How to find your Android Advertising ID (GAID) and register a test device

ke k — Sun, 18 Oct 2026 14:42:00 +0000

If you work on an Android app with ads, sooner or later someone asks you for your "advertising ID", "GAID" or "AAID". This short guide shows where to find it and how to use it to register a test device, so you can see test ads safely and keep your own clicks out of real traffic.

What is the Advertising ID?

The Android Advertising ID (GAID, also called AAID or Ad ID) is a resettable identifier provided by Google Play services. It is the Android counterpart of IDFA on iOS. Ad networks and attribution tools use it to recognize a device, and most of them let you flag a device as a "test device" by entering this ID.

Option 1: Find it in Settings

On most recent Android versions:

Settings → Privacy → Ads (on some devices: Settings → Google → Ads)

You will see "Your advertising ID" there. Copying it from this screen is not always possible, and the menu location differs between manufacturers.

Note: if you have chosen "Delete advertising ID" (Android 12+) or "Opt out of Ads Personalization", apps receive an ID made of zeros. Test-device registration will not work with a zeroed ID, so turn that option off first.

Option 2: Use a small app

If you need to send the ID to a teammate or paste it into a dashboard, an app that reads the ID and lets you copy or share it is faster. I built GAID for exactly this: open it, tap Copy or Share, done. It also warns you when your device is returning a zeroed ID.

GAID on Google Play

Registering the device as a test device

Once you have the ID, add it in your ad network or attribution dashboard. Common places to look:

AdMob: in the AdMob console, Settings → Test devices → Add test device, then enter the advertising ID.
AppLovin MAX: the MAX dashboard has a Test Mode section where you add a device by its advertising ID.
Unity Ads: the Unity dashboard lets you add test devices by advertising ID in the monetization settings.
Attribution tools (for example AppsFlyer or Adjust): their SDK testing / test device pages accept the advertising ID.

Menu names change from time to time, so search the dashboard for "test device" if you cannot find it.

Tip: AdMob's in-code test device setting (RequestConfiguration.setTestDeviceIds) uses a different, hashed ID that the SDK prints to Logcat, not the raw advertising ID. Use the console method above with the advertising ID, or copy the hashed ID from Logcat for the code method.

Why bother?