How to Add Someone to Facebook Ads Manager
Short answer
Open Meta Business Suite or Business Settings, go to Users > People, invite the person by email, then assign them your ad account with the permissions they need (such as Manage campaigns or View performance). For agencies, add their business as a partner instead of adding individuals.
Sharing your Facebook login with a freelancer is a bad idea. It breaks Meta's terms, can trigger security locks and makes it impossible to remove access cleanly. Meta's business tools let you give anyone exactly the access they need. Meta now calls a business account a "business portfolio," and you manage it through Meta Business Suite or Business Settings.
Before you start
You need:
- A business portfolio (formerly Business Manager) that owns or has access to your ad account.
- Full control of that business portfolio, so you can invite people.
- The email address of the person you're adding, or the business ID of the agency.
If you've been running ads from a personal ad account with no business portfolio, create one first at business.facebook.com and add your ad account to it.
Adding a person (employee or freelancer)
- Go to business.facebook.com and open Settings (Business Settings).
- Click Users > People.
- Click Invite people (or "Add").
- Enter their email address.
- Choose their business-level access. "Employee access" (partial access) is enough for most people. Avoid "Full control" unless they truly need to manage the business.
- On the next screen, assign assets: select Ad accounts, tick your ad account and choose permissions, such as: - Manage campaigns to create and edit ads - View performance for reporting only - Manage ad account for broader settings, including payment methods (use sparingly)
- Optionally assign Pages, pixels/datasets and catalogs they'll need.
- Send the invite.
They'll get an email and must accept it while logged in to their Facebook account. Until they accept, the invite shows as pending.
Adding an agency (partner)
For agencies, add their business, not each staff member.
- Ask the agency for their Business Portfolio ID.
- In Business Settings, go to Users > Partners.
- Click Add and choose to give a partner access to your assets.
- Enter their Business ID.
- Select the ad account and set permissions.
- Also share your Page, pixel/dataset and catalog if they'll run catalog or conversion campaigns.
The agency then assigns its own staff internally. When the contract ends, you remove one partner instead of chasing individual accounts.
Which permissions to give
| Role | Typical access |
|---|---|
| Media buyer or agency | Manage campaigns, use pixel/dataset, catalog access |
| Reporting or analyst | View performance |
| Designer | Often none; send creative files instead |
| Bookkeeper | View performance, maybe billing visibility |
Keep payment methods and business ownership with you.
Security habits
- Turn on two-factor authentication for everyone with access. You can require it in Security Center.
- Review People and Partners quarterly and remove anyone who no longer works with you.
- Keep at least two admins with full control so you're not locked out if one account has problems.
- Never accept requests from unknown businesses asking for asset access. Phishing that targets ad accounts is common.
Keep a simple access log
Note who has access to which assets, their role and the date you granted it. A short spreadsheet makes quarterly reviews quick and helps you remove access promptly when people leave.
Troubleshooting
Invite didn't arrive. Check spam, then resend from Users > People.
They accepted but can't see the ad account. You invited them to the business but didn't assign the ad account. Edit their assets.
"You don't have permission." Your own role may be partial access. Ask someone with full control to send the invite.
Once your team is in, the next step is making the ads work. See our Facebook ads strategy for ecommerce and what makes a great Facebook ad. If you're an agency selling ad services, read how to sell Facebook ads to clients.
Frequently asked questions
Can I add someone without Meta Business Suite?
Personal ad accounts have an Ad account roles section in Ads Manager settings, but using a business portfolio is more secure and is the standard method for teams.
Should I give an agency full control?
Usually not. Give them access to manage campaigns on the ad account and use the pixel or dataset, but keep payment methods and business ownership with you.
How do I remove someone's access?
In Business Settings, go to Users > People or Partners, select them and remove access to the ad account or remove them from the business entirely.
Sources and further reading
Platform features, prices and policies change. Check the official help pages linked above before you act on a detail that matters to your store.