How to check invalid clicks in Google Ads

Invalid clicks are clicks that don't show real interest in your business: bots, accidental taps, or people clicking to raise your cost. Google filters many of them before you are billed. This guide lists where to see what Google caught, and what its reports cannot tell you.

Source: Google Ads Help, "About invalid traffic" and "Invalid clicks: Definition", read 2026-11-08. Google can change its interface and policy; check the current help pages.

1. The Invalid clicks column in campaign reports

The "Invalid clicks" and "Invalid interactions" columns show traffic Google filtered before you were billed. You are not charged for those clicks. If the number rises, Google's filters are catching more.

2. The Invalid traffic card on the Overview page

Go to Campaigns, then Overview, and find the "Invalid traffic" card. It summarizes estimated savings from automated protection and the cost credited for past invalid activity, for the date range you select.

3. "Invalid activity" adjustments on invoices

If Google finds invalid traffic after billing, it credits you as a billing adjustment. Look for "Invalid activity" lines on invoices and in account transactions. The Invalid Activity Credit Report in the Report Editor shows campaign metrics adjusted for the credited traffic. The "Credited clicks" column shows how many clicks were credited.

These numbers measure different things, so a large number in the Invalid clicks column next to a small credit on the invoice is normal: filtered traffic never reaches the bill, while credits cover activity found after the billing cycle closed.

4. An invalid traffic investigation request

If you believe your account was hit by invalid traffic that wasn't filtered automatically, Google lets you submit an investigation request for activity within the last 60 days.

What these reports do not show

They show what Google decided was invalid. Third-party tools may flag traffic Google considers valid, for example repeat visits from one IP address, and Google does not count those as invalid. If you manage many client accounts, you also have to collect this per account to explain wasted spend to each client.

That per-client reporting gap is the problem the Clickward concept is testing. Clickward is an early concept with no product yet; the FAQ explains how it would differ from Google's own filtering.