Who This Is For / When to Use
This guide is for users who need to reactivate a Facebook Ad Account that was previously closed and is no longer able to run ads.
Use this article when:
An ad account shows as Closed
Ads cannot be launched due to the account status
You need to restore advertising access in Business Manager
Requirements to Activate a Facebook Ad Account
A Facebook Ad Account can only be activated if all of the following conditions are met:
The ad account belongs to a Business Manager
The user has Full Control (Business Admin) permissions
The ad account status is Closed, not Disabled
Any outstanding balance (if applicable) is paid
Only closed ad accounts can be reactivated. Disabled ad accounts follow a different process.
Closed vs. Disabled Ad Accounts
Closed Ad Accounts
Closed ad accounts can be reactivated by a Business Admin directly from Business Manager.
Disabled Ad Accounts
Disabled ad accounts cannot be reactivated manually.
If the ad account is disabled:
Pay any outstanding balance if required
Submit an appeal through Meta’s account review process
Approval is required before ads can run again
If there is no balance due, activation is not possible without a successful appeal.
How to Activate a Closed Facebook Ad Account
Step 1: Open Meta Business Manager
Go to business.facebook.com
Select the correct Business Manager
Step 2: Open Business Settings
Click Business Settings in the left-hand sidebar
Step 3: Navigate to Ad Accounts
Click Accounts
Select Ad Accounts
Open the Filter by… dropdown
Select Owned
Toggle Hide closed ad accounts OFF
This allows closed ad accounts to appear in the list.
Step 4: Select the Closed Ad Account
Click the ad account you want to reactivate
Note:
If the ad account was recently closed, it may still be processing.
In this case, click Cancel deactivation instead of Activate.
Step 5: Activate the Ad Account
Click Activate
Click Activate again to confirm
Click Done
The ad account should now be active.
What Happens After Activation
Once activated:
The ad account status updates to Active
Ads can be created and launched
Billing resumes based on existing payment settings
No campaign edits are required to restore delivery.
Common Issues and Fixes
I don’t see the Activate option
This usually means:
You do not have Full Control permissions
The ad account is Disabled, not Closed
Ask a Business Admin to check permissions or confirm account status.
The ad account won’t activate
Check for:
Outstanding balances
Business Manager restrictions
Pending deactivation status
Resolve billing issues first, then retry activation.
I accidentally closed the ad account
If the account was closed recently, click Cancel deactivation instead of Activate to immediately restore access.