Fixing xml/gma_ad_services_config Resource Not Found Error in play-services-ads:24.0.0 Upgrade

Описание: Learn how to resolve the build error caused by missing xml/gma_ad_services_config resource after upgrading to play-services-ads 24.0.0 in Android projects.
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This video is based on the question https://stackoverflow.com/q/79469231/ asked by the user 'Binh Ho' ( https://stackoverflow.com/u/9585130/ ) and on the answer https://stackoverflow.com/a/79470795/ provided by the user 'Tomica Crnek' ( https://stackoverflow.com/u/5369416/ ) at 'Stack Overflow' website. Thanks to these great users and Stackexchange community for their contributions.

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Introduction

Upgrading the Google Mobile Ads SDK (play-services-ads) to version 24.0.0 may cause a build error where the resource xml/gma_ad_services_config cannot be found. This issue typically appears if your AndroidManifest.xml still references this obsolete config.

The Problem

After changing your dependency from:

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to

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you might see an error like:

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This happens because the newer version has changed internal configurations and no longer requires or supports the gma_ad_services_config XML file referenced in the manifest.

The Solution

Remove or comment out the manifest entry referencing gma_ad_services_config.

Locate this block in your AndroidManifest.xml:

[[See Video to Reveal this Text or Code Snippet]]

If it’s uncommented, comment it out or remove it completely to eliminate the missing resource reference.

Update your build.gradle to use Play Services Ads 24.0.0.

[[See Video to Reveal this Text or Code Snippet]]

Sync and rebuild your project.

This will remove the reference that triggers the error and align your project with the updated library.

Why This Works

The Play Services Ads SDK version 24.0.0 has internal changes where the gma_ad_services_config resource is no longer provided or needed explicitly by developers. Removing custom references prevents build tools from looking for a resource that no longer exists.

Summary

When upgrading to play-services-ads:24.0.0, remove any <property> entries in your manifest related to gma_ad_services_config.

Ensure your Gradle dependency is updated.

Sync and rebuild the project to resolve the missing resource error.

This small change keeps your project compatible with the latest SDK improvements and avoids build issues.