Getting your ad account ID is an important first step to setting up and managing your Facebook ads. Your ad account ID allows you to access your ad accounts programmatically using Facebook’s APIs and connect your ad accounts to third party tools. Here’s what you need to know about finding your Facebook ad account ID.
What is a Facebook Ad Account ID?
A Facebook ad account ID is a unique identifier that is assigned to each ad account you create in Facebook’s Ads Manager. It’s a string of numbers that looks something like this: 123456789.
You can have multiple ad accounts associated with a Facebook business page or personal profile. Each separate ad account will have its own unique ID. This allows you to organize your ad campaigns into different ad accounts based on factors like objectives, targeting, budgets, etc.
Here are some key things to know about Facebook ad account IDs:
- They consist of only numbers, no letters or special characters.
- Each ad account has one ID that does not change.
- There is no limit to the number of ad accounts you can create.
- You need the ID to access the account via the API or third-party tools.
- The ID is unique to you and cannot be guessed.
In summary, the ad account ID is your account’s identifier that allows you to manage it programmatically. Every account you create will be assigned a new one.
Why You Need the Ad Account ID
Here are some of the key reasons you’ll want to get your ad account ID:
- Use Facebook APIs – The Marketing API and Ads API require the ad account ID to make API calls related to that account.
- Connect to tools – Many third party tools like landing page builders, analytics, and optimization software connect via the ad account ID.
- Automate processes – Tools that automate processes like rules-based spending adjustments, creative testing, etc. need the ID.
- Manage multiple accounts – It allows you to specify which exact account you want to access or modify programmatically.
- Sync data – You can use the ID to sync campaign data with CRMs, support software, etc.
Essentially, the ad account ID acts as the unique key to access and control that account via any type of software or automation.
How to Find Your Facebook Ad Account ID
There are a couple different ways you can locate the ID for your Facebook ad accounts. Here are step-by-step instructions for each method:
Method 1: Get ID from Ads Manager
The easiest way to find the ad account ID is directly in the Facebook Ads Manager interface:
- Login to Facebook Ads Manager and make sure the correct ad account is selected.
- Click on the account name dropdown at the top left. This will show a list of all your ad accounts.
- Hover over the name of ad account you want the ID for.
- The ad account ID will pop up right underneath the name.
This method allows you to quickly retrieve the ID for any of your existing ad accounts within a few clicks in the UI.
Method 2: See ID when creating new ad account
When initially creating a new ad account, Facebook will display the new ad account ID right after it’s been created:
- From Ads Manager, click the “+” button to create a new ad account.
- Enter the requested details for the new account like name, currency, etc.
- Click “Create Ad Account” when finished.
- Once created, the assigned ad account ID will be shown on the confirmation screen.
- You can copy down this ID for future reference.
This allows you to grab the ad account ID immediately after creating a new account. Just be sure to capture it right away before navigating away.
Method 3: Use the Ad Accounts endpoint
If you want to retrieve your ad account IDs programmatically, you can use the Marketing API’s Ad Accounts endpoint. Here’s how:
- Get a Marketing API access token if you don’t already have one.
- Make a GET request to
/v14.0/act_{ad_account_id}
to return data for all your ad accounts. - The
id
field in the response contains the ad account ID.
This allows you to fetch the IDs for all your ad accounts at once. You can then store them programmatically for future API requests.
How to Use an Ad Account ID
Once you have your ad account ID, here are some ways you can use it:
Connect to Facebook APIs
Most API endpoints require the act_{ad_account_id}
as part of the path:
GET /v14.0/act_{ad_account_id}/ads
POST /v14.0/act_{ad_account_id}/adsets
Refer to the API documentation for full usage instructions.
Give ID to third party tools
Many tools that integrate with Facebook Ads will ask you to input your ad account ID during the setup process. For example when connecting Google Analytics, HubSpot, SEMrush, etc. Simply copy the ID from Ads Manager and paste into the app.
Create rules and workflows
You can create custom automation workflows that reference your ad account IDs. For example IFTTT applets that automatically pause low-performing ads, Zapier zaps that pull data into Google Sheets, Integromat scenarios that optimize bidding, etc. Pass the relevant ID parameter to activate the desired account.
Build customized software
Developers can use the ad account IDs to build custom apps and scripts that integrate with the Marketing API. Your application will likely need to reference one or more IDs to function properly.
Manage multiple accounts
Agencies and marketers with many ad accounts can store IDs to keep track of them. This makes it easy to quickly pull reports or toggle settings for specific accounts.
In summary, the key is passing the ad account ID to any platform that needs to access your Facebook ads data or settings programmatically. This connects the dots between your accounts and the external tools.
Common Questions
Here are answers to some frequently asked questions about Facebook ad account IDs:
How do I change my existing ad account ID?
You cannot change an existing ad account ID manually. The ID is permanently assigned by Facebook when creating a new ad account. If needed, you can create a brand new ad account to get a different ID.
Does deleting an ad account free up the ID?
No, if you delete an ad account the ID still remains tied to your business Facebook profile. Facebook reserves inactive IDs so they cannot be reused.
Can I use the same ID across multiple businesses?
No, each of your business ad accounts will have unique IDs specific to that business profile. The IDs cannot be shared across separate business accounts.
What if I need more than one ID?
No problem – you can create as many ad accounts as you need for different campaigns, objectives, etc. Each new account will get its own unique ID from Facebook.
Can I rename my ad accounts?
Yes, you can change the name of your ad accounts within Ads Manager. However, this does not change the underlying ad account ID which always stays the same.
The key is the ID stays permanent even if you change the name or other account details.
Conclusion
Finding your Facebook ad account ID is easy using the steps outlined above. This unique identifier opens up powerful advertising options via the Marketing API, third-party tools, and custom solutions.
A few key takeaways:
- The ad account ID is assigned when creating a new account in Ads Manager.
- You can get the ID directly from the UI or programmatically.
- The ID allows you to access the account from other platforms.
- Each account will have just one ID that cannot be modified.
- You can create unlimited accounts/IDs for your business.
With your ad account IDs in hand, you’re now ready to fully tap into the programmatic advertising capabilities Facebook has to offer.