Banner & MREC Ads

The following sections show you how to load and then show and hide a banner or MREC ad.

See also

“Why mobile banners ads persist in a video and playable world” from AppLovin’s Blog.

Loading a Banner or MREC

To load a banner or MREC, create a MaxAdView object that corresponds to your ad unit. Then call call that object’s loadAd() method. To show that ad, add the MaxAdView object as a subview of your view hierarchy. Implement MaxAdViewAdListener so that you are notified when your ad is ready (you will also be notified of other ad-related events).

If your integration requires displaying MREC ads in a content feed, AppLovin recommends the following:

• Create the minimal amount of instances possible.
• Stop auto-refresh.
• Manually refresh the contents by calling loadAd() (re-use the MaxAdView instances).

You can find an example implementation in the AppLovin demo app (Java, Kotlin).

Banners

Java

public class ExampleActivity extends Activity
        implements MaxAdViewAdListener
{
  private MaxAdView adView;

  void createBannerAd()
  {
    adView = new MaxAdView( "«ad-unit-ID»", this );
    adView.setListener( this );

    // Stretch to the width of the screen for banners to be fully functional
    int width = ViewGroup.LayoutParams.MATCH_PARENT;

    // Banner height on phones and tablets is 50 and 90, respectively
    int heightPx = getResources().getDimensionPixelSize( R.dimen.banner_height );

    adView.setLayoutParams( new FrameLayout.LayoutParams( width, heightPx ) );

    // Set background or background color for banners to be fully functional
    adView.setBackgroundColor( … );

    ViewGroup rootView = findViewById( android.R.id.content );
    rootView.addView( adView );

    // Load the ad
    adView.loadAd();
  }

  // MAX Ad Listener
  @Override
  public void onAdLoaded(final MaxAd maxAd) {}

  @Override
  public void onAdLoadFailed(final String adUnitId, final MaxError error) {}

  @Override
  public void onAdDisplayFailed(final MaxAd maxAd, final MaxError error) {}

  @Override
  public void onAdClicked(final MaxAd maxAd) {}

  @Override
  public void onAdExpanded(final MaxAd maxAd) {}

  @Override
  public void onAdCollapsed(final MaxAd maxAd) {}

  @Override
  public void onAdDisplayed(final MaxAd maxAd) { /* DO NOT USE - THIS IS RESERVED FOR FULLSCREEN ADS ONLY AND WILL BE REMOVED IN A FUTURE SDK RELEASE */ }

  @Override
  public void onAdHidden(final MaxAd maxAd) { /* DO NOT USE - THIS IS RESERVED FOR FULLSCREEN ADS ONLY AND WILL BE REMOVED IN A FUTURE SDK RELEASE */ }
}

Kotlin

class ExampleActivity : Activity(), MaxAdViewAdListener
{
  private var adView: MaxAdView? = null

  fun createBannerAd()
  {
    adView = MaxAdView("«ad-unit-ID»", this)
    adView?.setListener(this)

    // Stretch to the width of the screen for banners to be fully functional
    val width = ViewGroup.LayoutParams.MATCH_PARENT

    // Banner height on phones and tablets is 50 and 90, respectively
    val heightPx = resources.getDimensionPixelSize(R.dimen.banner_height)

    adView?.layoutParams = FrameLayout.LayoutParams(width, heightPx)

    // Set background or background color for banners to be fully functional
    adView?.setBackgroundColor(…)

    val rootView = findViewById(android.R.id.content)
    rootView.addView(adView)

    // Load the ad
    adView?.loadAd()
  }

  // MAX Ad Listener
  override fun onAdLoaded(maxAd: MaxAd) {}

  override fun onAdLoadFailed(adUnitId: String?, error: MaxError?) {}

  override fun onAdDisplayFailed(ad: MaxAd?, error: MaxError?) {}

  override fun onAdClicked(maxAd: MaxAd) {}

  override fun onAdExpanded(maxAd: MaxAd) {}

  override fun onAdCollapsed(maxAd: MaxAd) {}

  override fun onAdDisplayed(maxAd: MaxAd) { /* DO NOT USE - THIS IS RESERVED FOR FULLSCREEN ADS ONLY AND WILL BE REMOVED IN A FUTURE SDK RELEASE */ }

  override fun onAdHidden(maxAd: MaxAd) { /* DO NOT USE - THIS IS RESERVED FOR FULLSCREEN ADS ONLY AND WILL BE REMOVED IN A FUTURE SDK RELEASE */ }
}

MRECs

Java

public class ExampleActivity extends Activity
        implements MaxAdViewAdListener
{
  private MaxAdView adView;

  void createMrecAd
  {
    adView = new MaxAdView( "«ad-unit-ID»", MaxAdFormat.MREC, this );
    adView.setListener( this );

