Connect your Meta ad account to launch Facebook and Instagram campaigns and sync audiences from Metadata. Most connection problems come from Business Manager settings, so check those first.
Audience Only accounts: you need the ad account access and a Page from step 1, and all the terms in step 2. You don't need full control of the Page. Skip Leads access, Instagram and step 3.
Before you connect
1. Check your Meta Business Manager
Open Business settings in Meta Business Suite and make sure the correct business is selected at the top left. Then check the following for the person who will connect Metadata:
- Ad account (Accounts > Ad accounts): you're assigned to the ad account with full control (Admin) or Advertiser access. View-only access isn't enough. The checklist in Metadata asks for Admin, but Advertiser is enough to connect.
- Facebook Page (Accounts > Pages): the Page belongs to this Business Manager, or is shared with it, and the ad account can advertise for it. For Demand Hub, you also need full control of the Page.
- Payment method: the ad account has a valid payment method, and Business info is filled in under Billing & payments. Without Business info you can't target EU countries.
- Leads access (Demand Hub, Integrations > Leads access): you can download leads for the Page. Without it, Metadata can't collect your Lead Ad leads.
- Instagram (Demand Hub, optional): to run Instagram placements, add your Instagram business account under Accounts > Instagram accounts. Then open it, go to Connected assets and add your ad account. Personal Instagram accounts aren't supported.
2. Accept Meta's terms
Meta needs two sets of Custom Audience terms accepted for your ad account, and the Lead Ads terms accepted for the Page you connect. Metadata checks all three when you connect, for Audience Only accounts too. Log in to Facebook as the person connecting, then open each link and accept:
If a link doesn't show your ad account, see Facebook Terms of Service Error for how to open it for a specific ad account.
3. Set up tracking (Demand Hub)
Metadata creates a Pixel for you if the ad account doesn't have one. Verify your domain and create an Aggregated Lead Event. See How to: Verify Domain and create Lead Facebook Event.
Connect
- In Metadata, go to Settings > Integrations and click Connect on the Meta card.
- Review the Before Connecting to Meta Business Suite checklist and click Connect.
- Log in to Facebook in the pop-up and approve all the requested permissions. If you're logged in to more than one Facebook account, use a private or incognito window so the right one is used.
- Under Select Your Account, choose your Business Ad Account and Business Page Name. To run Instagram placements, also choose an Instagram Business Account. Click Submit.
The Meta card now shows Settings instead of Connect.
Instagram later: to add or change your Instagram Business Account after connecting, click Settings on the Meta card. On Account Settings, choose the Instagram Business Account and click Save.
How to reconnect
Click Settings on the Meta card, then Disconnect. Click Connect again and choose the same ad account and Page, so your campaigns and audiences stay linked.
On a trial account, disconnecting pauses your Meta campaigns and deletes the audiences Metadata created in Meta. Contact support@metadata.io before you disconnect.
Troubleshooting
Terms of service not accepted
You see "Custom Audience TOS must be accepted", "Web Custom Audience TOS must be accepted" or "Lead TOS must be accepted". Copy the link from the message into your browser while logged in to Facebook as the person connecting. Accept the terms, then click I am ready! Let's try again! If you're logged in to more than one Facebook account, use a private or incognito window.
No ad account in the list
You see "No Ad account found". The Facebook login you used isn't assigned to any ad account. In Business settings, assign yourself to the ad account (step 1), then connect again. Giving Metadata partner access doesn't count: the person connecting needs their own access.
Page isn't in the list
Metadata only lists Pages your ad account can advertise for. A Page is usually missing for one of two reasons:
- Permissions: the Page isn't in the ad account's Business Manager or shared with it, or you aren't assigned to the Page. Fix this in Business settings (step 1).
- The ad account has no campaigns: create a campaign in Meta Ads Manager (a draft is enough). The ad account also needs a payment method.
Then connect again.
Instagram account isn't in the list
The Instagram account isn't connected to your ad account. See Instagram account not showing in the dropdown field.
Connection stopped working
You see "We're having troubles connecting with Meta" or "The token used before is not valid anymore". Or Meta still shows as connected, but launches or audience updates fail with "Error validating access token". Meta stopped accepting the saved connection. This usually happens after the connecting person changes their Facebook password, removes the Metadata app, or loses access in Business Manager.
Log in at facebook.com first and complete any security check Meta shows. Then reconnect Meta (see How to reconnect above).
Permission errors on audiences or launches
You see "Permissions error" or "The current user can not update audience". The connected login doesn't have Admin or Advertiser access to the ad account. Fix the access in Business settings (step 1), or reconnect as someone who has it.
Audiences show Failed or stay on Updating
The connected login may have lost access to the ad account, or the connection expired. Fix the access or reconnect first. Then open the audience's ⋮ menu and click Upload to Facebook/Instagram. Reconnecting alone doesn't resend audiences that already failed.
"You can only have up to 500 audiences of this type"
Meta limits how many custom audiences one ad account can hold. Delete audiences you no longer use in Meta Ads Manager. Audience Only accounts can also delete them in Metadata. Archiving an audience in Metadata doesn't remove it from Meta.
Leads aren't coming in
The connecting person needs full control of the Page and Leads access (step 1). Fix the Page access in Business settings first, then reconnect. Reconnecting alone won't fix it.
Ad account has a billing issue or is disabled
You see "Meta ad account has a billing issue" or "Meta ad account is disabled". Your ads aren't delivering because of the ad account itself, not the connection. Check Billing and the account status in Meta Ads Manager.
Give Metadata's team access
To let Metadata Professional Services or Tech Support work in your Meta account, see Add Meta Permissions for Professional Services and Tech Support.
Still stuck? Email support@metadata.io.