How to Delete an Ad on Facebook

Need to remove a Facebook ad that isn't performing or is simply outdated? You're in the right place. Taking down an ad is a common task for any marketer, and this guide provides clear, step-by-step instructions for deactivating or permanently deleting your ads, ad sets, and campaigns. We’ll also cover what happens to your data and billing when you hit delete, so you can clean up your Ads Manager with confidence.

Should You Deactivate or Delete Your Facebook Ad?

Before you remove an ad, it's important to understand the difference between turning an ad off (deactivating) and deleting it, because one is reversible and the other is permanent. Making the right choice now can save you a headache later.

Turning an Ad Off (Deactivating)

Think of deactivating as flipping a light switch. The ad stops running and spending money, but everything about it - the creative, the copy, and most importantly, the performance data - remains safely in your Ads Manager. You can turn a deactivated ad back on at any time. This is the best option in 90% of situations.

When to turn an ad off:

• 📍 The ad is underperforming, and you want to pause it while you analyze the data.
• 📍 Your budget needs to be temporarily reallocated to a different campaign.
• 📍 You want to stop ads for a weekend, a holiday, or a short-term period.
• 📍 You’re not sure if you'll want to reuse the ad or its data in the future.

Permanently Deleting an Ad

Deleting an ad is like shredding a document. It's gone for good and cannot be recovered. When you delete a campaign, an ad set, or an ad, it's permanently removed from your main Ads Manager view. You won’t be able to edit it, restart it, or review its setup later.

When to delete an ad:

• 🔥 You made a significant error in the ad, like a major typo, the wrong pricing, or linking to a broken page.
• 🔥 The campaign was a test that you absolutely know you won’t need again.
• 🔥 You're cleaning up your account and want to permanently remove draft campaigns that never went live.
• 🔥 The ad promoted a one-time event or an offer that is completely expired and irrelevant now.

Our advice? When in doubt, always choose to turn the ad off. Deletion is final. You can always delete a paused ad later, but you can never bring a deleted ad back.

How to Turn Off (Deactivate) a Facebook Ad: The Reversible Option

Pausing an ad, ad set, or campaign is simple and takes just a few clicks. Following these steps will immediately stop your ad from being shown to users and will stop any further spending on it.

Step-by-Step Guide to Deactivating:

1. Go to Meta Ads Manager: Navigate to your Ads Manager dashboard. You can access it directly at facebook.com/ads/manager.
2. Select the Correct Level: At the top of your dashboard, you will see tabs for Campaigns, Ad Sets, and Ads. Click on the tab that corresponds to what you want to turn off.
   • If you want to stop an entire campaign, stay on the "Campaigns" tab.
   • To stop a specific audience or budget group, click on the "Ad Sets" tab.
   • To stop just one individual ad, click the "Ads" tab.
3. Find the Item and the Toggle: Scroll through the list to find the campaign, ad set, or ad you wish to pause. To the left of its name, you will see a blue toggle switch. If the toggle is blue, it means the item is active.
4. Click the Toggle to Turn it Off: Click the blue toggle. It will turn gray, and a status message like “Updating…” will flash on the screen. Once it’s done, the status will show as "Off."

That’s it! Your ad is now inactive. You can turn it back on at any time by simply clicking the gray toggle again to make it blue.

How to Permanently Delete a Facebook Ad: A Step-by-Step Guide

If you're certain that deletion is the right move, the process is just as straightforward. Remember, this action is irreversible. The steps are almost identical whether you're deleting an ad, ad set, or campaign - you just need to start from the correct tab.

Deleting a Single Ad:

1. Start in the "Ads" Tab: Go to your Meta Ads Manager and click on the "Ads" tab to see your list of individual ads.
2. Select the Ad(s) to Delete: Find the ad you want to remove and tick the checkbox to the left of its name. You can select multiple ads at once if you're cleaning up in bulk.
3. Find the Delete Icon: Once you select an ad, a navigation bar will appear above the list. On this bar, you’ll see several options, including a small trash can icon labeled "Delete."
4. Confirm Your Decision: Click the trash can icon. A pop-up window will appear asking you to confirm that you want to permanently delete the selected ad(s). Click the blue "Delete" button to finalize the action.

Deleting an Ad Set:

Warning: Deleting an ad set also deletes all of the ads contained within it.

