Microsoft Advertising Is Phasing Out Max CPC

Microsoft Advertising is changing its approach to automated bidding. Starting October 1, 2026, advertisers will no longer be able to set Max CPC limits when creating new campaigns with a range of automated bidding strategies. This is another step by Microsoft toward advertising campaign automation and transitioning from manual click-cost control to optimization based on business goals — conversions, conversion value, target cost per acquisition, and return on ad spend. What Exactly Microsoft Advertising Is Changing Starting October 1, 2026, when creating new campaigns, advertisers will no longer be able to add Max CPC to specific automated bidding strategies. In the first phase, the changes will apply to: Maximize Conversions; Maximize Conversion Value; Maximize Clicks; Target CPA; Target ROAS. At the same time, Max CPC will continue to be supported in certain other scenarios, including Target Impression Share, Enhanced CPC (eCPC), and portfolio bidding strategies. Thus, the change applies to specific automated strategies and new campaigns, rather than all Microsoft Advertising campaigns simultaneously. What Is Max CPC Max CPC (Maximum Cost Per Click) is a limit on the maximum amount an advertiser is willing to pay for a single click. This parameter has traditionally been used as an additional layer of control over automated bidding strategies. For example, if the system could raise bids to generate more conversions, the advertiser could set a maximum acceptable cost per click. This approach made it possible to combine automation with a certain degree of manual control. However, Max CPC can conflict with the logic of automated bidding. If the algorithm determines that raising the bid is necessary to achieve a given business goal, the set CPC limit may restrict its capabilities. Why Microsoft Is Phasing Out Max CPC The main reason for the changes is Microsoft's desire to make automated bidding more focused on final business results. Instead of controlling individual click costs, advertisers are encouraged to set goals directly tied to business performance. These goals include: number of conversions; target cost per acquisition — tCPA; target return on ad spend — tROAS; conversion value; conversion value rules; campaign budget; seasonal adjustments. According to Microsoft's logic, the algorithm should independently determine the optimal bid for a specific auction to reach the target goal as efficiently as possible. Therefore, manual CPC limits are viewed as a factor that can prevent the automated system from executing its optimization strategy. What Impact This Will Have on Advertisers For advertisers, the primary change lies in the reduced number of manual bid management tools. While a specialist could previously use an automated strategy and set a maximum allowable cost per click at the same time, this option will disappear for new campaigns using the relevant strategies. This means that greater responsibility shifts to: conversion data quality; proper tracking setup; accuracy of target metrics; sufficiency of historical data; selection of the appropriate bidding strategy; correct definition of conversion value. If conversion data is configured incorrectly or the system receives insufficient quality signals, removing manual control could create additional risks to campaign performance. Therefore, automation does not mean that the role of a PPC specialist becomes less important. On the contrary, the focus shifts from manual bid management to high-quality configuration of data, goals, and optimization logic. What Will Happen to Campaigns Already Using Max CPC Campaigns in which Max CPC was configured before October 1, 2026, will be able to continue using this parameter. In other words, the established deadline primarily affects the process of creating new campaigns. Microsoft also notes that once Max CPC is removed, it will be impossible to re-enable this parameter. Therefore, advertisers should take this into account when planning changes to campaign structures and testing new strategies. What Microsoft Recommends Microsoft recommends that advertisers not wait until October 1, but test campaign performance without Max CPC in advance. To do this, you can run optimization experiments comparing the results of campaigns with and without current limits. This approach will allow you to evaluate how the automated strategy works without a set CPC limit and understand the potential impact of changes on performance. This is especially relevant for businesses planning to scale advertising activity ahead of the holiday season. tCPA and tROAS Become Primary Control Tools Microsoft is effectively offering advertisers a shift in how they manage automated campaigns. Instead of asking: "What is the maximum amount we are willing to pay for a click?" advertisers are advised to move toward questions like: "How much are we willing to pay for a conversion?" or "What return do we want to get on our ad spend?" This is precisely why Target CPA and Target ROAS are becoming more critical. Target CPA allows you to define the desired average cost per conversion, while Target ROAS directs the algorithm toward achieving a specific return on ad spend. This approach aligns with the overall evolution of automated ad systems, where algorithms independently determine bids based on the likelihood of obtaining the desired result. The Importance of Conversion Data The transition from Max CPC to target metrics makes data quality even more critical. An automated strategy cannot optimize a campaign effectively if the system receives incorrect or incomplete conversion data. Before switching to a more automated approach, advertisers should verify: whether all key conversions are tracked correctly; that there is no duplicate conversion tracking; whether purchase value is being passed; whether primary and secondary conversions are properly defined; whether campaign goals align with real business objectives; whether there is enough data for the automated strategy to function properly. For e-commerce projects, it is particularly important to ensure accurate transmission of revenue and order value data. This enables the algorithm to optimize not just for the volume of conversions, but for their economic value. Additional Tools to Replace Max CPC Microsoft also recommends using other signals and settings that help the algorithm better understand business goals. Among these are Conversion Value Rules. These rules allow you to inform the system that different conversions can hold different value for your business. For example, acquiring a new customer might be more valuable to a company than a repeat purchase from an existing customer. Similarly, an order from one region might carry higher business value than an order from another. Such signals help automated bidding optimize ad spend while accounting for real business context. A Separate Deadline for API and Google Import Microsoft also announced an additional deadline for users of APIs, third-party tools, providers, and the Google Import feature. For these scenarios, January 12, 2027, will mark the date after which Max CPC will no longer be supported for new campaigns or existing campaigns where this parameter had not yet been set up. For campaigns already using Max CPC before October 1, current settings will remain in effect. This means that advertisers and agencies utilizing automated creation or campaign imports should account for the new limitations in their workflows and tools. What Advertisers Should Do Right Now Before the changes take effect, it is advisable for advertisers to conduct an audit of active campaigns and determine where Max CPC is used as a key control element. It is recommended to: Review active campaigns with Max CPC and evaluate how much this parameter affects their performance. Test campaigns without Max CPC using experiments. Verify conversion tracking and ensure Microsoft Advertising receives accurate data. Review tCPA and tROAS to ensure set goals match real business economics. Check conversion value settings, especially for e-commerce projects. Account for the new rules when planning campaigns to be launched after October 1. What This Means for PPC Strategy Phasing out Max CPC is part of a broader trend across ad platforms. Google Ads and Microsoft Advertising are gradually delegating more authority to algorithms regarding bids, audiences, and budget allocation. For advertisers, this means a gradual shift from manually managing individual settings to managing goals and data quality. In this model, a PPC specialist no longer simply controls how much a click costs. Their task is to ensure proper configuration of the entire ecosystem: from conversion data transfer to defining business goals and evaluating performance quality. Conclusion Microsoft Advertising continues to move toward automated bidding, steadily reducing the number of manual constraints. Starting October 1, 2026, Max CPC will become unavailable for new campaigns using a range of automated strategies, including Maximize Conversions, Maximize Conversion Value, Maximize Clicks, Target CPA, and Target ROAS. For advertisers, this means relying more heavily on quality conversion data, tCPA, tROAS, conversion value, and other business-oriented signals. Therefore, prior to the transition, it is worth testing campaigns without Max CPC, verifying tracking accuracy, and ensuring that set goals align with actual business metrics. Read this article in Ukrainian.