Google Ads Editor is the easiest way to move keywords from one ad group to another. The process works like cut and paste on your computer: select the keywords in the source ad group, cut them, then paste them into the destination ad group. The whole thing takes under a minute, but there are a few important details about performance data and Quality Score worth knowing before you start.
Moving Keywords in Google Ads Editor
Google Ads Editor is a free desktop application from Google that lets you make bulk changes to your account offline, then upload them all at once. It is the recommended tool for moving keywords because the standard web interface does not have a native “move” function for keywords between ad groups.
Here is the step-by-step process:
- Open your account and get recent changes. Launch Google Ads Editor and click “Get recent changes” so you are working with current data.
- Navigate to the source ad group. In the account tree on the left, expand the campaign and select the ad group that currently holds the keywords you want to move.
- Select the keywords. In the type list, click Keywords and targeting, then Keywords. Select one or more keywords in the data view. Hold Ctrl (or Cmd on Mac) to pick multiple individual keywords, or Shift-click to select a range.
- Cut the keywords. Go to Edit > Cut. This removes them from the current ad group. If you only want to copy them (keeping them in both places), use Edit > Copy instead.
- Navigate to the destination ad group. In the account tree, select the ad group where you want the keywords to land.
- Paste. Go to Edit > Paste. The keywords now appear in the new ad group.
- Post changes. Click the “Post” button in the top toolbar to push your edits live to Google Ads.
Pasting Into Multiple Ad Groups at Once
If you need the same keywords in several ad groups, you do not have to paste one at a time. After copying or cutting, select the campaign name (or even the account name) in the tree view, then highlight multiple ad groups. Go to Edit > Paste into, and the keywords will be added to every selected ad group in one step. This is useful when you are restructuring a campaign and splitting keywords across new, more tightly themed ad groups.
What Happens to Performance Data
When you move or copy keywords to a new ad group, their historical performance statistics (impressions, clicks, conversions, cost) do not transfer. The keywords start fresh in the destination ad group with zero history. The old stats stay associated with the original ad group.
This matters for reporting. If you are tracking performance trends over time, moving a keyword creates a break in your data. Before you move anything, consider exporting a report for the keywords you plan to relocate so you have a record of their historical numbers. You can pull this from the Google Ads web interface or from Google Ads Editor itself by selecting the keywords and copying the data into a spreadsheet.
How the Move Affects Quality Score
Quality Score is calculated based on three components: expected click-through rate, ad relevance, and landing page experience. When you move a keyword to a new ad group, it will be paired with whatever ads and landing pages exist in that destination ad group. If those ads are more relevant to the keyword than the ones in the old ad group, your Quality Score should improve. If they are less relevant, it will drop.
This is actually the main reason people move keywords between ad groups. Grouping keywords with tightly themed ads improves ad relevance and click-through rates, which directly lifts Quality Score. Before you move a keyword, check that the destination ad group has ads that speak specifically to that keyword. If it does not, write new ad copy first, then move the keyword.
Moving Keywords Between Campaigns or Accounts
The process for moving keywords to an ad group in a different campaign is identical. Just navigate to the correct campaign and ad group in the tree view before pasting.
To move keywords to an entirely different Google Ads account, the workflow adds one extra step. After cutting or copying the keywords, go to Account > Open and select the destination account. Once it loads in Google Ads Editor, navigate to the target ad group and paste. The same rule applies: performance history does not carry over.
Moving Keywords Without Google Ads Editor
If you prefer not to install Google Ads Editor, you can accomplish the same result manually in the Google Ads web interface, though it takes more steps. Add the keyword to the new ad group first (with the correct match type and bid), verify it is active, then go back to the original ad group and pause or remove the old version. This two-step approach is fine for a handful of keywords but becomes tedious at scale, which is why Editor is the standard tool for this task.
Another option is a bulk upload via spreadsheet. Export your keywords, change the ad group column to the new destination, and upload the file. Then go back and remove the keywords from the original ad group. Again, this is more work than a simple cut and paste in Editor, but it works if you need a record of every change in spreadsheet form.
Tips for a Clean Transition
Pause before you post. Google Ads Editor lets you review all pending changes before pushing them live. Use the “Check changes” button to catch issues like duplicate keywords (the same keyword with the same match type already existing in the destination ad group) or missing ads in the destination.
Keep match types consistent. When you cut and paste, the keyword’s match type (broad, phrase, or exact) carries over. If you want to change the match type as part of your reorganization, edit it in the destination ad group after pasting.
Watch your bids. The keyword’s bid transfers with it, but the destination ad group may have a different default bid or a different campaign budget. Double-check that the keyword’s bid still makes sense in its new context, especially if you are moving it to a campaign with a lower daily budget.
If the keyword you are moving has a high Quality Score and strong history, consider keeping it paused in the original ad group for a few days rather than deleting it immediately. This gives you a quick rollback option if something goes wrong in the new ad group.