1. Start in the "Ad Sets" Tab: In Ads Manager, navigate to the "Ad Sets" tab.
2. Select the Ad Set(s): Find the ad set you wish to remove and check the box next to its name.
3. Click the Delete Icon: With the ad set selected, find and click the trash can icon in the menu bar that appears.
4. Confirm to Delete: A confirmation pop-up will remind you that this action is permanent. Click "Delete" to complete the process.

Deleting an Entire Campaign:

Warning: This is the most sweeping action. Deleting a campaign will permanently delete the campaign itself, all of its ad sets, and every single ad within those ad sets.

1. Start in the "Campaigns" Tab: Go to Ads Manager and make sure you're on the main "Campaigns" tab.
2. Select the Campaign(s): Check the box to the left of the campaign you want to eliminate.
3. Click the Delete Icon: Click the same trash can icon in the top navigation bar.
4. Confirm final Deletion: The pop-up will ask you one last time to confirm. Click "Delete," and your campaign will be permanently removed.

What Happens When You Delete a Facebook Ad?

Many advertisers worry about losing their data or getting unexpected bills after deleting an ad. Here’s a quick breakdown of what actually happens behind the scenes.

• It’s Truly Permanent: You cannot restore a deleted campaign, ad set, or ad. There is no "undo" button or a recycle bin.
• Billing Continues Until Deletion: You are still responsible for paying for any impressions, clicks, or other results that your ad generated before you deleted it. Deleting an ad doesn't remove your outstanding balance.
• Your Performance Data Is Safe (But Hidden): This is a key detail many people miss. While deleted items disappear from your default Ads Manager view, the reporting data is not lost. You can still access it by filtering your view.
  How to view data from deleted ads:
  • In Ads Manager, look for the "Filters" dropdown menu above your campaign list.
  • Click on it, then find "Delivery."
  • In the Delivery submenu, check the box for "Deleted." (By default, your view is filtered to show all items except those that have been deleted.)
  This will update your dashboard to show the performance metrics of all your items, including the ones you removed.
• Effect on Social Proof (Likes, Comments, Shares): This depends on how the ad was created.
  • If you boosted an existing post from your Facebook Page, that original post remains on your Page. All the engagement it earned - both organically and through the ad - will stay on the post.
  • If you created a new ad from scratch within Ads Manager (sometimes called a "dark post"), then the ad only existed as an ad. When you delete it, all the likes, comments, and shares it accumulated are deleted with it.

Common Questions and Best Practices

Let's address a few common situations to help you manage your ads more effectively.

When should I just edit an ad instead?

Editing is your best bet for fixing minor mistakes. If you spot a typo in your headline, need to update a URL, or want to make a small adjustment to your ad text, you can click the "Edit" button below the ad name to make changes. However, be aware that significant edits - like changing images, videos, or detailed targeting options - can trigger Meta's algorithm to restart the "learning phase." If your ad is performing well, it's often better to duplicate the ad set and make your changes in the new version to avoid disrupting momentum.

My ad was rejected. Should I delete it?

Not right away. Your first move should be to understand why it was rejected. Check your email notifications from Meta and visit the Account Quality section of your business settings for details. If the violation is simple (e.g., too much text on an image), you can edit the ad to fix it and resubmit it for another review. If the rejection is due to a more serious policy violation, and editing won’t solve the core issue, it's best to delete that ad and start fresh with a new one that complies with Facebook’s policies. Repeatedly trying to run non-compliant ads can put your entire ad account at risk.

Can I recover a deleted Facebook ad?

No, you cannot. Once an ad, ad set, or campaign is deleted, it is gone permanently. This finality is precisely why we recommend deactivating items instead of deleting them unless you are 100% positive you will never need them again.

Final Thoughts

Cleaning up your Facebook Ads Manager is a great way to stay organized, but it's important to know the difference between your options. Deleting ads is a simple yet permanent action. For everyday campaign management, turning your ads off with the toggle switch offers far more flexibility and is almost always the safer bet.

Managing ad campaigns is just one important piece of building your brand on social media. We created Postbase because we believe the tools you use for your organic social should make things simpler, not more complicated. When you need to get a clear, organized view of your entire organic content plan - from reliably scheduling your Reels and TikToks to mapping out your strategy on one beautiful visual calendar - we’re here to help you get your time back without all the frustration.