Ad account restricted
What does it mean when Meta restricts your ad account?
A Meta advertising restriction means Meta has limited or removed your ability to advertise, usually after Advertising Standards violations, unusual activity or payment problems. Read the reason in Meta Business Support Home, complete any verification Meta asks for, and if you believe it’s wrong, request a review; nobody can guarantee the outcome.
Why ad accounts get restricted
- Persistently breaking the Advertising Standards. A run of rejected ads can lead Meta to restrict the advertiser, not just the ads.“Ad after ad rejected for the same health claim over a few weeks.”
- Ads Meta treats as deceptive or dangerous business harms. These can lead to a restriction without a long history of rejections.“An ad that promises one product while the landing page sells something else.”
- Unusual payment or account activity, including high rates of failed or disputed payments.“A card that keeps declining, or customers filing chargebacks against ad charges.”
- A business portfolio or asset that Meta suspects has been hacked or compromised.“An admin nobody recognizes, followed by a sudden jump in spend.”
- Links to an account Meta already disabled. Meta may restrict assets owned by the same person, or created to get around an earlier removal.“A new ad account opened by the same person after the old one was disabled.”
- Security or identity steps not completed. Users of a business portfolio older than 90 days may need two-factor authentication, or Meta may restrict access.“An admin without two-factor authentication on an older business portfolio.”
- A restricted personal profile. Ad accounts where that person is the only user may also be disabled.“The only admin’s Facebook profile is restricted, so the client’s ad account goes down with it.”
How to lower the risk next time
- Check copy, creative and landing page against the Advertising Standards before upload. Our free checker at /check estimates policy risk; it is not Meta’s decision.
- When an ad is rejected, fix the cause before you resubmit. Do not push near-identical versions of a rejected ad.
- Keep at least two trusted admins on every ad account, Page and business portfolio, so one restricted profile does not take the account down.
- Turn on two-factor authentication for every person in the business portfolio.
- Complete identity confirmation and verification as soon as Meta asks, and keep business details accurate.
- Use payment methods in the business’s own name, keep them funded, and fix failed payments quickly.
- Review admins, partners and users regularly. Remove anyone who no longer needs access, and secure any hacked account straight away.
Wording for your review request
Illustrative examples to show the difference. Always check the full ad, image and landing page too.
| Risky | Safer |
|---|---|
| This is a mistake. Unban my account now. | We believe this restriction may be in error. Our recent changes are listed below. |
| We did nothing wrong and spend thousands with you. | Our last rejections were for health claims. We removed those ads and rewrote the copy. |
| Restore it or we move our budget elsewhere. | We removed an admin we did not recognize and turned on two-factor for all users. |
| Every brand in our niche runs ads like this. | Our landing page now matches the ad: same product, same price, same claims. |
| Fix this ASAP, our client is furious. | This account runs ads for one skincare brand. We rechecked every active ad against the Advertising Standards. |
What to do now
- Stop and read the reason. Go to Meta Business Support Home, select Account status overview, select the restricted account, and read the What you can do section. Do not move the ads to another account, Page or business portfolio; Meta’s rules treat that as evading enforcement.
- Complete any steps Meta lists there: confirm your identity, complete verification, or secure your account with two-factor authentication. Some restrictions are lifted once these are done.
- If the restriction is for a policy violation and you believe it is wrong, fix what you can first (rejected ads, landing pages, payment issues). Then an admin selects Request review and completes the on-screen steps with a calm, specific account of what changed.
- Wait for the decision. Meta says reviews typically take 48 hours but can take longer, and the number of reviews is limited. If the account is reinstated, ads do not restart on their own; turn them back on in Ads Manager.
- Keep records: screenshots of the notice, dates, what you changed, and when you requested review. You will need them if your client asks or the same issue comes up again.
Check your next ad before you upload it
Paste the copy and add the image or video. The free checker scores the rejection risk, points to the exact words at fault and the Meta policy behind each one, and suggests a safer version. It estimates risk; it isn't a decision from Meta.
Likely to be rejected. Fix the flagged lines before you upload.
This supplement ad combines a personal-attribute callout, a specific weight-loss result, guaranteed results, clickbait and a URL shortener, so it is very likely to be rejected.
Are you struggling with belly fat? Our gummies helped Maria lose 12 kg in 3 weeks!!! See the before and after pics. Doctors hate this one trick.
