How to Get Access to Client's Facebook Ad Account

Gaining access to a client’s Facebook Ad Account is the first crucial step in any successful advertising partnership. Instead of fumbling through the process with back-and-forth emails, you can handle it professionally and securely in just a few clicks. This guide will walk you through the industry-standard methods for getting access using Meta Business Manager, so you can stop wrestling with permissions and start running campaigns.

Why You Absolutely Must Use Meta Business Manager

Before we jump into the "how," let’s cover the "why." You might be tempted to just have your client add your personal Facebook profile to their ad account. Resist this temptation at all costs. Using Meta Business Manager (formerly Facebook Business Manager) is non-negotiable for agencies, freelancers, and anyone running ads professionally. Here’s why:

• Security and Privacy: Connecting via Business Manager means you don’t need to be personal "friends" on Facebook. This keeps your personal profile completely separate from your client work. The client retains full ownership of their assets (Ad Account, Page, Pixel), and they can revoke your access at any time without drama.
• Professionalism and Organization: Business Manager is the central hub for all your client assets. It keeps every client’s Ad Account, Facebook Page, Instagram account, and Pixel neatly organized and separate. This prevents mistakes like accidentally running an ad for Client A on Client B’s account.
• Clear Permissions and Control: It allows for granular control. Your client can grant specific roles to you and your team members — from simple campaign management to full admin access. If a team member leaves your agency, you can remove their access to all client accounts in one click.

In short, using individual personal accounts is messy and insecure. Business Manager is the clean, professional, and secure standard for managing client Facebook ad accounts.

Before You Start: What You’ll Need

The entire process revolves around a simple piece of information: your Business Manager ID. Both methods require either you knowing yours or the client knowing theirs. It’s always a good idea to know where to find yours ahead of time.

Here’s how to quickly locate your Business Manager ID:

1. Log into Meta Business Suite.
2. Click the Settings gear icon on the bottom left menu.
3. Next, click Business Settings.
4. In the new view, scroll down the left-hand menu and click on Business Info.
5. At the top of the Business Info page, you will see your Business Manager name with its unique ID number directly below it.

Keep this ID handy. You’ll either be sending a request from it or giving it to your client so they can assign access to you.

Method 1: Requesting Access from Your Business Manager (Recommended)

This is the best and most common workflow. As the agency or freelancer, you proactively request access to the specific assets you need. This makes it incredibly simple for the client, who only needs to click an "Approve" button.

For this method, you will need your client’s Ad Account ID. Ask your client to find this by navigating to their Ad Accounts section within their Business Settings. The ID is a long string of numbers usually found under the account name.

Once you have their Ad Account ID, follow these steps:

Step 1: Navigate to Business Settings

Log in to your own Meta Business Manager and go to Business Settings.

Step 2: Go to the 'Ad Accounts' Section

On the left-hand menu, under the Accounts dropdown, click on Ad Accounts. You'll see a list of Ad Accounts you already own or have access to.

Step 3: Click 'Add' and 'Request access to an ad account'

Click the blue Add dropdown button. You’ll see three options:

• Add an Ad Account: This is for claiming ownership of an ad account for your own business. Do not select this for a client's account.
• Request access to an Ad Account: This is the correct option. It lets you work on an account owned by another business.
• Create a new ad account: This is for creating a brand-new account within your Business Manager.

Select the second option: Request access to an Ad Account.

Step 4: Enter the Client’s Ad Account ID

A window will pop up asking you to enter the ad account ID. Paste the ID your client provided you and make sure there are no extra spaces.

Step 5: Select Your Desired Permission Level

This is a critical step. You'll be asked to choose which permissions you need. The options often seem confusing, but they boil down to a few key roles:

• View performance: A read-only role. You can look at campaigns and reports, but you can't edit or create anything. This is insufficient for managing campaigns.
• Manage campaigns: This allows you to create and edit ads, set budgets, and manage targeting. However, you often won't have access to payment details or permissions management.
• Manage ad account (Full control / Admin Access): This is almost always what you need. It gives you the ability to do everything, including creating campaigns, adding payment methods, managing the Pixel, and assigning account access to your internal team members.

