Bug: targeting API 35, the sample doesn't work properly, and the SDK's ad-inspector doesn't show the bottom UI properly either

[AndroidDeveloperLB]

Steps:

1. Update the targetAPI to 35 on the sample "NativeAdvancedExample".
2. Run on Android 15.
3. Notice something weird at the top, and also check the ad-inspector.

The ad of the sample doesn't show properly , and for the ad-inspector, it doesn't let me reach the bottom properly. Can't press on the buttons there as they are being cut and hidden. Even for "send feedback" I get the same issue, as I can't see the EditText while typing, and there is no "next"/"send" button there.

Really guys, API 35 was published a long time ago. Admob should be one of the first ones to handle it properly...

Also reported here:
https://groups.google.com/g/google-admob-ads-sdk/c/ySMRrlVOfTs

Attached files:

NativeAdvancedExample.zip

[AndroidDeveloperLB]

I've found a workaround: replace the theme of AdActivity that is responsible of ad-inspector, to avoid edge-to-edge, as possible via this:

https://www.androidauthority.com/android-15-edge-to-edge-opt-out-3467646/#:~:text=The%20API%20in,window%20in%20question.

Meaning to add this to manifest:

<activity
    android:name="com.google.android.gms.ads.AdActivity" android:exported="false" android:theme="@style/AdInspectorActivityTheme"
    tools:replace="android:theme" />

and this to themes.xml:

<style name="AdInspectorActivityTheme" parent="@android:style/Theme.Translucent">
    <item name="android:windowOptOutEdgeToEdgeEnforcement" tools:targetApi="35">true</item>
</style>

It seems it also affects full-screen ads, such as rewarded-ads. I got this, as I have Pixel 6 which has the annoying display-cut of the camera hole:

Weird thing is that the bottom doesn't fit well.

For comparison, this is what I got when not using the workaround:

So both of these should be fixed.

[1nikolas]

I try to get them to fix it here
https://groups.google.com/g/google-admob-ads-sdk/c/WyGsRV--EoE
This is the only place where you get to talk with actual google devs lol

The most important issue with all this is the interstitial ads where if you have navigation buttons enabled on landscape it obscures the ad close button and you can never click it...

[AndroidDeveloperLB]

@1nikolas Did you try to use my workaround? Maybe will help here too.

[1nikolas]

@1nikolas Did you try to use my workaround? Maybe will help here too.

No I'm just trying to make them fix it properly

[axitasavani]

Hi, any update on this ?

[1nikolas]

Hi, any update on this ?

Any updates will be here https://groups.google.com/g/google-admob-ads-sdk/c/WyGsRV--EoE

[rokarnus]

Wanted to post the same issue, since I ran into this while integrating Amdob Ads into a Flutter app. Now I have ran the native Java sample on Android 14 emulator, 15 emulator and Pixel 8. And it turns out to be a problem with the Google Ads SDK, not the flutter plugin.

Some live ads have their close buttons covered when using it with the flutter plugin. Shown here:
googleads/googleads-mobile-flutter#1262

[echogit]

No update on this? Are we suppose to simply stop using google ads?

[1nikolas]

No update on this? Are we suppose to simply stop using google ads?

Google said in March they are going to fix it at the end of Q2 2025 (so in June I guess)

[AndroidDeveloperLB]

I think it got fixed today on v24.3.0, despite not being mentioned on the version history yet:

https://developers.google.com/admob/android/rel-notes

Weird thing is that when I target API 36 and run on emulator with API 36, and check the ad-inspector, I see this:

But for full screen rewarded ads (on API 36), I see it fine...

Sadly as I use other ad-networks (such as Unity), I still can't target API 36 as the workaround for there is still needed and API 36 ignores the special flag of windowOptOutEdgeToEdgeEnforcement...

I wonder which other ad-networks have this issue too...

For those who want to know about Unity's workaround (they sent it to me), here:

themes:

<style name="Theme.Translucent.NoTitleBar.Fullscreen.OptOutEdgeToEdgeEnforcement"
    parent="@android:style/Theme.Translucent.NoTitleBar.Fullscreen">
    <item name="android:windowOptOutEdgeToEdgeEnforcement" tools:targetApi="35">true</item>
</style>

<style name="Theme.NoTitleBar.Fullscreen.OptOutEdgeToEdgeEnforcement"
    parent="@android:style/Theme.NoTitleBar.Fullscreen">
    <item name="android:windowOptOutEdgeToEdgeEnforcement" tools:targetApi="35">true</item>
</style>

manifest:

