> Quick answer: Open Google Ads, go to Goals > Conversions > Summary, and find the flagged action. Launch Tag Assistant. Trigger the conversion on your site. Wait about 30 minutes. Check the result.
What Is Conversion Tracking and Why Debug It?
Conversion tracking tells Google Ads which clicks turned into real actions. Sales, leads, sign-ups. When the tag breaks, your campaign optimization runs blind. Fix it before you touch anything else.
Check Your Conversion Actions and Tracking Status
Your conversions summary is the fastest place to spot the problem.
Navigate to your conversions summary
In Google Ads, click the Goals icon in the left menu. Select Conversions, then Summary. All your conversion actions appear with a current status label.
Identify unverified or inactive statuses
Per Google's Ads Help Center, every conversion action carries one of five statuses: Active, Needs Attention, Inactive, No recent conversions, or Other. Active means Google is recording data. Needs Attention and Inactive both signal a problem worth fixing now. Start here before adjusting any campaign settings.
Use Tag Assistant to Test Your Events
Tag Assistant is Google's built-in debugger. It shows whether your conversion tag fires, when it fires, and what data it sends.
Launch Tag Assistant from Google Ads
Click into the flagged conversion action in your Summary view. Select Diagnose. Google Ads opens Tag Assistant. Click through to launch the tool.
Connect to your website
Tag Assistant starts a debug session. Enter your site URL and click Connect. The tool loads your page in debug mode. Regular visitors see nothing different. Only you see the debug overlay.
Trigger the conversion action
Replicate the exact action you want to track. Tracking a purchase? Complete a test transaction. Tracking a form? Submit it. Tag Assistant monitors for your tag to fire. After triggering the event, wait roughly 30 minutes. That is how long Google Ads needs to update your verified conversion status.
Review Results and Common Issues
Tag Assistant output shows exactly which tags fired and which did not. Use that output to fix problems fast.
Verify tag placement and firing
Confirm your Google tag is present on every page, not just the homepage. A tag missing from checkout or confirmation pages will never record the conversion. Google Ads documentation identifies incorrect tag placement as one of the most common causes of Inactive status.
Check for Google Tag Manager conflicts
If you run Google Tag Manager, confirm your Conversion Linker tag exists and fires on all pages. Without it, cross-domain tracking breaks. Also check that your conversion trigger targets the correct event, not a broad catch-all.
One more thing: ad blockers and browser extensions can prevent the Google tag from firing during testing. Disable them before running any Tag Assistant session.
Allow time for conversion data to populate
Low conversion volume is not always a bug. If you recently launched a campaign, wait for traffic to build. You can also raise bids or increase budgets to drive more volume faster. If status moves to Active once volume accumulates, the tag was working all along.
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Frequently Asked Questions
How long does it take for Google Ads to verify a conversion after using Tag Assistant?
After you trigger the conversion action in a Tag Assistant session, it takes approximately 30 minutes for your verified conversion status to update in Google Ads.
What does 'Inactive' status mean in Google Ads conversion tracking?
Inactive means Google Ads has not recorded any conversions for this action recently and cannot confirm your tag is firing. Per Google's Ads Help Center, it typically points to a tag that was never detected on your site or stopped firing.
Why is my Google tag not firing during Tag Assistant testing?
Common reasons include: the tag is missing from certain pages, an ad blocker or browser extension is blocking it, or the tag is placed in the wrong location on the page. Disable extensions and retest.
Do I need a Conversion Linker tag in Google Tag Manager?
Yes. If you use Google Tag Manager, the Conversion Linker tag is required for accurate cross-domain conversion tracking. Without it, Google Ads may fail to attribute conversions correctly.