How to Add an Instagram Account to Facebook Ads Manager

Connecting your Instagram account to your Facebook Ads Manager is one of the most fundamental steps to running effective social media ads. This simple link unlocks the ability to run ads across Instagram’s valuable placements - like Stories and Reels - and helps you manage everything from a single, centralized dashboard. This guide will walk you through exactly how to connect your accounts, troubleshoot common issues, and get you ready to launch more powerful campaigns.

Why Connect Your Instagram to Facebook Ads Manager Anyway?

Before we get into the step-by-step, it's helpful to understand why this is so important. Is it really necessary? Absolutely. When you connect your Instagram account correctly within the Meta ecosystem, you gain several powerful advantages:

• Access to All Placements: You can run ads not just in the Instagram Feed, but also in Stories, Reels, Explore, and the Shop tab. Without a connected account, your options are limited, and you can't run ads that look and feel native to the platform.
• Use Your Instagram Handle: Your ads will appear to come directly from your actual Instagram account, not your Facebook Page name. This builds brand recognition and authenticity, encouraging follows and genuine engagement.
• Boost Existing Instagram Posts: You can select any of your high-performing organic Instagram posts and promote them as ads. This leverages the social proof you've already built (likes, comments, and shares) to boost ad performance.
• Better Community Management: You can reply to comments and messages on your Instagram ads directly from your Meta Business Suite inbox, keeping all your engagement in one streamlined place.
• Advanced Audience Targeting: Connecting your account allows you to create Custom Audiences based on people who have interacted with your Instagram profile - like those who have visited your profile, messaged you, or saved a post.

In short, it’s the difference between running generic ads on Instagram and running highly-integrated, native ad campaigns that actually work.

Before You Begin: A Quick Checklist

To make this process as smooth as possible, make sure you have the following three things in order first. Skipping these will cause frustrating dead-ends later on.

• An Instagram Professional Account: Your Instagram account must be set up as either a Business or a Creator account. You cannot connect a Personal account. If you need to switch, simply go to your Instagram profile > Settings and privacy > Account type and tools > Switch to professional account. It takes less than a minute.
• A Facebook Business Page: Your brand needs a dedicated Facebook page. Your Instagram account must be linked to this page.
• Admin Access: You need to have Admin access to the Facebook Page and the overarching Meta Business Suite or Business Manager that owns the page. If you're a manager or employee, confirm your permission level with the owner.

Method 1: The Easiest Way - Connecting Through Meta Business Suite

For most users, Meta Business Suite is the most straightforward and recommended way to add an Instagram account. This method ensures everything is properly organized under your business assets from the start.

Step 1: Navigate to Business Settings

Start by heading to the Meta Business Suite at business.facebook.com. Look for the gear icon labeled "Settings" in the bottom-left corner of your dashboard. Once you're in Settings, find the "Business assets" section. This is your central hub for all pages, ad accounts, and connected apps.

Step 2: Add Your Instagram Account as an Asset

In the Business assets area, click the blue "Add assets" button. A dropdown menu will appear. From this list, select "Instagram account."

Step 3: Claim the Instagram Account

Meta will present you with some terms and conditions. After you've accepted them, a button that says "Claim Instagram account" will appear. Click it. A new login window will pop up.

Here, you just need to enter the username and password for the Instagram account you wish to connect. If you have two-factor authentication (2FA) enabled on your Instagram account (which you should!), you'll be prompted to enter the security code.

Step 4: Assign People and Ad Accounts

Once you’ve successfully logged in, the account is now "claimed" by your Meta Business account. But you aren't quite done yet. The final and most often forgotten step is to assign assets and permissions.

• Assign People: You need to grant yourself (and any relevant team members) permission to manage the Instagram account within the Business Suite. Select your name from the list and toggle on the level of access you need, like "Content" or "Full control."
• Assign Ad Accounts: Now, connect the Instagram account to your advertising account. Click "Add assets" or "Connected assets" and select your ad account from the list. This is the step that officially allows Ads Manager to use this Instagram identity for campaigns.

And that’s it! Your Instagram account is now fully integrated and ready for use in Facebook Ads Manager.

