How to Add ads.txt in Squarespace 7.1 A Simple Workaround

While it’s not exactly on brand for us to dive into website development tips, it is on brand for us to pull the curtain back — especially when we’ve learned something that might help others.

Recently, while applying for Google AdSense, we hit an unexpected wall: Squarespace 7.1 doesn’t offer a built-in way to add an ads.txt file — something that’s crucial for approval and ad delivery.

After a bit of creative problem-solving (and lots of “why is this so hard?” energy), we (me, myself and AI) found a clean workaround that works perfectly — and we’re sharing it here so Squarespace creators like you don’t have to lose time or momentum.

Whether you're preparing for AdSense approval, dealing with ads.txt errors, or just trying to make your site ad-ready the right way — this guide has you covered.

The Problem

If you're using Squarespace 7.1 and applying for Google AdSense, you’ve probably hit this issue:

“ADS.TXT Not Found”

Unlike other platforms, Squarespace doesn’t give you a built-in way to add an ads.txt file — but the good news? It’s 100% doable. Here’s the step-by-step workaround that actually works in 2025.

Why ads.txt Matters

Google uses ads.txt to verify authorized sellers of your ad inventory. Without it:

• You’ll see a warning like “Earnings at risk”

• Ads may not show, even after approval

Step-by-Step: Adding ads.txt in Squarespace 7.1

1. Create Your ads.txt File

Open any text editor and paste this (use your own Publisher ID):

google.com, pub-xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx, DIRECT, f08c47fec0942fa0

👉 Replace pub-xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx with your actual AdSense Publisher ID

Save the file as ads.txt.

2. Upload the File to Squarespace

• Go to Pages

• Edit any page (can be hidden from navigation)

• Add a Text Block, type ads.txt, and highlight it

• Click the Link icon, then the Gear icon

• Choose File, upload your ads.txt file

• Save and copy the full URL (should look like:
  https://yourdomain.com/s/ads.txt)

3. Set Up the Redirect

• Go to Settings → Developer Tools → URL Mappings

• Add this line (replace if needed):

/ads.txt -> /s/ads.txt 301

• Save changes

✅ This tells Squarespace to serve your file at https://yourdomain.com/ads.txt, which is where Google expects it.

4. Test It

Visit:

https://yourdomain.com/ads.txt

If your AdSense line starts downloading as a plain text file, you’re good! Please note that it might take some time for Google to detect the ads.txt file and update the AdSense status accordingly.

5. Clean Up

You can delete or hide the page where you uploaded the file — just don’t delete the file from Squarespace’s library. As long as it lives there, your redirect will work.

🎉 You're Done! 🎉

You’ve now added ads.txt in Squarespace 7.1 — no plugins, no code injection, no drama. When AdSense approves your site, you’ll be ready to serve ads right away.