<!-- region unity workaround        -->
<activity
    android:name="com.unity3d.services.ads.adunit.AdUnitActivity"
    android:configChanges="fontScale|keyboard|keyboardHidden|locale|mnc|mcc|navigation|orientation|screenLayout|screenSize|smallestScreenSize|uiMode|touchscreen"
    android:exported="false" android:hardwareAccelerated="true"
    android:theme="@style/Theme.NoTitleBar.Fullscreen.OptOutEdgeToEdgeEnforcement"
    tools:node="replace" />
<activity
    android:name="com.unity3d.services.ads.adunit.AdUnitTransparentActivity"
    android:configChanges="fontScale|keyboard|keyboardHidden|locale|mnc|mcc|navigation|orientation|screenLayout|screenSize|smallestScreenSize|uiMode|touchscreen"
    android:exported="false" android:hardwareAccelerated="true"
    android:theme="@style/Theme.Translucent.NoTitleBar.Fullscreen.OptOutEdgeToEdgeEnforcement"
    tools:node="replace" />
<activity
    android:name="com.unity3d.services.ads.adunit.AdUnitTransparentSoftwareActivity"
    android:configChanges="fontScale|keyboard|keyboardHidden|locale|mnc|mcc|navigation|orientation|screenLayout|screenSize|smallestScreenSize|uiMode|touchscreen"
    android:exported="false" android:hardwareAccelerated="false"
    android:theme="@style/Theme.Translucent.NoTitleBar.Fullscreen.OptOutEdgeToEdgeEnforcement"
    tools:node="replace" />
<activity
    android:name="com.unity3d.services.ads.adunit.AdUnitSoftwareActivity"
    android:configChanges="fontScale|keyboard|keyboardHidden|locale|mnc|mcc|navigation|orientation|screenLayout|screenSize|smallestScreenSize|uiMode|touchscreen"
    android:exported="false" android:hardwareAccelerated="false"
    android:theme="@style/Theme.NoTitleBar.Fullscreen.OptOutEdgeToEdgeEnforcement"
    tools:node="replace" />
<activity
    android:name="com.unity3d.ads.adplayer.FullScreenWebViewDisplay"
    android:configChanges="fontScale|keyboard|keyboardHidden|locale|mnc|mcc|navigation|orientation|screenLayout|screenSize|smallestScreenSize|uiMode|touchscreen"
    android:exported="false" android:hardwareAccelerated="true"
    android:theme="@style/Theme.NoTitleBar.Fullscreen.OptOutEdgeToEdgeEnforcement"
    tools:node="replace" />
<!-- endregion       -->

[1nikolas]

I think it got fixed today on v24.3.0, despite not being mentioned on the version history yet:

https://developers.google.com/admob/android/rel-notes

I checked earlier and I think it is not fixed. Will check again

[AndroidDeveloperLB]

@1nikolas I think it's not fixed for the ad-inspector (and only on API 36 when targeting it), but fine for rewarded ads. Weird.

[wasky]

Definitely not fixed for interstitial ads in 24.3.0. As shown in the attached screenshot from AdMob v24.3.0, the button is still behind the navigation bar.

[AndroidDeveloperLB]

@wasky Seems you are correct. I wonder what exactly did I see...

So still need to use the workaround I wrote about, and still target API 35...

[wasky]

Unfortunately, the workaround you provided works for some ads but not for others. It seems that the screen size for an ad is calculated when the ad is loading. Putting margins at the bottom of the AdActivity has no effect, as some ads are not resized to the actual view dimensions. A different workaround for this problem is to hide the navigation bar for the ad.

Use InterstitialAd.setImmersiveMode(true) or:

In Application subclass:

class MyApplication : Application() {

    private val activityLifecycleCallbacks = object : ActivityLifecycleCallbacks {

        override fun onActivityPreCreated(activity: Activity, savedInstanceState: Bundle?) {
            if (Build.VERSION.SDK_INT >= Build.VERSION_CODES.VANILLA_ICE_CREAM) {
                if (activity::class.java == AdActivity::class.java) {
                    val rootView = activity.window.decorView
                    rootView.windowInsetsController?.hide(WindowInsets.Type.navigationBars())
                }
            }
        }

        override fun onActivityCreated(activity: Activity, savedInstanceState: Bundle?) {}
        override fun onActivityStarted(activity: Activity) {}
        override fun onActivityResumed(activity: Activity) {}
        override fun onActivityPaused(activity: Activity) {}
        override fun onActivityStopped(activity: Activity) {}
        override fun onActivitySaveInstanceState(activity: Activity, outState: Bundle) {}
        override fun onActivityDestroyed(activity: Activity) {}
    }

    override fun onCreate() {
        super.onCreate()
        if (Build.VERSION.SDK_INT >= Build.VERSION_CODES.VANILLA_ICE_CREAM) {
            registerActivityLifecycleCallbacks(activityLifecycleCallbacks)
        }
    }
}

This change makes the status bar visible in the AdActivity. Here is the fix:

res/values/styles.xml:

<resources>
    <style name="AdActivityTheme" parent="@android:style/Theme.Translucent" />
</resources>

res/values-v35/styles.xml:

<resources>
    <style name="AdActivityTheme" parent="@android:style/Theme.Translucent.NoTitleBar" />
</resources>

AndroidManifest.xml:

<activity
    android:name="com.google.android.gms.ads.AdActivity"
    android:theme="@style/AdActivityTheme"
    tools:replace="android:theme"/>

Before/after:

You can see a working example of this workaround in my fork of InterstitialExample, available here: 68dac5d