    // MREC width and height are 300 and 250 respectively, on phones and tablets
    int widthPx = AppLovinSdkUtils.dpToPx( this, 300 );
    int heightPx = AppLovinSdkUtils.dpToPx( this, 250 );

    adView.setLayoutParams( new FrameLayout.LayoutParams( widthPx, heightPx ) );

    // Set background or background color for MRECs to be fully functional
    adView.setBackgroundColor( ... );

    ViewGroup rootView = findViewById( android.R.id.content );
    rootView.addView( adView );

    // Load the ad
    adView.loadAd();
  }

  // MAX Ad Listener
  @Override
  public void onAdLoaded(final MaxAd maxAd) {}

  @Override
  public void onAdLoadFailed(final String adUnitId, final MaxError error) {}

  @Override
  public void onAdDisplayFailed(final MaxAd maxAd, final MaxError error) {}

  @Override
  public void onAdClicked(final MaxAd maxAd) {}

  @Override
  public void onAdExpanded(final MaxAd maxAd) {}

  @Override
  public void onAdCollapsed(final MaxAd maxAd) {}

  @Override
  public void onAdDisplayed(final MaxAd maxAd) { /* DO NOT USE - THIS IS RESERVED FOR FULLSCREEN ADS ONLY AND WILL BE REMOVED IN A FUTURE SDK RELEASE */ }

  @Override
  public void onAdHidden(final MaxAd maxAd) { /* DO NOT USE - THIS IS RESERVED FOR FULLSCREEN ADS ONLY AND WILL BE REMOVED IN A FUTURE SDK RELEASE */ }
}

Kotlin

class ExampleActivity : Activity(), MaxAdViewAdListener
{
  private var adView: MaxAdView? = null

  fun createMrecAd()
  {
    adView = MaxAdView("«ad-unit-ID»", MaxAdFormat.MREC, this)
    adView?.setListener(this)

    // MREC width and height are 300 and 250 respectively, on phones and tablets
    val widthPx = AppLovinSdkUtils.dpToPx(this, 300)
    val heightPx = AppLovinSdkUtils.dpToPx(this, 250)

    adView?.layoutParams = FrameLayout.LayoutParams(widthPx, heightPx)

    // Set background or background color for MRECs to be fully functional
    adView?.setBackgroundColor(...)

    val rootView = findViewById(android.R.id.content)
    rootView.addView(adView)

    // Load the ad
    adView?.loadAd()
  }

  // MAX Ad Listener
  override fun onAdLoaded(maxAd: MaxAd) {}

  override fun onAdLoadFailed(adUnitId: String?, error: MaxError?) {}

  override fun onAdDisplayFailed(ad: MaxAd?, error: MaxError?) {}

  override fun onAdClicked(maxAd: MaxAd) {}

  override fun onAdExpanded(maxAd: MaxAd) {}

  override fun onAdCollapsed(maxAd: MaxAd) {}

  override fun onAdDisplayed(maxAd: MaxAd) { /* DO NOT USE - THIS IS RESERVED FOR FULLSCREEN ADS ONLY AND WILL BE REMOVED IN A FUTURE SDK RELEASE */ }

  override fun onAdHidden(maxAd: MaxAd) { /* DO NOT USE - THIS IS RESERVED FOR FULLSCREEN ADS ONLY AND WILL BE REMOVED IN A FUTURE SDK RELEASE */ }
}

Loading and Showing a Banner or MREC in Layout Editor

Alternatively, you can add MAX banners or MRECs to your view layout XML. Ensure that your ads are fully functional by setting a background or background color (android:background). In the case of banners, stretch the width (android:layout_width) to the width of the screen. In the case of MRECs, set android:adFormat accordingly:

Banners

<com.applovin.mediation.ads.MaxAdView
  xmlns:maxads="http://schemas.applovin.com/android/1.0"
  maxads:adUnitId="«ad-unit-ID»"
  android:background="@color/banner_background_color"
  android:layout_width="match_parent"
  android:layout_height="@dimen/banner_height" />

Declare the base banner height of 50dp in res/values/attrs.xml:

<?xml version="1.0" encoding="utf-8"?>
<resources>
  <dimen name="banner_height">50dp</dimen>
</resources>

Declare the tablet banner height of 90dp in res/values-sw600dp/attrs.xml:

<?xml version="1.0" encoding="utf-8"?>
<resources>
  <dimen name="banner_height">90dp</dimen>
</resources>

MRECs

<com.applovin.mediation.ads.MaxAdView
  xmlns:maxads="http://schemas.applovin.com/android/1.0"
  maxads:adUnitId="«ad-unit-ID»"
  maxads:adFormat="MREC"
  android:background="@color/mrec_background_color"
  android:layout_width="300dp"
  android:layout_height="250dp" />

You still must call loadAd() on the MaxAdView you create in this way:

Java

MaxAdView adView = findViewById( R.id.ad_view );
adView.loadAd();

Kotlin

var adView: MaxAdView = findViewById(R.id.ad_view)
adView.loadAd()

Destroying Banners and MRECs

If you no longer need a MaxAdView instance, call its destroy() method to free resources. This may be the case, for example, if the user purchases ad removal. Do not call the destroy() method if you use multiple instances with the same Ad Unit ID.

