How to Transfer Full Control of a Facebook Page

Transferring ownership of a Facebook Page can feel like a high-stakes operation, but it’s a straightforward process once you know the steps. Whether you’re selling your business, onboarding a new social media manager, or handing a client’s account back to them, moving full control from one person to another has to be done correctly. This guide will walk you through exactly how to transfer full control for both the classic Page experience and the newer layout, making the handover simple and secure.

Why Understanding Facebook Page Roles is So Important

Before you hand over the keys, you need to know which set of keys you’re holding. Facebook has updated its Page management system over the years, leading to two different structures you might encounter: the "New Pages Experience" and the legacy "Classic Pages." A successful transfer depends on knowing which one you're using.

The New Pages Experience: "Full Control" is the New Admin

Most pages have been migrated to the New Pages Experience. In this version, the highest level of access is called “Full Control.” It’s more comprehensive than the old “Admin” role and essentially means ownership.

Someone with Full Control can do everything, including:

• Manage all Page settings and information.
• Create, manage, and delete content, posts, Stories, and more.
• Send messages, respond to comments, and manage community activity.
• Run ads and view Page Insights.
• Most importantly: Add or remove other people with Full Control (including the person who originally added them).

When you give someone Full Control, you are giving them the power to remove you entirely. This is why it’s a step that should be reserved for a true ownership transfer.

Classic Pages: The "Admin" Role

If your Page interface still looks the way it has for years and you see options like "Page Roles" directly in your main settings, you’re likely on a Classic Page. For these Pages, the top-tier role is “Admin.”

An Admin on a Classic Page has similar permissions to someone with Full Control on the new experience. An Admin can manage Page roles, meaning they can add other Admins, Editors, or Moderators, and they can also remove any other user from the Page - including other Admins.

The core principle is identical: the Admin role is the key to complete control and should be assigned with caution.

Before You Begin: A Quick Checklist

To avoid frustrating roadblocks, make sure you have these things squared away before you initiate the transfer. A little prep work makes the entire process incredibly smooth.

• Confirm the New Owner has a Facebook Account: This seems obvious, but the person you’re adding must have an active, personal Facebook profile. They can’t accept an invitation without one.
• The New Owner Should Like the Page: While not always required, having the future owner "Like" or "Follow" the Page often makes it easier for Facebook to find them when you search for their name.
• The Future Owner Should Be Your Friend (Recommended): Connecting as "Friends" on Facebook with the person you’re adding is the oldest trick in the book for troubleshooting. It helps Facebook's system confirm that you know the person and makes them much easier to find and assign roles to.
• Have Your Password Ready: Facebook will ask you to re-enter your personal profile password to confirm any changes to permissions, especially when granting Full Control.
• Patience for the 7-Day Waiting Period (Classic Pages): For Classic Pages, if you are a brand new Admin on the page, Facebook may require you to wait for 7 days before you can change another person's role or add a new Admin. This is a security feature to prevent unauthorized takeovers.

How to Transfer Full Control (New Pages Experience): Step-by-Step

If your Page is using the modern layout, follow these steps to grant someone else Full Control. Remember, you'll be giving them the power to manage every aspect of the Page, including removing you.

1. Switch to Your Page’s Profile
   Click your profile picture in the top-right corner of Facebook and select the Page you want to manage. You are now acting and navigating Facebook as your Page.
2. Access Your Professional Dashboard
   From your Page’s home feed, click the “Manage” button near the top. This will take you to the Professional Dashboard. Alternatively, you can click on your Page's profile picture again in the top-right and select "Settings & Privacy" > "Settings".
3. Navigate to "Page Access"
   On the left-hand menu of your Professional Dashboard, scroll down and find the “Page Access” option under the "Your tools" section. Click on it.
4. Add the New Person
   You’ll see a list of people who currently have access. At the top of the "People with Facebook access" section, click the “Add New” button. A pop-up will appear explaining what Facebook access means. Click "Next."
5. Search and Select the Person
   In the search bar, type the name or email address associated with the Facebook profile of the person you want to add. It’s best to use the email address they use for Facebook if their name is common. Select their profile from the results.
6. Grant Full Control
   You will now see a screen titled "Give [Person's Name] access to your page". The key is the toggle at the bottom that says "Allow this person to also have full control.” Turn this toggle on. A new prompt will appear explaining that this includes the ability to remove anyone from the page, including you. Read it carefully.
7. Confirm with Your Password
   Click the “Give Access” button. Facebook will ask you to enter your personal profile password to confirm the change. Enter it and click “Confirm.”

