AdMob - display real ads in debug mode - ios

Question

I'd like to display AdMob interstitials in my app. I manage to display test ads. As far as I understand to display test ads you should add test devices, so this is what I do. When I remove the test devices though, I don't get the real ads. I'd like to test somehow that real ads will be displayed. When I remove the test devices I get interstitial(_ ad: GADInterstitial, didFailToReceiveAdWithError error: GADRequestError) delegate method called and the error is: Request Error: No ad to show. This is my code based on the instructions here:
class MoviesViewController: UIViewController {
var interstitial: GADInterstitial!
override func viewDidLoad() {
super.viewDidLoad()
interstitial = createAndLoadInterstitial()
}
func createAndLoadInterstitial() -> GADInterstitial {
let interstitial = GADInterstitial(adUnitID: "<Ad-Unit-ID>")
interstitial.delegate = self
let request = GADRequest()
//request.testDevices = ["<Device-Test-ID>"]
interstitial.load(request)
return interstitial
}
#IBAction func didTapStartOver(_ sender: Any) {
if interstitial.isReady {
interstitial.present(fromRootViewController: self)
} else {
print("Ad wasn't ready")
interstitial = createAndLoadInterstitial()
}
}
GADInterstitialDelegate:
extension MoviesViewController : GADInterstitialDelegate {
/// Tells the delegate an ad request succeeded.
func interstitialDidReceiveAd(_ ad: GADInterstitial) {
print("interstitialDidReceiveAd")
}
/// Tells the delegate an ad request failed.
func interstitial(_ ad: GADInterstitial, didFailToReceiveAdWithError error: GADRequestError) {
print("interstitial:didFailToReceiveAdWithError: \(error.localizedDescription)")
}
/// Tells the delegate that an interstitial will be presented.
func interstitialWillPresentScreen(_ ad: GADInterstitial) {
print("interstitialWillPresentScreen")
}
/// Tells the delegate the interstitial is to be animated off the screen.
func interstitialWillDismissScreen(_ ad: GADInterstitial) {
dismiss(animated: false, completion: nil)
print("interstitialWillDismissScreen")
}
func interstitialDidDismissScreen(_ ad: GADInterstitial) {
print("interstitialDidDismissScreen")
interstitial = createAndLoadInterstitial()
}
/// Tells the delegate that a user click will open another app
/// (such as the App Store), backgrounding the current app.
func interstitialWillLeaveApplication(_ ad: GADInterstitial) {
print("interstitialWillLeaveApplication")
}
}
I added a mediation group and was able to receive one real ad. After that the issue persists (no more ads to show).
Changing the device for testing from iPad to iPhone also seems to help - the issue seems to be reproducible only on iPad.

Answer 1

I never used the test device feature. I always just plugged in the provided test ad id that is mentioned in their guides. When ready to test real ads, just switch to the live ad id they provide when you create the ad. Then it's good to go without changing any other code.