Java

adView.destroy();

Kotlin

adView.destroy()

Adaptive Banners

Note

Only Google bidding and Google AdMob, and Google Ad Manager support adaptive banners. MAX sizes banners from other networks normally.

Google recommends that developers include a 50px padding between the banner placement and the app content. This makes it less likely that users will accidentally click on the banner. Refer to Google’s “About Confirmed Click” policy for more information and best practices.

Adaptive banners have heights that derive from the device type and the width of the banner. You integrate adaptive banners in a similar way to how you integrate regular banners. However, you must set the height to the value returned by MAAdFormat.banner.adaptiveSize.height instead of to a constant like 50 or 90. Optionally, for more specific integrations, you can set a custom width (in dp). To do this, use the local extra parameters API (as of Google adapter version 21.5.0.3 and Google Ad Manager adapter version 21.5.0.2). You can fetch the appropriate height for your custom adaptive banner by using the adaptive size API. Before you load the ad, set the banner extra parameter adaptive_banner to true as in the code below:

Java

void createBannerAd()
{
  adView = new MaxAdView( "«ad-unit-ID»", this );
  adView.setListener( this );

  // Stretch to the width of the screen for banners to be fully functional
  int width = ViewGroup.LayoutParams.MATCH_PARENT;

  // Get the adaptive banner height.
  int heightDp = MaxAdFormat.BANNER.getAdaptiveSize( this ).getHeight();
  int heightPx = AppLovinSdkUtils.dpToPx( this, heightDp );

  adView.setLayoutParams( new FrameLayout.LayoutParams( width, heightPx ) );
  adView.setExtraParameter( "adaptive_banner", "true" );
  adView.setLocalExtraParameter( "adaptive_banner_width", 400 );
  adView.getAdFormat().getAdaptiveSize( 400, context ).getHeight(); // Set your ad height to this value

  // Set background or background color for banners to be fully functional
  adView.setBackgroundColor( … );

  ViewGroup rootView = findViewById( android.R.id.content );
  rootView.addView( adView );

  // Load the ad
  adView.loadAd();
}

Kotlin

fun createBannerAd()
{
  adView = MaxAdView("«ad-unit-ID»", this)
  adView?.setListener(this)

  // Stretch to the width of the screen for banners to be fully functional
  val width = ViewGroup.LayoutParams.MATCH_PARENT

  // Get the adaptive banner height.
  val heightDp = MaxAdFormat.BANNER.getAdaptiveSize(this).height
  val heightPx = AppLovinSdkUtils.dpToPx(this, heightDp)

  adView?.layoutParams = FrameLayout.LayoutParams(width, heightPx)
  adView?.setExtraParameter("adaptive_banner", "true")
  adView.setLocalExtraParameter("adaptive_banner_width", 400)
  adView.adFormat.getAdaptiveSize(400, context).height // Set your ad height to this value

  // Set background or background color for banners to be fully functional
  adView?.setBackgroundColor(…)

  val rootView = findViewById<ViewGroup>(android.R.id.content)
  rootView.addView(adView)

  // Load the ad
  adView?.loadAd()
}

You may need to configure your UI in a way that depends on the adaptive banner size. If so, you can retrieve the width and height of the loaded ad, in dp, with code like the following:

Java

@Override
public void onAdLoaded(final MaxAd maxAd)
{
  AppLovinSdkUtils.Size adViewSize = maxAd.getSize();
  int widthDp = adViewSize.getWidth();
  int heightDp = adViewSize.getHeight();
}

Kotlin

override fun onAdLoaded(ad: MaxAd?)
{
  val adViewSize = ad?.size!!
  val widthDp = adViewSize.width
  val heightDp = adViewSize.height
}

Stopping and Starting Auto-Refresh

You may want to stop auto-refresh for an ad. This may be the case when you hide an ad or when you want to manually refresh. Stop auto-refresh with the following code:

Java

// Set this extra parameter to work around SDK bug that ignores calls to stopAutoRefresh()
adView.setExtraParameter( "allow_pause_auto_refresh_immediately", "true" );
adView.stopAutoRefresh();

Kotlin

// Set this extra parameter to work around SDK bug that ignores calls to stopAutoRefresh()
adView.setExtraParameter( "allow_pause_auto_refresh_immediately", "true" )
adView.stopAutoRefresh()

Start auto-refresh for an ad with the following code:

Java

adView.startAutoRefresh();

Kotlin

adView.startAutoRefresh()

Manually refresh the ad contents by calling loadAd(). You can do this only if you have previously stopped auto-refresh.

Java

adView.loadAd();

Kotlin

adView.loadAd()