And you're done! An invitation has now been sent to that person. They have 30 days to accept it. Until they do, the invitation will show as "Pending" under the Page Access settings. Once they accept, they will have full authority over the Page.

How to Make Someone an Admin (Classic Pages): Step-by-Step

If you're still using the Classic Page layout, the process happens in a different menu but achieves the same result.

1. Go to Your Page Settings
   Navigate to your Facebook Page. On the left-hand menu, scroll to the bottom and click on “Settings.”
2. Select "Page Roles"
   In the Page Settings menu, click on “Page Roles.” This is where you manage everyone who has access to your Page.
3. Assign a New Page Role
   Look for the section titled "Assign a New Page Role." Start typing the name or email address of the person you want to add into the box. Select them from the list that appears.
4. Choose the "Admin" Role
   To the right of the name box, there is a dropdown menu (it usually defaults to "Editor"). Click it and select “Admin.”
5. Click "Add" and Confirm
   Click the blue “Add” button. You’ll be prompted to re-enter your Facebook password to confirm this significant change. Once you do, the invitation is sent.

Similar to the New Pages Experience, the invitation will be pending until the recipient accepts it within 30 days. They will receive a notification on Facebook to do so.

The Final Handover: Removing Your Own Access

Transferring full control doesn't automatically remove you. If this is a complete sale or offboarding, your final step is to remove yourself from the Page after the new owner has accepted their invitation. Do not do this until you have confirmed they have access! Otherwise, the page could be left without an owner and become impossible to manage.

Removing Yourself (New Pages Experience):

1. Go to your Page, then navigate back to "Settings" > "Page Access."
2. Find your own name in the list of people with Facebook access.
3. Click the three-dot icon to the right of your name.
4. Select “Remove from Page.” You’ll be prompted to enter your password one last time.

Removing Yourself (Classic Pages):

1. Go to your Page, then navigate back to "Settings" > "Page Roles."
2. Scroll down to the "Existing Page Roles" section.
3. Find your name in the list of Admins and click the “Edit” button next to it.
4. At the bottom left of your user box, click the “Remove” link. Confirm the removal.

Troubleshooting Common Problems

Sometimes, things don't go as planned. Here are fixes for the most common hiccups when transferring Page control.

• I can't find the person I want to add.
  This is the most frequent issue. First, try searching by the email address associated with their Facebook account. If that fails, send them a Friend request from the personal profile you are using to manage the Page. Once they accept, try adding them by name again. Being Friends almost always solves this.
• The invitation wasn't received.
  Ask the person to check their notifications on Facebook. Page role invitations are easy to miss. If they still can't find it, go back to the "Page Access" or "Page Roles" section, find their pending invitation, and you should see an option to cancel and resend it.
• My page is connected to Business Manager / Business Suite.
  If your Page is an asset within a Meta Business Account (formerly Business Manager), ownership is managed there. To transfer true ownership, you need to add the person as an Admin within the Business Account settings, not just the Page settings. This involves adding people to your "Business Assets" and can be a more complex process intended for agencies and larger organizations. You'll need to use business.facebook.com to handle this type of transfer.
• I accidentally gave "Task Access" instead of "Full Control."
  No problem. In the New Pages Experience, you can easily change someone's access level. Go to the "Page Access" screen, click the three-dot icon by their name, select "Change Access Level," and then grant them Full Control. It will require you to enter your password again.

Final Thoughts

Making a clean transfer of a Facebook Page comes down to understanding the difference between the modern “Full Control” and legacy “Admin” roles. By following these steps carefully and preparing with the checklist, you can hand over the keys to your Page securely and confidently, avoiding lockouts or miscommunications.

Once the right people are in place, the challenge shifts to keeping everything organized, especially when multiple team members or clients are involved. This is where we built Postbase to streamline social media management. Instead of adding every team member as a full Admin on Facebook, we allow you to invite your team into a single dashboard to manage content. They can schedule posts, plan campaigns on a visual calendar, and handle comments and DMs from one inbox - without you having to give up ownership of the social profile itself. It makes collaboration much simpler and more secure.