For a seamless partnership, it's best to request Full Control (Admin access). Explain to your client that this allows you to manage all aspects of their campaigns efficiently without bothering them for additional permissions later.

Step 6: Confirm and Wait for Approval

After selecting your role, click Confirm. This sends an access request to the administrators of your client's Business Manager. All they need to do is accept. You can even send them a quick email with the next set of instructions to make it effortless for them.

What Your Client Sees

To make life easier, here’s a note you can send your client once you've submitted the request:

"Hi [Client Name], I've just requested access to your Facebook Ad Account so we can begin campaign management. To approve the request, please follow these steps:

That's it! Let me know if you run into any issues."

Method 2: Being Added Manually by Your Client

Sometimes, a client prefers to initiate the process themselves, or they just get confused about finding their Ad Account ID. In this scenario, they can grant you access directly by using your Business Manager ID.

This is where that Business Manager ID you found earlier comes into play. Send it to your client along with these instructions:

Instructions for Your Client:

Step 1: Go to Business Settings and Select the Ad Account

Tell your client to log in to their Business Manager, go to Business Settings, and click on Ad Accounts under the Accounts section.

Step 2: Click on the Correct Ad Account

They should click on the specific ad account they want to grant you access to from their list.

Step 3: Click 'Assign Partners'

With the ad account selected, they will see options on the right side of the page. They need to click the Assign Partners button.

Step 4: Get access to the ad account using your partner's business ID

A box will appear saying "Share this ad account with a partner". They should select the option to share using a Business ID.

Step 5: Enter Your Business ID

Instruct them to paste your Business ID into the provided field and click Next.

Step 6: Assign You the Proper Role

This is the same permissions screen from Method 1. Once again, you should advise them to grant you Full control (Manage ad account), explaining that it allows you to do your job effectively without future roadblocks. After they toggle on that permission, they should click Assign.

Once they complete these steps, you’ll receive a notification, and their ad account will appear in your Business Manager under Ad Accounts.

Common Problems and How to Fix Them

Even with a clear process, a few things can go wrong. Here are the most common issues and how to troubleshoot them.

"My client’s ad account isn't in a Business Manager."

This is common for businesses that have only ever used the 'Boost Post' button or managed ads from a personal profile. A personal ad account cannot grant partner access. They must first create a Meta Business Manager account and claim their ad account within it. This is a fundamental step for any business running ads online and a good opportunity for you to guide them toward better practices.

"The request didn’t come through or was denied."

The most likely reason for this is that the person you're communicating with isn't a full admin of their Business Manager, so they can't approve partner requests. Ask your client to check their permission level under Business Settings → People. Another administrator might need to approve it instead. Or, they might have clicked 'Decline' by mistake and will need you to resend the request.

"What permission level should I ask for again?"

Just to reiterate: always ask for Full Control / Admin Access upfront. Getting less access often leads to friction down the road. For example, without it, you may be unable to:

• Add a payment method if a client's card expires.
• Install or troubleshoot the Meta Pixel for conversion tracking.
• Add your colleagues to the account to help with the workload.
• Access creative tools like the Catalogue.

Having to go back and ask for more permissions wastes time and can make you look unprepared. It's better to secure a high level of trust and full access from the start.

Final Thoughts

Getting access to a client’s Facebook Ad Account shouldn't be a headache. By using Meta Business Manager and following one of these two straightforward methods, you can establish a secure, professional, and efficient workflow from day one. This protects both you and your client while setting the stage for a great working relationship.

Once you’re in and running campaigns, the focus shifts to tracking performance and demonstrating value. Instead of getting stuck in weekly reporting hell — manually exporting CSVs from Ads Manager and stitching them together in spreadsheets — we created a much simpler way. With Graphed, you connect your client's Facebook Ads account, along with anything else in their tech stack such as Google Analytics and Shopify accounts. They describe in plain English the dashboard they need, like, "Show me a dashboard of my Facebook campaign ROAS," and our natural language interface builds that dashboard instantly in real time without your lifting a finger, providing immediate answers to your questions — no learning curve necessary.