Method 2: Connecting from Your Instagram App (Mobile-First)

If you primarily work from your phone, you can initiate this connection directly from the Instagram application. This is a quick and easy way to link your account to its corresponding Facebook Page.

1. Open the Instagram app and go to your profile.
2. Tap the "Edit Profile" button located right under your bio.
3. Under the "Public business information" section, find and tap on "Page."
4. Instagram will show you a list of Facebook Pages that your Facebook account manages. Select the correct Facebook Page you want to link. If you don't have one, it will give you the option to create a new one.
5. Confirm your choice, and the accounts will be linked.

Once this connection is made, Meta Business Suite automatically registers it. You should still log in to Business Suite to double-check that your Ad Account is properly assigned to the Instagram profile for permissions, as described in Step 4 of the first method.

Method 3: Linking a New Account During Ad Creation

Sometimes you’re already in the middle of creating an ad campaign when you realize you haven’t connected an Instagram account yet. Fortunately, you can do it right inside Ads Manager.

1. Navigate to your Facebook Ads Manager.
2. Create a new campaign or open an existing one. Go to the Ad level of your campaign structure.
3. In the "Ad setup" section, look for "Identity." Here, you’ll see your chosen Facebook Page. Below that is the Instagram identity.
4. By default, it may say "Use selected Page," which is not what you want. Click this dropdown and you should see an option to "Connect account."
5. Clicking this will prompt the same login pop-up window seen in Method 1. Enter your Instagram credentials, and it will be linked right on the spot.

This method works well in a pinch, but it's always best practice to manage your assets through the main Meta Business Suite to keep everything organized.

Troubleshooting Common Issues

Even with a straightforward process, you might hit a snag. Here are some of the most common issues and how to fix them.

Problem: It Says the Account Is Already Owned by Another Business

This is a common headache for agencies or consultants. It means another Meta Business account has already "claimed" your Instagram profile. You’ll need to have the administrator of that business account go into their Business Settings > Instagram accounts, select the account, and click "Remove." After it has been released, you can claim it in your own Business account.

Problem: The Login Pop-Up Doesn't Work or is Blank

This is usually a browser issue. Try these fixes:

• Clear your browser's cache and cookies.
• Disable any ad-blocking or popup-blocking browser extensions temporarily.
• Try completing the process in an incognito or private browsing window.

Problem: You're Not an Admin on the Meta Business Account

You need full "Admin" privileges to add or remove assets like an Instagram account. If you just have "Employee" access, you won't see the option. You can check your role under Business Settings > People. Ask a current admin to either upgrade your role or have them add the account for you.

Next Steps: Leveraging Your Connected Account

Now that your Instagram is connected, you can start running much smarter ads.

• Run an "Existing Post" Campaign: Got a Reel or post that went viral? In the Ad setup section of Ads Manager, choose "Use existing post." You can then select it directly from your Instagram grid, using its real engagement metrics as powerful social proof in your ad.
• Create Engaging Story & Reels Ads: Use vertical video and place your ads exclusively in Instagram Stories and Reels. By using your actual Instagram account, the call-to-action button will be "View Instagram Profile," an excellent way to grow your follower count with interested customers.
• Build Retargeting Audiences: Go to the "Audiences" section in Ads Manager. Click "Create Audience" > "Custom Audience." For your source, select "Instagram Account." From there, you can create audiences of people who visited your profile, sent you a message, or engaged with a post in the last year. This is a goldmine for retargeting campaigns.

Final Thoughts

Connecting your Instagram account to Facebook Ads Manager is a non-negotiable step for any serious advertiser. It turns Instagram from just another ad placement into a powerful, integrated part of your marketing funnel, unlocking native ad formats, advanced targeting, and seamless management across both platforms.

While Ads Manager is perfect for the paid side of social, getting your organic content right - the very substance of what you’ll be advertising - is a challenge in itself. At Postbase, we focused on building a modern tool that helps you plan, schedule, and analyze your organic marketing effortlessly. We’ve designed everything around the short-form video that works today, so you can build a strong and consistent presence on platforms like Instagram and TikTok, ensuring you always have high-performing content ready to be amplified through your ad campaigns.