GUARANTEED RESULTS
https://bit.ly/slim-offer
6 issues found · tap a highlight to jump to it
“Are you struggling with belly fat?” · primary text
The ad asserts a personal characteristic about the viewer by addressing them directly about a body condition.
Fix: Our gummies are designed to support a healthy metabolism.
“helped Maria lose 12 kg in 3 weeks!!!” · primary text
A specific weight-loss amount within a short timeframe is an exaggerated, unrealistic result, and supplement ads must target 18+.
Fix: Remove the specific result; use a general statement such as 'Part of a balanced routine for healthy weight management.'
“GUARANTEED RESULTS” · headline
Guaranteed results are a prohibited claim for health and weight-loss products.
Fix: Use 'Start your wellness routine today' or remove the claim entirely.
“Doctors hate this one trick.” · primary text
This is classic clickbait, and the triple exclamation marks add to the sensational tone.
Fix: Replace with 'Learn how our gummies fit into a healthy routine.'
“See the before and after pics.” · primary text
Before-and-after comparisons for weight loss are high risk and draw rejection.
Fix: Remove the before-and-after reference and focus on the product's ingredients.
“https://bit.ly/slim-offer” · landing page
URL shorteners hide the true destination and are high risk, and can lead to account-level enforcement.
Fix: Use the full, direct landing page URL on the brand's own domain.
Safer version
Are you struggling with belly fat? Our gummies helped Maria lose 12 kg in 3 weeks!!! See the before and after pics. Doctors hate this one trick.
GUARANTEED RESULTS
Meet our gummies, designed to support a healthy metabolism. Easy to add to your day and made to fit into a balanced routine for healthy weight management. Learn how they fit into a healthy routine.
Start your wellness routine today
Also change: Link: replace the bit.ly shortener with the full, direct URL on your own brand domain, and make sure the landing page has no before-and-after photos, guaranteed-result claims or specific weight-loss numbers. Creative: remove any before-and-after images and any overlay text about kilos lost. Show the product or lifestyle shots instead, with overlay text like "Support your healthy routine". Set ad targeting to 18+.
Questions
Can I get my restricted Meta ad account back?
Sometimes, but nobody can guarantee it. If Meta offers Request review, an admin can submit one and Meta decides whether the restriction should stay; once that review is done, the decision is final. Be wary of anyone selling a “guaranteed unban”.
How long does a Meta restriction review take?
Meta says a review is typically completed in 48 hours, though some take longer. If the account is reinstated, you need to turn your ads back on in Ads Manager yourself.
Can I just open a new ad account or Business portfolio?
Not as a way around a restriction. Meta’s Account Integrity rules say it may restrict or disable accounts and business assets owned by the same person as a disabled account, or created to evade an earlier removal. Buying or renting “aged” accounts or admin access also breaks Meta’s rules, and assets closely linked to violating accounts can be restricted too.
How many times can I request a review?
Meta says there is a limited number of times you can request an advertising restriction review. Fix the cause and gather your evidence before you submit, so the review you use counts.
Does a restriction affect Instagram and other people in the business?
It can. Restrictions can apply to a business portfolio, ad account, Page or personal profile, and they limit advertising across Meta platforms, including Instagram. If one person’s profile is restricted, ad accounts where they are the only user may be disabled, but other members may still be able to advertise.
What happens if my ad account stays disabled?
Meta says that if an ad account disabled for a policy violation stays ineligible for reinstatement for 6 months, it can no longer be reinstated and unused prepaid funds may be forfeited where the law allows. Meta can also disable an account permanently before then in some cases.
Meta's official pages
- About advertising restrictions (Meta Business Help Center)
- Troubleshoot your disabled or restricted account (Meta Business Help Center)
- Request a review for a restricted advertising account (Meta Business Help Center)
- Account Integrity (Meta Transparency Center)
- Introduction to the Advertising Standards (Meta Transparency Center)
Ad Account Shield is an independent tool. It is not affiliated with, endorsed by or sponsored by Meta.
Related rejection reasons
- Circumventing SystemsThe ad or its link looks built to hide the real content from Meta’s review.
- Relevance and Spam (deceptive links)Broken pages, ad-to-page mismatches, redirects, pop-ups and risky page content: why Meta rejects the ad and how to fix the page.
- Prohibited Commercial PracticesPricing, endorsements or promises in the ad could mislead people for money.