Google Cloud ACE: renew through Google Skills courses and badges; CM Connect sign-in changes on 29 October

Google Cloud announced on 9 July 2026 a new way to renew the Associate Cloud Engineer (ACE) certification without sitting a proctored exam. Holders can complete designated courses and skill badges on Google Skills. Finishing the required activities while the certification is still active extends it by one year.

Key points

• The learning must be completed during the final year of the certification's active cycle.
• The exam routes remain: ACE holders can still renew with the standard certification exam or the shorter renewal exam.
• A certification more than 30 days past its inactive date is no longer valid, and the holder must take the standard exam at full price.
• Google's certification help page says that from 29 October 2026 the CM Connect certification portal no longer accepts an email-and-password sign-in. Users must sign in with Google Skills (or Google Skills for Partners) credentials.

What to do: if you hold ACE or plan to book it, sign in to Google Skills, or create an account, with the primary or professional email address in your CM Connect profile.