How to Give Agency Access to Your Meta Ads Account

Meta Description: Step-by-step guide on how to give your marketing agency access to your Meta Ads account. Learn to add partners to Facebook and Instagram advertising without sharing passwords.

Introduction

Meta Ads (encompassing Facebook Ads and Instagram Ads) provides businesses with powerful tools to reach billions of users across the Meta family of apps. Running successful Meta advertising campaigns requires expertise in audience targeting, creative development, bid strategy, and ongoing optimisation—skills that many businesses access through marketing agencies.

To enable your agency to manage your Meta advertising, you need to grant them access to your Ad Account through Meta Business Suite or Business Manager. This process is designed to be secure, allowing collaboration without sharing your personal login credentials.

This guide provides comprehensive instructions for granting agency access to your Meta Ads account, explains the different permission levels, and helps you navigate common challenges.

Prerequisites

Before granting agency access to your Meta Ads account, ensure you have the following in place:

1. Admin Access to Your Ad Account
You must have Admin-level access to the Ad Account you wish to share. Only Admins can add new users or partners.

2. A Meta Business Manager Account
Your Ad Account should be associated with a Business Manager. If your Ad Account exists only within your personal Facebook account, you may need to move it to a Business Manager first.

3. The Agency's Business Manager ID
Your agency will provide their Business Manager ID (a 15-16 digit number) for partner access. Alternatively, they may provide individual email addresses.

4. Two-Factor Authentication
Meta increasingly requires two-factor authentication for business assets. Ensure this is configured on your account.

5. Clear Understanding of Access Requirements
Discuss with your agency whether they need full Ad Account access or limited reporting access. Different tasks require different permission levels.

Understanding Meta Ads Access Levels

Meta provides several access levels for Ad Account management:

Admin
Full control over the Ad Account. Can create, edit, and delete campaigns. Can view and edit billing information, manage Ad Account settings, and assign permissions to other users or partners. Reserve this for trusted parties.

Advertiser
Can create, edit, and view ads and campaigns. Can access Ads Manager, view reporting, and create audiences. Cannot modify billing or manage permissions. This is appropriate for most agency work.

Analyst
Can view ads and access reports but cannot create or edit campaigns. Suitable for agencies providing reporting or consultation only.

Finance Editor
Can view and edit billing information, transaction history, and payment methods. Cannot access campaigns. Use this if your agency handles billing separately.

Finance Analyst
Can view billing information but cannot make changes. For agencies that need to see spend data without edit access.

Step-by-Step Instructions: Adding an Agency as a Partner

The recommended method for granting agency access is through the Partner system in Business Manager:

Step 1: Access Meta Business Suite

Open your browser and navigate to business.facebook.com. Log in with the Facebook account that has Admin access to your Business Manager.

Step 2: Navigate to Business Settings

Click on the gear icon labelled Settings in the left navigation panel to access Business Settings.

Step 3: Go to Ad Accounts

In the left sidebar of Business Settings, under the Accounts section, click on Ad Accounts. You will see a list of Ad Accounts associated with your Business Manager.

Step 4: Select the Ad Account

Click on the Ad Account you want to share with your agency. The account details and current permissions will appear in the main panel.

Step 5: Assign Partners

Look for the Assign Partners button or option. This allows you to share the Ad Account with another business.

Click on Assign Partners.

Step 6: Enter the Agency's Business Manager ID

In the dialog that appears, enter your agency's Business Manager ID. This is a numerical ID (no letters) that your agency will provide.

Click Next to continue.

Step 7: Select Permission Level

You will be presented with options for the level of access to grant. Select the appropriate level based on your agreement with the agency:

• Manage Campaigns (Advertiser-level access)
• View Performance (Analyst-level access)
• Manage Ad Account (Admin-level access)

For most advertising agencies, Manage Campaigns is sufficient.

Step 8: Confirm and Save

Review your selections and click Save Changes or Confirm to complete the process.

The agency will now be able to access your Ad Account through their own Business Manager.

Step 9: Notify Your Agency

Contact your agency to inform them that partner access has been granted. They should be able to see your Ad Account within their Business Manager interface.

Alternative Method: Adding Individual Users

If you want to grant access to specific individuals rather than an agency's Business Manager:

Step 1: Go to Ad Account Settings

In Business Settings, navigate to Ad Accounts and select the account.

Step 2: Add People

Instead of Assign Partners, look for Add People or the People tab within the Ad Account settings.

