. If you keep it, open Manage sources. Our suggestion: approve only your current website pages and your own YouTube channel. Google says you can edit approved sources "at any time" (Google Ads Help).
3. See what's already running. Go to Assets in the Campaigns menu and open your Performance Max campaign. Google says sourced videos appear in the asset list, with performance you can view "like any other asset" (Google Ads Help).
4. Clean up the source, too. Google says a video removed from its original host is automatically removed from Google Ads (Google Ads Help). Take outdated videos off your YouTube channel and website.
5. Add the check to every new campaign. It's on by default for all new Performance Max campaigns (Google Ads Help).

Which Performance Max video setting is which? Google's help pages describe three kinds of video that can run:

• Sourced videos: Google crawls sources you approve (your YouTube channel, landing page or social media) and can add up to 10 videos per asset group. You control it with the "Sourced videos" checkbox and Manage sources (Google Ads Help).
• Auto-generated video: if you don't upload a video, Google may build one from your other assets. Google says uploading a video during campaign construction or launch opts you out (Google Ads Help, asset groups).
• Your own uploads: Google says sourced videos "can be used along with videos you uploaded and videos that were created with Google's video generation tools" (Google Ads Help).

Before any video runs under your name (our checklist):

• ☐ The offer and pricing are current.
• ☐ License and credential claims are accurate.
• ☐ The service area shown is one you still cover.
• ☐ No departed staff, old trucks or old branding.

What we don't know yet

• When the default changed. Google's page has no date and says only "a recent platform update" (Google Ads Help).
• Which existing campaigns were switched on. Google says only "some."
• Whether any sources are approved by default. Google says you approve sources, and also that the setting may be on without anyone turning it on.
• Formats, countries and any account-wide opt-out. Google's page doesn't cover them.
• Whether it's in your account yet. Google says it's "rolling out in sequences."

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Caveats and methodology

• We reviewed Google's Ads Help pages on Oct. 21, 2026. Google sometimes changes its user interface; the steps we outlined were valid on the review date. The checklist and source suggestions are ours.
• We sell, too. TechStackRx sells lead follow-up automation, 24/7 voice agents and CRM setup for home-service businesses.

Frequently asked questions

What are sourced videos in Performance Max?

Sourced videos is a Google Ads setting for Performance Max campaigns that uses Google AI and automated video crawling to find videos from sources you approve, such as your linked YouTube channel, landing page or social media, and add up to 10 of them to an asset group. Google says it's enabled by default for all new campaigns.

Are sourced videos turned on by default?

Yes, for new campaigns. Google says sourced videos "are enabled by default for all new campaigns," and that the setting "may have been activated automatically on some existing campaigns as part of a recent platform update." Google's page carries no date.

How do I turn off sourced videos in Google Ads?

Per Google's help page: go to Campaigns in the Campaigns menu, select the gear icon next to your Performance Max campaign, open the Asset optimization drop down in the "Asset group" section, un-select "Sourced videos" and select Apply. Google sometimes changes its user interface; these steps were valid on Oct. 21, 2026.

Where does Google get the videos?

Google lists the possible sources as "Social media platforms," "Your campaign's landing page" and "Your linked YouTube channel." It uses videos from sources you approve, and you review them under Manage sources.

How many sourced videos can Google add to my campaign?

Google says it can add up to 10 crawled videos per asset group from sources you approve.

Will sourced videos be posted on a YouTube channel?

Yes. Google says the sourced clips are uploaded to "a dedicated Google-owned YouTube channel" carrying your logo and business name, which sends viewers to your landing page.

How do I see which sourced videos are running?

Go to Assets in the Campaigns menu and open your Performance Max campaign. Google says sourced videos appear in the asset list, with performance you can view "like any other asset."

Sources

1. Google Ads Help, "About sourced videos in Performance Max campaigns," undated. Google Ads Help: sourced videos. Accessed Oct. 21, 2026.
2. Google Ads Help, "Step 4: Set up your asset group and assets," undated. Google Ads Help: asset groups. Accessed Oct. 21, 2026.
3. PPC News Feed (press), "Performance Max Sourced Videos Become Opt-Out," Oct. 21, 2026. PPC News Feed, Oct. 21, 2026. Accessed Oct. 21, 2026.