Step 3: Enter Email Address

Enter the Facebook-associated email address of the person you want to add.

Step 4: Select Role

Choose the appropriate role (Admin, Advertiser, or Analyst).

Step 5: Confirm

Click Confirm to send the invitation. The person will receive a notification and must accept to gain access.

Granting Access to Associated Assets

Your agency may need access to additional assets beyond the Ad Account:

Pixels and Datasets

If your agency needs to manage your Meta Pixel or Conversions API:

1. In Business Settings, go to Data Sources > Pixels (or Datasets)
2. Select your Pixel
3. Click Assign Partners and enter the agency's Business Manager ID
4. Grant appropriate permissions (View Content, Manage Pixel, etc.)

Product Catalogues

For e-commerce advertising:

1. Navigate to Data Sources > Catalogues
2. Select your catalogue
3. Assign partner access with permissions for catalogue management

Pages and Instagram Accounts

If the agency is running ads for specific Pages or Instagram accounts, they may need access to those assets as well. Follow the processes outlined in the Facebook Page and Instagram access guides.

Managing Ad Account Access via Ads Manager

You can also manage some access settings directly in Ads Manager:

Step 1: Open Ads Manager

Navigate to adsmanager.facebook.com and log in.

Step 2: Access Settings

Click on your account name or the hamburger menu, then look for Ad Account Settings or Settings.

Step 3: Payment Settings and Roles

Within Settings, you can view and manage some access controls. However, for comprehensive partner management, Business Settings in Business Manager is recommended.

Common Issues and Troubleshooting

Issue: Cannot Find Assign Partners Option
You may not have Admin access to the Ad Account. Check your permissions by looking at the People section of the Ad Account settings.

Issue: Business Manager ID Not Recognised
Verify the ID is correct—it should be numerical only, typically 15-16 digits. Ask your agency to confirm their ID from Business Settings > Business Info.

Issue: Agency Cannot See the Ad Account
The agency may need to refresh their Business Manager or check the correct section (Ad Accounts under Accounts). Access can take a few minutes to propagate.

Issue: Error Message About Account Restrictions
If your Ad Account is restricted, disabled, or has policy violations, you may not be able to add partners until the issue is resolved.

Issue: Two-Factor Authentication Required
Meta requires two-factor authentication for managing business assets. Follow the prompts to set this up via SMS or an authenticator app.

Issue: Spending Concerns
If you are worried about agency spending, set spending limits on your Ad Account. In Ad Account Settings, look for Spending Limit and set a cap.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can my agency access my personal Facebook?
No. Business Manager access is entirely separate from your personal Facebook account. The agency cannot see your personal posts, friends, or messages.

Can the agency access my payment methods?
Only if you grant Finance Editor or Finance Analyst access. Advertiser access does not include billing information.

Can I set a spending limit?
Yes. You can set an account spending limit in Ad Account Settings. Once the limit is reached, ads stop running until you increase the limit or reset it.

Can multiple agencies manage my ads?
Yes. You can assign multiple partners to your Ad Account, each with their own permission levels.

What happens if I remove agency access?
Their access ends immediately. Any campaigns they created remain in your Ad Account—you do not lose ads or data.

Can the agency run ads from their own payment method?
Generally, no. Ads run through your Ad Account are charged to your payment methods. If the agency wants to use their own payment, they would typically use their own Ad Account and request access to your Page/Pixel instead.

Can I see what changes the agency makes?
Yes. Ad Accounts have activity logs that show changes made to campaigns, ads, and settings, along with who made them.

Is there an extra cost for adding users?
No. Adding users or partners to your Ad Account is free. You are only charged for the advertising spend itself.

Conclusion

Granting agency access to your Meta Ads account enables professional management of your Facebook and Instagram advertising while maintaining ownership and control. The Partner system provides clean separation between your business and the agency's business, making it easy to manage the relationship.

Remember to grant only the necessary access level—Advertiser for campaign management, Analyst for reporting only, and Admin only when specifically required. Consider setting spending limits for additional budget control.

If you are seeking expert Meta advertising management, Core Operative AI provides comprehensive social media advertising services. From strategy to execution and optimisation, we help businesses achieve measurable results from their Meta advertising investment.

Ready to elevate your Facebook and Instagram advertising? Contact Core Operative AI today to discuss how we can help you reach more customers and grow your business.

Last updated: February 2026